Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders in Elizabethtown, KY make a median of $67,510 a year, or about $32.46 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.57), which stretches that salary to about $74,539 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,056/month, or 23.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $68K get you in Elizabethtown?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Elizabethtown’s Regional Price Parity (90.57). 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 Elizabethtown
Elizabethtown sits well above the national pay line for chemical equipment operators and tenders, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $58K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,056/month, 23.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Elizabethtown 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 Elizabethtown, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $63K | $68K |
| Lexington-Fayette | $46K | $49K |
| Bowling Green | $61K | $67K |
| Paducah | $44K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Elizabethtown, KY
Entry-level chemical equipment operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $36K 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 Elizabethtown numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical equipment operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Elizabethtown?
Yes — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 23.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,056/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical equipment operators and tenders in Elizabethtown?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical equipment operators and tenders typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,647/month. At HUD’s $1,056/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chemical equipment operators and tender a high-paying job in Elizabethtown?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $68K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Elizabethtown compare to the national average for chemical equipment operators and tenders?
Elizabethtown pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemical equipment operators and tenders make in Elizabethtown, KY?
The median is $67,510 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,120, and experienced chemical equipment operators and tenders can clear $79,670. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Elizabethtown?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,432/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,056/month, which eats 23.8% 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 Elizabethtown?
Elizabethtown has a Regional Price Parity of 90.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemical equipment operators and tenders salary is worth about $74,539 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.