Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders in Columbia, SC make a median of $34,140 a year, or about $16.42 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $43K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $36,451 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,276/month, about 54.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). 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 cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders
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What this looks like in Columbia
Pay for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders in Columbia runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $44K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,276/month, which is 53% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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 cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenderss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $41K | $44K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $36K | $36K |
| Gainesville | $47K | $49K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $39K | $40K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $43K or more, a $12K spread from bottom to top.
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | $65K | +48% | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $54K | +25% | 310 |
| Oregon | $49K | +13% | 70 |
| North Dakota | $48K | +11% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +10% | 370 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | +9% | 120 |
| Iowa | $47K | +8% | 430 |
| New York | $46K | +6% | 710 |
| Nebraska | $46K | +5% | 400 |
| Washington | $46K | +5% | 180 |
| Ohio | $45K | +4% | 1,010 |
| Virginia | $45K | +4% | 140 |
| California | $45K | +4% | 2,450 |
| South Dakota | $45K | +3% | 60 |
| Michigan | $44K | +2% | 820 |
| Indiana | $44K | +1% | 830 |
| Illinois | $44K | +0% | 70 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +0% | 590 |
| Massachusetts | $43K | -1% | 380 |
| Minnesota | $43K | -2% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $41K | -6% | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $41K | -6% | 450 |
| Missouri | $41K | -7% | 200 |
| Utah | $40K | -8% | 120 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -10% | 320 |
| Connecticut | $39K | -10% | 170 |
| Georgia | $38K | -12% | 600 |
| North Carolina | $38K | -12% | 260 |
| Kansas | $38K | -12% | 50 |
| Arizona | $38K | -13% | 370 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -14% | 90 |
| Texas | $37K | -15% | 1,380 |
| Florida | $37K | -15% | 170 |
| Nevada | $36K | -16% | 110 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -18% | 310 |
| New Mexico | $36K | -18% | 60 |
| Alabama | $35K | -19% | 140 |
| Mississippi | $34K | -21% | 90 |
| Idaho | $34K | -23% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 39 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 53% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,872/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 68% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tender a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $34K here vs. $44K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders?
Columbia pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $36K — below the national median.
How much do cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $34,140 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,200, and experienced cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders can clear $42,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,409/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 53% 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 cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (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 cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders salary is worth about $36,451 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cleaning, washing, and metal pickling 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.