What does a Grinding/Lapping/Polishing/Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary really buy you in Vermont?
Vermont is near the US average cost of livingData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Vermont's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 101.1, meaning prices are 1.1% higher the national average. A Grinding/Lapping/Polishing/Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earning $49,160 in Vermont has the equivalent purchasing power of $48,625 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Vermont's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $36,070 | $35,677 | $-392 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $42,470 | $42,007 | $-462 |
| Median (P50) | $49,160 | $48,625 | $-534 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $50,780 | $50,227 | $-552 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $60,520 | $59,861 | $-658 |
Vermont's cost of living is close to the national average, so $49,160 keeps most of its value at $48,625 in real terms. Location choice here is more about career opportunities than cost arbitrage.
Where does Grinding/Lapping/Polishing/Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Vermont ranks #13 out of 48 states for Grinding/Lapping/Polishing/Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Grinding/Lapping/Polishing/Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Vermont earns a median salary of $49,160 per year. After adjusting for Vermont's cost of living (RPP=101.1), the real purchasing power is $48,625 — a -1.1% difference.
Vermont's cost of living is 1.1% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Vermont is 101.1 (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/Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Vermont: $49,160 x (100 / 101.1) = $48,625. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.