Salary data is based on the Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO metropolitan area and applied to Thornton using local cost-of-living adjustments.

Multiple Machine Tool Setters Salaries in Thornton, CO

Average Base Pay

$49,169/yr

5% above national average

Monthly

$4,097

Hourly

$24

Cost Index

100

Multiple Machine Tool Setters in Thornton, CO earn an average of $49,169 per year, with most salaries falling between $39,335 and $59,003 depending on experience, employer, and specialization. At 5% above the national average, Thornton ranks among the higher-paying markets for this role, in part reflecting a local cost of living index of 100. 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 Thornton.

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.

$37K
Low

$49K
Median

$61K
High

25th percentile: $42K75th percentile: $57K

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 Thornton, CO

Salary Competitiveness

Thornton is one of the stronger-paying markets for Multiple Machine Tool Setters, with local salaries running approximately 5% 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

Thornton sits close to the national cost average. Monthly essential expenses represent about 90% 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 $49,169 in Thornton 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

+5%

Cost Pressure

90%

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

$35,893

Monthly

$2,991

Weekly

$690

Eff. Tax Rate

27%

A gross salary of $49,169 for a Multiple Machine Tool Setters in Thornton translates to roughly $2,991 in monthly take-home pay after estimated federal and state taxes. Set against monthly living costs of $2,697—covering housing, food, transportation, utilities, and healthcare—that leaves approximately $294 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 Thornton's current market.

How far does this salary go in Thornton?

Cost of Living in Thornton

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

Cost Index

100

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

🏠Housing / Rent$1,580/mo

🍔Food & Groceries$505/mo

🚗Transportation$135/mo

💡Utilities$165/mo

🏥Healthcare$312/mo

Monthly$2,697

Annual$32,364

Disposable Income$294

Financial Reality Check

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

Monthly Take-Home

$2,991

Living Costs

$2,697

Disposable

$294

Cost Index

100

Lifestyle

Tight

With a monthly take-home of $2,991, your estimated living costs in Thornton are $2,697 ($32,364/yr). This leaves $294 per month in disposable income, indicating a tight standard of living. Thornton's cost of living is at the national average.

Overall, a Multiple Machine Tool Setters earning $49,169 in Thornton 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 100, Thornton's cost of living sits right at the national average. 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 Thornton continue to evolve.