Industrial Machinery Mechanics Salary
Industrial Machinery Mechanics in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY make a median of $59,160 a year, or about $28.44 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $100K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.69), which stretches that salary to about $67,465 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,405/month, about 36.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $59K get you in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Watertown-Fort Drum’s Regional Price Parity (87.69). 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 industrial machinery mechanics
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What this looks like in Watertown-Fort Drum
Industrial machinery mechanics pay in Watertown-Fort Drum tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $65K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,405/month, which is 35.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.69 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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 industrial machinery mechanics in metros near Watertown-Fort Drum, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $75K | $67K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $70K | $73K |
| Rochester | $63K | $65K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $76K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Entry-level industrial machinery mechanics (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $100K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Industrial Machinery Mechanics pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Industrial Machinery Mechanics salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $88K | +36% | 200 |
| Wyoming | $78K | +21% | 2,010 |
| Nevada | $78K | +21% | 2,240 |
| Alaska | $77K | +20% | 860 |
| Hawaii | $77K | +20% | 910 |
| Washington | $77K | +20% | 10,710 |
| Illinois | $76K | +18% | 12,100 |
| Oregon | $76K | +17% | 7,070 |
| Colorado | $76K | +17% | 7,260 |
| Arizona | $75K | +16% | 5,020 |
| New Jersey | $75K | +16% | 8,380 |
| California | $74K | +15% | 26,830 |
| Massachusetts | $73K | +13% | 6,130 |
| Maine | $72K | +12% | 1,190 |
| Minnesota | $72K | +12% | 6,510 |
| Maryland | $72K | +11% | 2,880 |
| Utah | $71K | +10% | 4,040 |
| Connecticut | $70K | +8% | 2,360 |
| New York | $70K | +8% | 12,740 |
| Missouri | $67K | +4% | 5,420 |
| Delaware | $67K | +4% | 890 |
| Montana | $67K | +4% | 820 |
| Wisconsin | $67K | +3% | 13,870 |
| North Dakota | $66K | +2% | 2,560 |
| Kansas | $66K | +2% | 7,700 |
| Ohio | $65K | +1% | 21,950 |
| Tennessee | $65K | +1% | 12,850 |
| Rhode Island | $65K | +0% | 1,070 |
| Kentucky | $65K | +0% | 11,540 |
| Iowa | $64K | -0% | 6,050 |
| Michigan | $64K | -0% | 17,310 |
| New Hampshire | $64K | -1% | 1,950 |
| Nebraska | $64K | -1% | 2,880 |
| Virginia | $64K | -1% | 9,470 |
| Indiana | $64K | -1% | 14,960 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | -1% | 22,160 |
| Vermont | $63K | -2% | 700 |
| Idaho | $63K | -3% | 2,750 |
| North Carolina | $62K | -3% | 15,720 |
| South Carolina | $62K | -3% | 9,890 |
| Texas | $62K | -4% | 56,950 |
| Alabama | $62K | -4% | 17,850 |
| West Virginia | $62K | -4% | 3,150 |
| South Dakota | $62K | -5% | 1,230 |
| Oklahoma | $62K | -5% | 6,250 |
| Georgia | $61K | -5% | 14,230 |
| New Mexico | $61K | -6% | 2,780 |
| Florida | $61K | -6% | 17,120 |
| Louisiana | $60K | -7% | 7,410 |
| Arkansas | $60K | -7% | 6,270 |
| Mississippi | $58K | -10% | 4,460 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track industrial machinery mechanics salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Watertown-Fort Drum numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a industrial machinery mechanic afford a 2BR apartment alone in Watertown-Fort Drum?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 35.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,405/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for industrial machinery mechanics in Watertown-Fort Drum?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new industrial machinery mechanics typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,981/month. At HUD’s $1,405/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is industrial machinery mechanic a high-paying job in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $65K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Watertown-Fort Drum compare to the national average for industrial machinery mechanics?
Watertown-Fort Drum pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $65K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.69), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do industrial machinery mechanics make in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?
The median is $59,160 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,680, and experienced industrial machinery mechanics can clear $100,480. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Watertown-Fort Drum?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,910/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,405/month, which eats 35.9% 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 industrial machinery mechanics salary go in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Watertown-Fort Drum has a Regional Price Parity of 87.69 (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 industrial machinery mechanics salary is worth about $67,465 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do industrial machinery mechanics 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.