Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:
What does a Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary really buy you in Kansas?
Kansas is 10.0% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19
Kansas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 90.0, meaning prices are 10.0% lower the national average. A Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earning $38,770 in Kansas has the equivalent purchasing power of $43,077 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Kansas's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $33,330 | $37,033 | +$3,703 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $36,500 | $40,555 | +$4,055 |
| Median (P50) | $38,770 | $43,077 | +$4,307 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $47,510 | $52,788 | +$5,278 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $57,980 | $64,422 | +$6,442 |
A Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Kansas earns $38,770 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 11% further — like earning $43,077 in an average-cost state. This makes Kansas one of the best value states for this occupation.
Kansas's Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 90.0 means a basket of goods and services costs about 10.0% less than the national average. For a Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, every dollar earned effectively buys more here than in a 100-RPP state.
Adjusting $38,770 for Kansas's cost of living yields $43,078 — a 11.1% gain in real purchasing power. This magnitude usually reflects either a materially cheaper or materially pricier metro mix than the national average.
Kansas's rank of #21 of 40 states means real purchasing power for Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic trails the national half-way line.
Where does Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Kansas ranks #21 out of 40 states for Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic after cost-of-living adjustment.
How much do you actually take home? See Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic take-home pay in Kansas after taxes →
A Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Kansas earns a median salary of $38,770 per year. After adjusting for Kansas's cost of living (RPP=90.0), the real purchasing power is $43,077 — a +11.1% difference.
Kansas's cost of living is 10.0% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Kansas is 90.0 (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 Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Kansas: $38,770 x (100 / 90.0) = $43,077. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Kansas enjoys 11.1% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.
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