Conveyor Operators and Tenders Salary
Conveyor Operators and Tenders in Chattanooga, TN-GA make a median of $49,910 a year, or about $24 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers.
So what does $50K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.5). 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 conveyor operators and tenders
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Chattanooga sits well above the national pay line for conveyor operators and tenders, local pay runs about 18% higher than the U.S. median of $42K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 39.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.5 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for conveyor operators and tenders in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $38K | , |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $39K | , |
| Knoxville | $36K | , |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $38K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level conveyor operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Conveyor Operators and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Conveyor Operators and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $63K | +48% | 580 |
| Iowa | $57K | +34% | 590 |
| Maryland | $56K | +32% | 30 |
| Alabama | $56K | +32% | 210 |
| Louisiana | $55K | +29% | 210 |
| Wyoming | $52K | +24% | 120 |
| New Jersey | $51K | +20% | 210 |
| Utah | $49K | +15% | 140 |
| North Dakota | $48K | +13% | 80 |
| Indiana | $46K | +9% | 610 |
| Pennsylvania | $45K | +6% | 450 |
| South Dakota | $45K | +6% | 500 |
| Kentucky | $45K | +6% | 780 |
| Illinois | $44K | +4% | 480 |
| Missouri | $44K | +4% | 290 |
| Washington | $43K | +2% | 640 |
| Oregon | $43K | +2% | 390 |
| Nebraska | $43K | +2% | 1,180 |
| California | $43K | +2% | 2,460 |
| Massachusetts | $43K | +2% | 170 |
| Minnesota | $43K | +1% | 460 |
| Hawaii | $43K | +1% | N/A |
| New York | $43K | +1% | 720 |
| Idaho | $41K | -4% | 240 |
| Texas | $41K | -4% | 2,380 |
| Georgia | $41K | -4% | 600 |
| Colorado | $40K | -5% | 370 |
| Vermont | $40K | -5% | 50 |
| Kansas | $40K | -6% | 840 |
| Virginia | $40K | -6% | 820 |
| Ohio | $40K | -7% | 340 |
| Wisconsin | $40K | -7% | 450 |
| Michigan | $39K | -7% | 410 |
| Arizona | $39K | -7% | 360 |
| North Carolina | $39K | -8% | 840 |
| Montana | $39K | -9% | 370 |
| Nevada | $38K | -9% | 350 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -10% | 230 |
| Maine | $38K | -10% | 200 |
| Tennessee | $38K | -10% | 760 |
| Florida | $38K | -10% | 470 |
| South Carolina | $38K | -10% | 440 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -13% | 300 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -15% | 350 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track conveyor operators and tenders salary changes
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Related careers in Transportation
Frequently asked questions
Can a conveyor operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 39.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for conveyor operators and tenders in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new conveyor operators and tenders typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,086/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 67% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is conveyor operators and tender a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $50K here vs. $42K nationally.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for conveyor operators and tenders?
Chattanooga pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.5), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do conveyor operators and tenders make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $49,910 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,760, and experienced conveyor operators and tenders can clear $54,720. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,512/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 39.6% 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 conveyor operators and tenders salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median conveyor operators and tenders salary is worth about $54,546 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do conveyor 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.