SalaryExplorer

SOC 51-4031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticKansas

Kansas · 4 metro areas compared

$46,840 /year
$22.52per hour
1,900jobs in area
+1.1%vs US median

The median wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Kansas is $46,840 per year, close to the national median of $46,330 for the same occupation.

Wage distribution · annual

Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners

US MEDIAN $46,33010TH$36,360MEDIAN$46,84075TH$53,67090TH$63,150

Salary overview

The median wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Kansas is $46,840 per year, close to the national median of $46,330 for the same occupation. Half of workers earn between $39,520 and $53,670. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $36,360 and the ninetieth at $63,150.

The area has 1,900 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 1.3 of every thousand jobs. Kansas ranks number 24th out of 49 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Topeka records the highest median at $48,600. Of the 669 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 452nd.

Percentile breakdown

Annual wages by percentile · Kansas · May 2025
PercentileAnnualvs US median
10th$36,360−21.5%
25th$39,520−14.7%
Median (50th)$46,840+1.1%
75th$53,670+15.8%
90th$63,150+36.3%
Mean$48,770+5.3%

Highest-paying metro areas in Kansas

Median annual wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic, by metro area
#Metro areaMedianJobsRelative
1Topeka$48,600130
2Lawrence$48,13080
3Manhattan$46,03090
4Wichita$45,460620

What the pay is worth locally

Prices in Kansas run 9.9% below the national average, so the median of $46,840 goes as far as $51,987 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 12.2% above the national median in real terms.

Published median

$46,840as reported by BLS

Local price level

90.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Adjusted for local prices

$51,987US average = 100 · BEA 2024

Key takeaways

  • Median pay is $46,840 a year, 1.1% above the national median.
  • Published pay spans $36,360 to $63,150 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
  • The area has 1,900 jobs in this occupation.
  • It ranks 24th of 49 states for this occupation.
  • The highest-paying metro area covered is Topeka, at $48,600.

Frequently asked questions

What is the median wage for Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Kansas?

The median annual wage is $46,840, or $22.52 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.

Is that higher than the national average?

The national median for this occupation is $46,330, so pay in Kansas is 1.1% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.

What do the top earners make?

The top tenth of this occupation in Kansas earns more than $63,150 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.

What is the starting range?

The tenth percentile wage is $36,360 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.

Which area nearby pays the most?

The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Topeka, at $48,600 per year.

How many jobs are there in this occupation here?

The survey estimates 1,900 jobs in this occupation in Kansas. Self-employed workers are not included.

Source and methodology

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.

Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Kansas (2025): $46,840 Median | Salary Explorer