Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Chattanooga, TN-GA is $46,550/year ($22.38/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.46), which stretches that salary to about $50,897 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,390/month, about 41.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.46). 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 Chattanooga
Pay for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Chattanooga runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $54K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 42.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $57K | $59K |
| Morristown | $43K | $50K |
| Birmingham | $56K | $61K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $62K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level metal-refining furnace operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $8K 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 Chattanooga numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a metal-refining furnace operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 42.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/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 metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new metal-refining furnace operators and tenders typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,518/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Chattanooga?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $47K here vs. $54K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders?
Chattanooga pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do metal-refining furnace operators and tenders make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $46,550 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,960, and experienced metal-refining furnace operators and tenders can clear $50,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,287/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 42.3% 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 Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 91.46 (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 metal-refining furnace operators and tenders salary is worth about $50,897 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.