Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders in Waco, TX make a median of $37,260 a year, or about $17.92 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.55), which stretches that salary to about $40,259 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $973/month, about 36.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Waco?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waco’s Regional Price Parity (92.55). 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 Waco
Pay for chemical equipment operators and tenders in Waco runs about 36% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $973/month, which is 36.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.55 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for chemical equipment operators and tenderss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical equipment operators and tenders in metros near Waco, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Texarkana | $59K | $71K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $79K | $81K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $47K | $46K |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur | $97K | $107K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waco, TX
Entry-level chemical equipment operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $32K 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 Waco numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical equipment operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waco?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 36.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $973/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical equipment operators and tenders in Waco?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical equipment operators and tenders typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,606/month. At HUD’s $973/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Waco?
Local pay runs 36% below the national median — $37K here vs. $58K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Waco compare to the national average for chemical equipment operators and tenders?
Waco pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -36%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — below the national median.
How much do chemical equipment operators and tenders make in Waco, TX?
The median is $37,260 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,770, and experienced chemical equipment operators and tenders can clear $58,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Waco?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,665/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $973/month, which eats 36.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a chemical equipment operators and tenders salary go in Waco?
Waco has a Regional Price Parity of 92.55 (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 $40,259 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.