Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Chicago, IL
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $50,770 a year — 10% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $40,605 take-home, or $3,384 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,912
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,148
- Medicare (1.45%)$736
- Illinois income tax$2,368
- Take-home pay$40,605
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,420 | $18.47 | $31,293 | $2,608 |
| 25th percentile | $43,610 | $20.97 | $35,207 | $2,934 |
| Median (50th) | $50,770 | $24.41 | $40,605 | $3,384 |
| 75th percentile | $61,400 | $29.52 | $48,620 | $4,052 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $77,370 | $37.20 | $59,575 | $4,965 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $50,770 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic's $40,605 take-home pay has the buying power of $39,196 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Chicago, IL has 1.3× the national concentration of cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #4 of 11 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisville, KY | $60,230 | $48,584 | $52,200 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $46,300 | $38,891 | $41,408 |
| 3 | Detroit, MI | $50,460 | $40,831 | $40,709 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $50,770 | $40,605 | $39,196 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $48,710 | $39,530 | $37,711 |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | $46,310 | $37,609 | $37,588 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $43,420 | $37,068 | $37,583 |
| 8 | Dallas, TX | $43,950 | $37,494 | $36,370 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 11 metros →
About the job: cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -10.5% (declining)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in Chicago, IL?
The median cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $50,770 a year, or about $24.41 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $43,610 and $61,400.
What is a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $50,770 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $40,605 a year ($3,384 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,368 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
Pay here is 10% above the national median of $46,330. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $39,196 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #4 of 11 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 45% of a median cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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