SOC 51-4023 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic — Tennessee
Tennessee · 6 metro areas compared
At $48,540, median pay for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Tennessee tracks the national median of $50,140 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -8.3%
- Openings per year
- 1,900
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Tennessee.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $48,540, median pay for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Tennessee tracks the national median of $50,140 closely. Pay ranges from under $31,690 at the tenth percentile to more than $71,860 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $38,930 to $54,140.
The area has 1,290 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 2.42 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Tennessee ranks number 19th out of 39 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Jackson records the highest median at $63,900. Of the 730 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 433rd.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $31,690 | −36.8% |
| 25th | $38,930 | −22.4% |
| Median (50th) | $48,540 | −3.2% |
| 75th | $54,140 | +8.0% |
| 90th | $71,860 | +43.3% |
| Mean | $48,450 | −3.4% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Tennessee
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jackson | $63,900 | 40 | |
| 2 | Knoxville | $58,680 | 320 | |
| 3 | Nashville | $48,490 | 260 | |
| 4 | Memphis | $45,640 | 80 | |
| 5 | Chattanooga | $44,710 | 60 | |
| 6 | Johnson City | $31,680 | 30 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Tennessee run 8.1% below the national average, so the median of $48,540 goes as far as $52,818 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 5.3% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$48,540as reported by BLSLocal price level
91.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$52,818US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $48,540 a year, 3.2% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $31,690 to $71,860 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,290 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 19th of 39 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Jackson, at $63,900.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Tennessee?
The median annual wage is $48,540, or $23.34 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 $50,140, so pay in Tennessee is 3.2% 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 $71,860 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $31,690 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 Jackson, at $63,900 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,290 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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