Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary in Houston, TX
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $43,420 a year — 6% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $37,068 take-home, or $3,089 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 Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,030
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,692
- Medicare (1.45%)$630
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$37,068
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
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 Houston, TX
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $34,900 | $16.78 | $30,222 | $2,519 |
| 25th percentile | $37,230 | $17.90 | $32,094 | $2,675 |
| Median (50th) | $43,420 | $20.88 | $37,068 | $3,089 |
| 75th percentile | $47,650 | $22.91 | $40,467 | $3,372 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $57,340 | $27.57 | $48,253 | $4,021 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $43,420 buys in Houston, TX
Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic's $37,068 take-home pay has the buying power of $37,583 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic jobs are about as common in Houston, TX as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.05).
Best-paying cities for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic, adjusted for cost of living
Houston, TX ranks #7 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.
Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salaries elsewhere in Texas
- Dallas, TX — $43,950
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic make in Houston, TX?
The median cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $43,420 a year, or about $20.88 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,230 and $47,650.
What is a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?
On the median $43,420 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $37,068 a year ($3,089 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.
Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic?
Pay here is 6% below the national median of $46,330. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $37,583 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #7 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 Houston, TX?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 43% 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%.
Related jobs in Houston, TX
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