Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic · SOC 51-4023
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in the East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $48,540 per year ($23.34 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $36,390 at the 10th percentile to $49,680 at the 90th. BLS estimates 130 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area earn more than $48,540 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $48,540 and $48,540.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $36,390 | $48,540 | $48,540 | $48,540 | $49,680 |
| Hourly | $17.50 | $23.34 | $23.34 | $23.34 | $23.89 |
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares
- East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area$48,540 median for East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $48,540 to $48,540
- Tennesseestate$48,540 median for Tennessee; middle half earns $38,930 to $54,140
- United Statesnational$50,140 median for United States; middle half earns $44,020 to $61,880
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is about the same vs Tennessee overall and −3% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in Tennessee
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- East Tennessee nonmetropolitan areathis page$48,540 median for East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $48,540 to $48,540
- $63,900 median for Jackson metro area; middle half earns $46,590 to $63,900
- $58,680 median for Knoxville metro area; middle half earns $47,480 to $71,860
- $48,490 median for Nashville-Davidson metro area; middle half earns $36,330 to $53,140
- $45,640 median for Memphis metro area; middle half earns $38,160 to $49,780
- $44,710 median for Chattanooga metro area; middle half earns $38,590 to $49,730
- $31,680 median for Johnson City metro area; middle half earns $31,680 to $41,940
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics · Highest-paying occupations in East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area
About this estimate
These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.