Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders in Charleston, WV make a median of $77,670 a year, or about $37.34 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $95K for experienced workers.
So what does $78K get you in Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (88.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About chemical equipment operators and tenders
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What this looks like in Charleston
Charleston sits well above the national pay line for chemical equipment operators and tenders, local pay runs about 34% higher than the U.S. median of $58K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $874/month, 17.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Charleston offers a genuinely strong financial position for chemical equipment operators and tenderss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical equipment operators and tenders in metros near Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Parkersburg-Vienna | $66K | , |
| Huntington-Ashland | $57K | , |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $60K | , |
| Cleveland | $62K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston, WV
Entry-level chemical equipment operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $95K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $102K | +75% | 290 |
| Alabama | $80K | +38% | 3,280 |
| Montana | $80K | +37% | 40 |
| Louisiana | $79K | +35% | 6,430 |
| Idaho | $77K | +33% | 550 |
| Rhode Island | $70K | +20% | 430 |
| Washington | $67K | +16% | 1,720 |
| West Virginia | $66K | +14% | 1,190 |
| Arkansas | $64K | +11% | 1,160 |
| Mississippi | $64K | +11% | 990 |
| Delaware | $63K | +9% | 1,160 |
| Illinois | $62K | +7% | 5,580 |
| Tennessee | $61K | +5% | 3,860 |
| New Mexico | $61K | +5% | 170 |
| Ohio | $61K | +4% | 7,830 |
| Texas | $60K | +4% | 20,880 |
| Virginia | $60K | +3% | 2,040 |
| Maryland | $60K | +3% | 1,220 |
| Nebraska | $60K | +3% | 1,020 |
| Nevada | $59K | +1% | 210 |
| Connecticut | $58K | +1% | 860 |
| California | $58K | +0% | 5,670 |
| Iowa | $58K | -1% | 2,010 |
| Kentucky | $58K | -1% | 3,590 |
| Maine | $57K | -1% | 250 |
| Massachusetts | $57K | -2% | 2,860 |
| Indiana | $57K | -2% | 6,240 |
| Pennsylvania | $57K | -2% | 6,230 |
| Oregon | $57K | -3% | 950 |
| New Jersey | $57K | -3% | 8,560 |
| South Carolina | $56K | -3% | 4,040 |
| Kansas | $55K | -5% | 1,920 |
| Minnesota | $53K | -8% | 1,170 |
| Wisconsin | $51K | -12% | 2,730 |
| Missouri | $51K | -13% | 2,790 |
| Colorado | $50K | -13% | 910 |
| Oklahoma | $50K | -14% | 790 |
| Michigan | $50K | -14% | 5,210 |
| Georgia | $50K | -14% | 4,330 |
| North Carolina | $50K | -14% | 5,260 |
| New York | $50K | -14% | 4,270 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | -15% | 350 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -16% | 230 |
| Hawaii | $48K | -18% | 30 |
| Arizona | $46K | -21% | 1,330 |
| Florida | $44K | -24% | 4,270 |
| Utah | $39K | -33% | 2,610 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track chemical equipment operators and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical equipment operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 17.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $874/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical equipment operators and tenders in Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical equipment operators and tenders typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,942/month. At HUD’s $874/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chemical equipment operators and tender a high-paying job in Charleston?
Local pay is 34% above the national median — $78K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Charleston compare to the national average for chemical equipment operators and tenders?
Charleston pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $88K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemical equipment operators and tenders make in Charleston, WV?
The median is $77,670 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,040, and experienced chemical equipment operators and tenders can clear $94,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,995/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $874/month, which eats 17.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chemical equipment operators and tenders salary go in Charleston?
Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemical equipment operators and tenders salary is worth about $87,565 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chemical equipment operators and tenders get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.