SOC 51-4022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — Tennessee
Tennessee · 3 metro areas compared
The median wage for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Tennessee is $43,810 per year, 10.6% below the national median of $49,030.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Tennessee is $43,810 per year, 10.6% below the national median of $49,030. Pay ranges from under $37,140 at the tenth percentile to more than $59,200 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $39,090 to $46,990.
The area has 1,140 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.3 of every thousand jobs. Among the 32 states with published data for this occupation, Tennessee ranks 25th by median wage. Memphis leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $44,860. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 534th of 730 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,140 | −24.3% |
| 25th | $39,090 | −20.3% |
| Median (50th) | $43,810 | −10.6% |
| 75th | $46,990 | −4.2% |
| 90th | $59,200 | +20.7% |
| Mean | $44,810 | −8.6% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Tennessee
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Tennessee run 8.1% below the national average, so the median of $43,810 goes as far as $47,671 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 2.8% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$43,810as reported by BLSLocal price level
91.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$47,671US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $43,810 a year, 10.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $37,140 to $59,200 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,140 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 25th of 32 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Memphis, at $44,860.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Tennessee?
The median annual wage is $43,810, or $21.06 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 $49,030, so pay in Tennessee is 10.6% lower. 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 Tennessee earns more than $59,200 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $37,140 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 Memphis, at $44,860 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,140 jobs in this occupation in Tennessee. 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.
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