Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Kingsport, TN-VA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA

Median annual salary $30,210 -38.6% vs national
Median hourly $14.52
10th percentile $30,180
90th percentile $39,710
Employed locally 80
National median $49,240

Compare Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary & buying power

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Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $30,180
    25th
    $30,180
    50th (median)
    $30,210
    75th
    $39,270
    90th
    $39,710

    Kingsport economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $55,948 2023 • Census ACS
    Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary vs area income 54% Median Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary is 46% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Worcester, MA $86,590
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $65,690
    Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $65,530
    New Jersey $63,630
    Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $62,590
    Massachusetts $60,540

    Nearby metros — Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Memphis, TN-MS-AR $44,860
    Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $38,220
    Johnson City, TN $34,180

    Related occupations in Kingsport, TN-VA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$38,400
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$75,020
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$45,420
    Production Workers, All Other$37,110
    Machinists$55,610
    Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$49,400

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make per hour in Kingsport?

    The median hourly wage for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Kingsport, TN-VA is $14.52, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.89 or more per hour.

    Is Kingsport above or below average for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries?

    The median Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in Kingsport, TN-VA is 38.6% below the national median of $49,240. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Kingsport?

    Entry-level Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (10th percentile) earn around $30,180 per year in Kingsport, TN-VA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $30,180.