Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Hickory, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC

Median annual salary $45,430 -6.6% vs national
Median hourly $21.84
10th percentile $32,570
90th percentile $59,080
Employed locally 30
National median $48,620

Compare Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary & buying power

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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $32,570
    25th
    $36,680
    50th (median)
    $45,430
    75th
    $46,410
    90th
    $59,080

    Hickory economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $60,255 2023 • Census ACS
    Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary vs area income 75% Median Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary is 25% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Greeley, CO $71,150
    Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $64,790
    Pittsburgh, PA $64,410
    Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $62,920
    Maine $62,120
    Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $62,080

    Nearby metros — Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Lincoln, NE $58,050
    Lancaster, PA $51,580
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $50,800
    Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $47,680
    Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $46,830
    North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) $45,210

    Related occupations in Hickory, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$38,670
    Upholsterers$59,400
    Sewing Machine Operators$46,360
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$63,280
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$41,340
    Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,150

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic make per hour in Hickory?

    The median hourly wage for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Hickory, NC is $21.84, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $28.40 or more per hour.

    Is Hickory above or below average for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries?

    The median Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in Hickory, NC is 6.6% below the national median of $48,620. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Hickory?

    Entry-level Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (10th percentile) earn around $32,570 per year in Hickory, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $36,680.