Salary data is based on the Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ metropolitan area and applied to Hackensack using local cost-of-living adjustments.

Multiple Machine Tool Setters Salaries in Hackensack, NJ

Average Base Pay

$51,174/yr

10% above national average

Monthly

$4,265

Hourly

$25

Cost Index

112

Multiple Machine Tool Setters in Hackensack, NJ earn an average of $51,174 per year, with most salaries falling between $40,939 and $61,409 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 10% above the national average, Hackensack ranks among the higher-paying markets for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 112. For professionals evaluating a move or negotiating an offer, the headline salary is only part of the picture—what matters most is how far that income actually goes once taxes, rent, and daily expenses are factored in. The sections below break that down in full for Hackensack.

Salary Range

The chart below shows the full compensation spectrum for this role, from entry-level to senior positions. The highlighted center bars represent the 25th–75th percentile band where most professionals are paid.

$38K
Low

$51K
Median

$64K
High

25th percentile: $43K75th percentile: $59K

About Multiple Machine Tool Setters

Manufacturing Engineers develop, implement, and improve manufacturing processes that transform raw materials and components into finished products efficiently, safely, and to quality standards. They design and commission production lines, select manufacturing equipment, develop process parameters and work instructions, and troubleshoot production problems. In new product introduction, manufacturing engineers collaborate with product design teams from early development to ensure that product designs are manufacturable—flagging design features that are difficult or costly to produce and proposing design changes that improve producibility. They conduct process validation studies demonstrating that processes consistently produce output within specifications, write manufacturing process documentation, and develop operator training materials. Process improvement is continuous: manufacturing engineers collect and analyze production data, identify sources of scrap, yield loss, and cycle time inefficiency, and implement lean manufacturing improvements including 5S, standardized work, and error-proofing (poka-yoke). In regulated industries such as medical devices or pharmaceuticals, they manage process validation per FDA and ISO requirements.

What Multiple Machine Tool Setters Do

Design and implement manufacturing processes for new or existing products
Select, specify, and commission manufacturing equipment and tooling
Develop process parameters, work instructions, and operator training materials
Conduct process capability studies and manufacturing process validation
Troubleshoot production quality and efficiency problems
Collaborate with product design on design for manufacturability
Lead lean manufacturing improvement projects (5S, kaizen, standard work)
Manage process documentation and engineering change control

Key Skills & Qualifications

Manufacturing process design and optimization
CAD software for fixture and tooling design
Statistical process control (SPC) and process capability analysis
Lean manufacturing tools (5S, Kanban, SMED, poka-yoke)
Design for manufacturability and assembly (DFM/DFA)
Process validation methodology (IQ/OQ/PQ)
PLC and automation fundamentals
Engineering change management and document control

Career Path

Manufacturing Engineer I
Manufacturing Engineer II
Senior Manufacturing Engineer
Lead Manufacturing Engineer / Process Engineering Manager
Director of Manufacturing Engineering

Multiple Machine Tool Setters Market in Hackensack, NJ

Salary Competitiveness

Hackensack is one of the stronger-paying markets for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, with local salaries running approximately 10% above the national median. This premium typically reflects a combination of higher employer competition, concentrated industry presence, and elevated cost expectations built into local compensation norms.

Cost of Living Impact

Hackensack sits close to the national cost average. Monthly essential expenses represent about 93% of take-home pay for this role—a midrange ratio that allows for modest savings and discretionary spending, provided housing costs remain stable.

Effective Purchasing Power

Despite a competitive gross salary, a Multiple Machine Tool Setters earning $51,174 in Hackensack operates in a tight purchasing-power band once taxes and local cost of living are applied. Careful planning around housing, transportation, and discretionary spending is essential to avoid running negative disposable income month to month.

vs. National Avg

+10%

Cost Pressure

93%

Purchasing Power

Tight

Take-Home Pay Calculator

Enter any gross salary to see how federal and state taxes affect your actual take-home pay, broken down by year, month, and week. Results use an estimated effective tax rate of 27% based on this location and income level.

Annual Salary

Take-home (73%)Taxes (27%)

Annual Net

$37,357

Monthly

$3,113

Weekly

$718

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $51,174 for a Multiple Machine Tool Setters in Hackensack translates to roughly $3,113 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $2,901—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $212 per month in disposable income. That margin, not the gross number, is what determines whether you can comfortably cover rent, build savings, and afford discretionary spending in Hackensack's current market.

How far does this salary go in Hackensack?

Cost of Living in Hackensack

Estimated monthly expenses for a single person in Hackensack, benchmarked against US regional price indices for housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare.

Cost Index

112

Above Avg — US average is 100. Based on a single person (1-bed apartment).

🏠Housing / Rent$1,669/mo

🍔Food & Groceries$556/mo

🚗Transportation$150/mo

💡Utilities$195/mo

🏥Healthcare$331/mo

Monthly$2,901

Annual$34,812

Disposable Income$212

Financial Reality Check

This section compares estimated monthly take-home pay against typical living costs in Hackensack to show your real disposable income—the amount remaining after essential bills are paid each month.

Monthly Take-Home

$3,113

Living Costs

$2,901

Disposable

$212

Cost Index

112

Lifestyle

Tight

With a monthly take-home of $3,113, your estimated living costs in Hackensack are $2,901 ($34,812/yr). This leaves $212 per month in disposable income, indicating a tight standard of living. Hackensack's cost of living is 12% above the national average.

Overall, a Multiple Machine Tool Setters earning $51,174 in Hackensack falls into a tight lifestyle tier and will need to budget carefully—essential costs consume a significant share of take-home pay, leaving limited room for savings or emergencies. With a cost index of 112, Hackensack is 12% more expensive than the national average, which compresses real purchasing power. Regardless of tier, prioritizing retirement contributions, an emergency fund of three to six months' expenses, and incremental debt reduction will yield the greatest long-term financial stability—especially as living costs in Hackensack continue to evolve.