Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders in Michigan make a median of $31,700 a year, or about $15.24 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $33,763 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 58.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Michigan. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $32K get you in Michigan?
About cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders
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What this looks like in Michigan
Pay for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders in Michigan runs about 23% below the U.S. median of $41K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 58.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (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 cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenderss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Michigan
Entry-level cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $32K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Michigan numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a cooling and freezing equipment operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $32K, rent takes 58.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/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 cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders in Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,739/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 73% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is cooling and freezing equipment operators and tender a high-paying job in Michigan?
Local pay runs 23% below the national median — $32K here vs. $41K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders?
Michigan pays $32K median vs. the U.S. average of $41K — that’s -23%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders make in Michigan?
The median is $31,700 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,990, and experienced cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders can clear $58,730. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $32K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,180/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 58.3% 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 cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders salary go in Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders salary is worth about $33,763 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do cooling and freezing 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.