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Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Pennsylvania: Cost of Living Adjusted (2025)

Last updated: 2025 BLS data · Page refreshed:

What does a Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary really buy you in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania is 3.8% cheaper than the US average

Data: BLS OEWS 2025 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-05-19

Nominal Salary
$66,970
Median annual (2025)
+4.0%
Real Purchasing Power
$69,615
COL-adjusted (RPP=96.2)

Pennsylvania Cost of Living Index

Pennsylvania's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 96.2, meaning prices are 3.8% lower the national average. A Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earning $66,970 in Pennsylvania has the equivalent purchasing power of $69,615 in an average-cost US state.

PA: 96.2
Cheapest (~85) US Avg (100) Priciest (~115)

Salary Breakdown: Nominal vs. COL-Adjusted

Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living.

Percentile Nominal Salary COL-Adjusted Difference
10th Percentile (P10) $48,240 $50,145 +$1,905
25th Percentile (P25) $54,330 $56,476 +$2,146
Median (P50) $66,970 $69,615 +$2,645
75th Percentile (P75) $69,240 $71,975 +$2,735
90th Percentile (P90) $70,310 $73,087 +$2,777
Key Insight

A Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Pennsylvania earns $66,970 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 4% further — like earning $69,615 in an average-cost state. This makes Pennsylvania one of the best value states for this occupation.

What the Cost-of-Living Data Says

Pennsylvania Sits Near the National Cost Benchmark

RPP 96.2

With an RPP of 96.2, Pennsylvania is within a few percent of the national cost-of-living baseline. Salary adjustment for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic is therefore minor — what you earn is close to what you'd keep in real purchasing power.

Meaningful Purchasing-Power Shift

+4.0%

After applying Pennsylvania's RPP, the $66,970 median salary translates to $69,615 in real terms — a 4.0% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.

Top-Quartile Adjusted Earnings in Pennsylvania

#2 / 39

Ranked on COL-adjusted median pay for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, Pennsylvania places #2 of 39 states — top quartile. Either nominal wages run high, cost of living runs low, or both.

Best States for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (After Cost of Living)

Where does Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.

1. Iowa
$82,205
RPP 88.4
$69,615
RPP 96.2
3. Vermont
$65,519
RPP 101.1
$62,047
RPP 97.7
5. Alabama
$60,797
RPP 87.8
$58,542
RPP 105.0
$57,887
RPP 109.8
$56,964
RPP 106.4
$56,589
RPP 107.6
10. Kentucky
$56,375
RPP 89.4

Pennsylvania ranks #2 out of 39 states for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic after cost-of-living adjustment.

How much do you actually take home? See Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic take-home pay in Pennsylvania after taxes →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the real salary for a Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Pennsylvania after cost of living?

A Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Pennsylvania earns a median salary of $66,970 per year. After adjusting for Pennsylvania's cost of living (RPP=96.2), the real purchasing power is $69,615 — a +4.0% difference.

Is Pennsylvania expensive to live in?

Pennsylvania's cost of living is 3.8% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Pennsylvania is 96.2 (US average = 100).

What are Regional Price Parities (RPP)?

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.

How is the cost-of-living adjusted salary calculated?

The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Pennsylvania: $66,970 x (100 / 96.2) = $69,615. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.

Is it better to be a Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Pennsylvania financially?

From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Pennsylvania enjoys 4.0% 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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