Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay range in Decatur
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,380 a year or less, while the top 10% make $51,020 or more. The middle half of paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Decatur earn between $38,380 and $51,020.
- $38K10th
- $38K25th
- $45KMedian
- $51K75th
- $51K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $44,700 | $3,725 | $21.49 |
| Median | $45,050 | $3,754 | $21.66 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $38,380 | $3,198 | $18.45 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $51,020 | $4,252 | $24.53 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay in Decatur vs. Alabama and the U.S.
Paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders in Decatur earn 19% less than the Alabama average ($55,280) and 15% less than the U.S. average ($52,840). At the median the gap is -10% against the U.S. median of $50,270.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur | $44,700 | $45,050 | $38,380 | $51,020 | 70 |
| Alabama | $55,280 | $52,290 | $36,670 | $79,660 | 3,800 |
| United States | $52,840 | $50,270 | $37,300 | $70,320 | 96,130 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary after taxes in Decatur
On the average salary of $44,700, a single filer in Decatur takes home about $36,261 a year, or $3,022 a month and $1,395 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Is Decatur a good place for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Decatur area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.2), so the average $44,700 buys what about $51,254 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Decatur ($46,280). A typical home costs $232,614, or 5.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in other Alabama cities
Decatur ranks 3rd of 3 Alabama metro areas for this job; Montgomery pays the most ($55,120).
- Montgomery$55,120
- Birmingham$46,760
- Decatur$44,700
All Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salaries in Alabama
Highest-paying cities for paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders
Cedar Rapids, IA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($70,830).
- Cedar Rapids, IA$70,830
- Albany, OR$66,820
- Longview, WA$66,350
- Pittsfield, MA$62,350
- Wausau, WI$62,350
Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by city
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Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in Decatur: questions
How much do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders make an hour in Decatur?
$21.49 an hour on average, and $21.66 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders salary in Decatur?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,380 a year and the 25th percentile is $38,380, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders take-home pay in Decatur?
About $36,261 a year ($3,022 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $44,700. City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
Do paper goods machine setters, operators, and tenders earn more in Decatur than elsewhere?
The average here is 15% less than the U.S. average for this job ($52,840).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-9196; area Decatur, AL (19460). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.3%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). City occupational taxes (for example in Birmingham and Gadsden) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.91, this job is 1.9 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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