Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Salary
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ make a median of $43,830 a year, or about $21.07 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.32), that's roughly $42,422 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,839/month, about 60.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler’s Regional Price Parity (103.32). 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders pay in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,839/month, which is 61% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.32) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $44K | $39K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $63K | , |
| Salinas | $47K | $43K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $49K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
Entry-level food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $22K 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 with published data
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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 61% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,839/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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,985/month. At HUD’s $1,839/month FMR, rent would take 93% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler compare to the national average for food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders make in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ?
The median is $43,830 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,080, and experienced food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders can clear $55,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,013/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,839/month, which eats 61% 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 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler?
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler has a Regional Price Parity of 103.32 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders salary is worth about $42,422 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.