Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA is $67,360/year ($32.38/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.44), so that salary is closer to $63,284 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,201/month, about 50% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $67K get you in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario’s Regional Price Parity (106.44). 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario sits well above the national pay line for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders, local pay runs about 24% 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 $2,201/month, which is 49.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.44), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $58K | $51K |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $74K | $70K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $50K | $48K |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas | $52K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
Entry-level metal-refining furnace operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $27K 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a metal-refining furnace operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 49.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,201/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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new metal-refining furnace operators and tenders typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,714/month. At HUD’s $2,201/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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $67K here vs. $54K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario compare to the national average for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders?
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s +24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.44), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do metal-refining furnace operators and tenders make in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA?
The median is $67,360 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,230, and experienced metal-refining furnace operators and tenders can clear $72,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,441/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,201/month, which eats 49.6% 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 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario?
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario has a Regional Price Parity of 106.44 (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 $63,284 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.