The median annual wage for Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC is $45,430 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $43,460.
Pay spans roughly $32,570 at the 10th percentile to $59,080 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $21.84 per hour. An estimated 30 people work as lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
| Median (annual) | $45,430 |
| Mean (annual) | $43,460 |
| Median (hourly) | $21.84 |
| 10th percentile | $32,570 |
| 90th percentile | $59,080 |
| Employment | 30 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.