Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders in Kennewick-Richland, WA make a median of $75,990 a year, or about $36.54 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.08), that's roughly $75,929 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,538/month, or 29.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $76K get you in Kennewick-Richland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kennewick-Richland’s Regional Price Parity (100.08). 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 Kennewick-Richland
Kennewick-Richland sits well above the national pay line for chemical equipment operators and tenders, local pay runs about 31% higher than the U.S. median of $58K. Rent runs $1,538/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.08) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical equipment operators and tenders in metros near Kennewick-Richland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $67K | $60K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $67K | $67K |
| Longview-Kelso | $76K | $78K |
| Boise City | $59K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kennewick-Richland, WA
Entry-level chemical equipment operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $84K 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 with published data
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 Kennewick-Richland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical equipment operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kennewick-Richland?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 29.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,538/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical equipment operators and tenders in Kennewick-Richland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical equipment operators and tenders typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,914/month. At HUD’s $1,538/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Kennewick-Richland?
Local pay is 31% above the national median — $76K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Kennewick-Richland compare to the national average for chemical equipment operators and tenders?
Kennewick-Richland pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemical equipment operators and tenders make in Kennewick-Richland, WA?
The median is $75,990 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,560, and experienced chemical equipment operators and tenders can clear $84,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Kennewick-Richland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,154/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,538/month, which eats 29.8% 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 Kennewick-Richland?
Kennewick-Richland has a Regional Price Parity of 100.08 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemical equipment operators and tenders salary is worth about $75,929 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.