Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders in Tennessee make a median of $41,110 a year, or about $19.77 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $45,790 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 41.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Tennessee. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $41K get you in Tennessee?
About cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $41K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 41.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 41.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,941/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $41K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders?
Tennessee pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders make in Tennessee?
The median is $41,110 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,350, and experienced cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders can clear $48,610. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,923/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 41.6% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $45,790 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.