Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $63,170/year ($30.37/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $61,599 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 42.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $63K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington sits well above the national pay line for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders, local pay runs about 16% higher than the U.S. median of $54K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,810/month, which is 42.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $61K | $64K |
| Reading | $69K | $71K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $51K | $51K |
| Lancaster | $50K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level metal-refining furnace operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $42K 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a metal-refining furnace operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 42.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new metal-refining furnace operators and tenders typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,227/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 81% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Local pay is 16% above the national median — $63K here vs. $54K nationally.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s +16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do metal-refining furnace operators and tenders make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $63,170 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,110, and experienced metal-refining furnace operators and tenders can clear $79,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,238/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 42.7% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (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 $61,599 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.