Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Mobile, AL is $43,250/year ($20.79/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $54K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.1), which stretches that salary to about $49,092 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,083/month, about 36.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Mobile?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Mobile’s Regional Price Parity (88.1). 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 Mobile
Pay for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Mobile runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $54K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,083/month, which is 37.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.1 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% 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 Mobile, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $56K | $61K |
| Huntsville | $61K | $66K |
| Anniston-Oxford | $50K | $59K |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $53K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mobile, AL
Entry-level metal-refining furnace operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $54K or more, a $18K 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 Mobile numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a metal-refining furnace operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mobile?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 37.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,083/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 metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Mobile?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new metal-refining furnace operators and tenders typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,165/month. At HUD’s $1,083/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Mobile?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $43K here vs. $54K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Mobile compare to the national average for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders?
Mobile pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.1), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do metal-refining furnace operators and tenders make in Mobile, AL?
The median is $43,250 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,090, and experienced metal-refining furnace operators and tenders can clear $54,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Mobile?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,899/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,083/month, which eats 37.4% 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 Mobile?
Mobile has a Regional Price Parity of 88.1 (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 $49,092 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.