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Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in South Carolina: 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 South Carolina?

South Carolina is 6.4% cheaper than the US average

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

Nominal Salary
$48,210
Median annual (2025)
+6.8%
Real Purchasing Power
$51,506
COL-adjusted (RPP=93.6)

South Carolina Cost of Living Index

South Carolina's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 93.6, meaning prices are 6.4% lower the national average. A Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic earning $48,210 in South Carolina has the equivalent purchasing power of $51,506 in an average-cost US state.

SC: 93.6
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 South Carolina's cost of living.

Percentile Nominal Salary COL-Adjusted Difference
10th Percentile (P10) $38,840 $41,495 +$2,655
25th Percentile (P25) $39,130 $41,805 +$2,675
Median (P50) $48,210 $51,506 +$3,296
75th Percentile (P75) $56,660 $60,534 +$3,874
90th Percentile (P90) $64,000 $68,376 +$4,376
Key Insight

A Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in South Carolina earns $48,210 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 7% further — like earning $51,506 in an average-cost state. This makes South Carolina one of the best value states for this occupation.

What the Cost-of-Living Data Says

South Carolina Sits Near the National Cost Benchmark

RPP 93.6

With an RPP of 93.6, South Carolina 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

+6.8%

After applying South Carolina's RPP, the $48,210 median salary translates to $51,506 in real terms — a 6.8% gain. That difference can cover several months of expenses over a year for a Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic.

Below-Median Adjusted Pay

#22 / 39

South Carolina's rank of #22 of 39 states means real purchasing power for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic trails the national half-way line.

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

South Carolina ranks #22 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 South Carolina after taxes →

Frequently Asked Questions

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

A Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in South Carolina earns a median salary of $48,210 per year. After adjusting for South Carolina's cost of living (RPP=93.6), the real purchasing power is $51,506 — a +6.8% difference.

Is South Carolina expensive to live in?

South Carolina's cost of living is 6.4% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for South Carolina is 93.6 (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 South Carolina: $48,210 x (100 / 93.6) = $51,506. 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 South Carolina financially?

From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in South Carolina enjoys 6.8% 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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