Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA is $85,370/year ($41.04/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.35), that's roughly $85,072 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,131/month, or 19.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $85K get you in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Spokane-Spokane Valley’s Regional Price Parity (100.35). 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley
Spokane-Spokane Valley sits well above the national pay line for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders, local pay runs about 57% higher than the U.S. median of $54K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,131/month, 19.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.35) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Spokane-Spokane Valley offers a genuinely strong financial position for metal-refining furnace operators and tenderss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in metros near Spokane-Spokane Valley, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $58K | $52K |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $74K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
Entry-level metal-refining furnace operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $85K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $43K 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
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 Spokane-Spokane Valley numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a metal-refining furnace operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Yes — at the median salary of $85K, rent takes 19.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,131/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new metal-refining furnace operators and tenders typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,940/month. At HUD’s $1,131/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Local pay is 57% above the national median — $85K here vs. $54K nationally.
How does Spokane-Spokane Valley compare to the national average for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders?
Spokane-Spokane Valley pays $85K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s +57%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.35), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do metal-refining furnace operators and tenders make in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA?
The median is $85,370 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,000, and experienced metal-refining furnace operators and tenders can clear $92,050. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $85K enough to live in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,704/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,131/month, which eats 19.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a metal-refining furnace operators and tenders salary go in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
Spokane-Spokane Valley has a Regional Price Parity of 100.35 (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 $85,072 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.