What does a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary really buy you in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island is 4.7% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-04-02
Rhode Island's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 104.7, meaning prices are 4.7% higher the national average. A Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earning $38,630 in Rhode Island has the equivalent purchasing power of $36,895 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Rhode Island's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $33,150 | $31,661 | $-1,488 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $37,770 | $36,074 | $-1,695 |
| Median (P50) | $38,630 | $36,895 | $-1,734 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $50,260 | $48,003 | $-2,256 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $63,490 | $60,639 | $-2,850 |
While $38,630 sounds high, Rhode Island's elevated cost of living erases 4% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $36,895. Consider whether the higher pay offsets the higher costs.
Where does Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Rhode Island ranks #44 out of 46 states for Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic after cost-of-living adjustment.
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How much do you actually take home? See Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic take-home pay in Rhode Island after taxes →
A Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Rhode Island earns a median salary of $38,630 per year. After adjusting for Rhode Island's cost of living (RPP=104.7), the real purchasing power is $36,895 — a -4.5% difference.
Rhode Island's cost of living is 4.7% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Rhode Island is 104.7 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Rhode Island: $38,630 x (100 / 104.7) = $36,895. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic's nominal salary of $38,630 in Rhode Island has 4.5% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $36,895. However, Rhode Island may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.