Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Salary
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders in Indiana make a median of $43,370 a year, or about $20.85 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $47,239 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 38% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Indiana. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $43K get you in Indiana?
About food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders
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What this looks like in Indiana
Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $43K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 38.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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, Indiana
Entry-level food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 38.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/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 food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,165/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tender a high-paying job in Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $43K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders?
Indiana pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders make in Indiana?
The median is $43,370 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,080, and experienced food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders can clear $61,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,964/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 38.6% 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 food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders salary go in Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders salary is worth about $47,239 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine 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.