Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Salary
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR make a median of $47,710 a year, or about $22.94 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.36), which stretches that salary to about $53,391 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,147/month, about 35.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway’s Regional Price Parity (89.36). 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 food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders
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What this looks like in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders pay in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,147/month, which is 35.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders in metros near Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $42K | $46K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $38K | $37K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $34K | $36K |
| St. Louis | $47K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR
Entry-level food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $1K spread from bottom to top.
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $77K | +73% | 30 |
| Maryland | $60K | +34% | 200 |
| Colorado | $60K | +33% | 500 |
| Virginia | $59K | +32% | 270 |
| Alaska | $55K | +23% | 30 |
| Nevada | $55K | +23% | 130 |
| Washington | $51K | +13% | 720 |
| Minnesota | $50K | +12% | 1,120 |
| Maine | $50K | +12% | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $50K | +11% | 540 |
| New York | $49K | +9% | 1,370 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | +8% | 540 |
| Kentucky | $49K | +8% | 340 |
| Idaho | $48K | +8% | 430 |
| Michigan | $48K | +8% | 700 |
| Iowa | $48K | +7% | 660 |
| Utah | $48K | +7% | 130 |
| Oregon | $46K | +3% | 500 |
| California | $46K | +2% | 1,630 |
| Massachusetts | $45K | +1% | 190 |
| Hawaii | $45K | +1% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $45K | +1% | 580 |
| South Dakota | $45K | +1% | 120 |
| Kansas | $45K | -1% | 220 |
| Ohio | $44K | -1% | 910 |
| Missouri | $43K | -3% | 1,030 |
| Nebraska | $43K | -3% | 440 |
| Indiana | $43K | -3% | 260 |
| Arizona | $43K | -4% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $42K | -5% | 370 |
| Connecticut | $42K | -7% | 60 |
| Vermont | $41K | -9% | 80 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -11% | 140 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -13% | 350 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -14% | 80 |
| Illinois | $38K | -15% | 440 |
| Georgia | $37K | -17% | 290 |
| New Jersey | $37K | -17% | 630 |
| Texas | $37K | -17% | 1,800 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -17% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $36K | -20% | 1,510 |
| New Mexico | $35K | -21% | 70 |
| Montana | $35K | -21% | 130 |
| Florida | $35K | -21% | 360 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 35.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,147/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,797/month. At HUD’s $1,147/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway compare to the national average for food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders?
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders make in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR?
The median is $47,710 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,620, and experienced food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders can clear $47,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,223/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,147/month, which eats 35.6% 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 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway has a Regional Price Parity of 89.36 (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 $53,391 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.