Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic Salary
In Fort Wayne, IN, heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics earn $43,960 at the median, or about $21.14 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $47,488 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,113/month, about 36.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $44K get you in Fort Wayne?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Wayne’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). 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 heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics
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What this looks like in Fort Wayne
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic pay in Fort Wayne tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $49K nationwide, a 10% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,113/month, which is 37.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in metros near Fort Wayne, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $55K | $58K |
| Columbus | $35K | $37K |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $49K | $53K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $45K | $44K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Wayne, IN
Entry-level heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $62K | +27% | 140 |
| Oregon | $60K | +24% | 240 |
| Colorado | $58K | +20% | 100 |
| West Virginia | $57K | +17% | 70 |
| Virginia | $55K | +13% | 190 |
| Tennessee | $55K | +13% | 670 |
| New York | $53K | +9% | 280 |
| Ohio | $53K | +8% | 1,040 |
| New Hampshire | $52K | +7% | 90 |
| Oklahoma | $52K | +6% | 120 |
| Arizona | $51K | +4% | 160 |
| Michigan | $51K | +4% | 1,190 |
| California | $50K | +3% | 770 |
| Iowa | $50K | +2% | 120 |
| New Jersey | $50K | +2% | 440 |
| Massachusetts | $49K | +1% | 250 |
| Wisconsin | $49K | +1% | 470 |
| Pennsylvania | $49K | +0% | 1,520 |
| Nebraska | $48K | -1% | 50 |
| Missouri | $48K | -2% | 140 |
| Utah | $48K | -2% | 90 |
| Kansas | $48K | -3% | 50 |
| Florida | $47K | -3% | 150 |
| Kentucky | $47K | -3% | 340 |
| Alabama | $47K | -4% | 170 |
| Indiana | $47K | -4% | 990 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -4% | 290 |
| North Carolina | $47K | -4% | 320 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -4% | 80 |
| Maine | $46K | -6% | 40 |
| Illinois | $45K | -7% | 850 |
| Connecticut | $44K | -9% | 320 |
| Georgia | $44K | -10% | 250 |
| Texas | $42K | -14% | 1,450 |
| Minnesota | $41K | -16% | 90 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -23% | 200 |
| Louisiana | $35K | -28% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 37 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Fort Wayne numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Wayne?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 37.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/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 heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics in Fort Wayne?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,868/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 60% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic a high-paying job in Fort Wayne?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $49K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Fort Wayne compare to the national average for heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics?
Fort Wayne pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — below the national median.
How much do heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics make in Fort Wayne, IN?
The median is $43,960 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,130, and experienced heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics can clear $56,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Fort Wayne?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,002/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 37.1% 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 heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary go in Fort Wayne?
Fort Wayne has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (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 heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic salary is worth about $47,488 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastics 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.