Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Charleston-North Charleston, SC is $39,180/year ($18.84/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $71K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.96), that's roughly $38,807 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,787/month, about 66.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (100.96). 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 metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
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What this looks like in Charleston-North Charleston
Pay for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Charleston-North Charleston runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $54K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,787/month, which is 65.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.96) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for metal-refining furnace operators and tenderss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in metros near Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $37K | $40K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $62K | $63K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $45K | $45K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level metal-refining furnace operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $71K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $76K | +39% | 200 |
| New Jersey | $75K | +38% | 150 |
| New York | $66K | +22% | 760 |
| Oregon | $64K | +18% | 400 |
| Washington | $63K | +15% | 330 |
| North Carolina | $61K | +12% | 390 |
| Utah | $61K | +11% | 330 |
| Arizona | $60K | +10% | 490 |
| Kentucky | $59K | +8% | 810 |
| Massachusetts | $58K | +7% | 240 |
| California | $58K | +7% | 280 |
| Indiana | $58K | +7% | 1,520 |
| Tennessee | $57K | +6% | 730 |
| Iowa | $57K | +5% | 330 |
| Virginia | $57K | +5% | 110 |
| Nevada | $57K | +4% | 130 |
| West Virginia | $56K | +3% | 70 |
| Pennsylvania | $56K | +3% | 1,230 |
| Missouri | $55K | +2% | 200 |
| Ohio | $55K | +1% | 1,790 |
| Alabama | $54K | -0% | 1,250 |
| Nebraska | $53K | -3% | 60 |
| Illinois | $51K | -6% | 590 |
| Connecticut | $51K | -7% | 60 |
| New Mexico | $50K | -8% | 60 |
| Florida | $50K | -9% | 700 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -10% | 110 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -11% | 540 |
| Georgia | $48K | -12% | 230 |
| Texas | $47K | -14% | 600 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | -15% | 60 |
| Michigan | $45K | -18% | 680 |
| Kansas | $45K | -18% | 100 |
| South Carolina | $44K | -19% | 290 |
| Arkansas | $40K | -27% | 490 |
| Mississippi | $40K | -27% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 36 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track metal-refining furnace operators and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Charleston-North Charleston numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a metal-refining furnace operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston-North Charleston?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $39K, rent takes 65.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,787/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new metal-refining furnace operators and tenders typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,029/month. At HUD’s $1,787/month FMR, rent would take 88% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is metal-refining furnace operators and tender a high-paying job in Charleston-North Charleston?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $39K here vs. $54K nationally.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $39K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do metal-refining furnace operators and tenders make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $39,180 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,810, and experienced metal-refining furnace operators and tenders can clear $70,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,720/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,787/month, which eats 65.7% 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 metal-refining furnace operators and tenders salary go in Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100.96 (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 metal-refining furnace operators and tenders salary is worth about $38,807 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do metal-refining furnace 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.