SOC 51-4034 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — Wisconsin
Wisconsin · 1 metro areas compared
At $51,020, median pay for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Wisconsin tracks the national median of $50,620 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
At $51,020, median pay for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Wisconsin tracks the national median of $50,620 closely. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $44,980 and $60,440. The lowest tenth earn under $37,780, while the highest tenth earn more than $69,100.
The area has 340 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.07 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Among the 36 states with published data for this occupation, Wisconsin ranks 14th by median wage. Milwaukee leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $50,870. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 467th of 728 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $37,780 | −25.4% |
| 25th | $44,980 | −11.1% |
| Median (50th) | $51,020 | +0.8% |
| 75th | $60,440 | +19.4% |
| 90th | $69,100 | +36.5% |
| Mean | $53,180 | +5.1% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Wisconsin
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee | $50,870 | 80 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Wisconsin run 5.9% below the national average, so the median of $51,020 goes as far as $54,219 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 7.1% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$51,020as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$54,219US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $51,020 a year, 0.8% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $37,780 to $69,100 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 340 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 14th of 36 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Milwaukee, at $50,870.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Wisconsin?
The median annual wage is $51,020, or $24.53 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 $50,620, so pay in Wisconsin is 0.8% 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 Wisconsin earns more than $69,100 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $37,780 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 Milwaukee, at $50,870 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 340 jobs in this occupation in Wisconsin. 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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