Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Salary in St. Louis, MO-IL
The median pay for a metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in St. Louis, MO-IL is $49,620/year ($23.85/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.09), that's roughly $52,182 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,218/month — about 36% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in St. Louis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by St. Louis’s Regional Price Parity (95.09). 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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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, St. Louis, MO-IL
Entry-level metal-refining furnace operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $12K 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
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | $76K | +36% | 3,560 |
| Utah | $70K | +26% | 520 |
| New York | $64K | +15% | 750 |
| Iowa | $64K | +15% | 380 |
| Oregon | $62K | +12% | 280 |
| New Jersey | $62K | +11% | 50 |
| Pennsylvania | $60K | +8% | 2,240 |
| Washington | $59K | +6% | 300 |
| California | $58K | +4% | 540 |
| Kansas | $57K | +3% | 110 |
| Louisiana | $57K | +2% | 150 |
| Connecticut | $57K | +2% | 40 |
| Missouri | $56K | +1% | 260 |
| Minnesota | $56K | -0% | 240 |
| Arizona | $55K | -2% | 490 |
| Illinois | $54K | -3% | 330 |
| Georgia | $51K | -8% | 200 |
| West Virginia | $51K | -8% | 140 |
| Ohio | $51K | -9% | 2,240 |
| Nevada | $51K | -9% | 80 |
| Kentucky | $50K | -10% | 690 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -11% | 1,190 |
| Florida | $49K | -12% | 620 |
| Massachusetts | $49K | -13% | 140 |
| Wisconsin | $48K | -14% | 590 |
| Alabama | $48K | -15% | 910 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | -16% | 50 |
| Nebraska | $47K | -16% | 80 |
| Michigan | $46K | -17% | 860 |
| Virginia | $46K | -17% | 100 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -18% | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -18% | 120 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | -18% | 110 |
| Texas | $45K | -19% | 560 |
| North Carolina | $44K | -22% | 230 |
| Arkansas | $40K | -28% | 430 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -29% | 290 |
| Mississippi | $38K | -31% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 38 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 St. Louis numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do metal-refining furnace operators and tenders make in St. Louis, MO-IL?
The median is $49,620 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,540, and experienced metal-refining furnace operators and tenders can clear $61,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in St. Louis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,362/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,218/month, which eats 36.2% 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 St. Louis?
St. Louis has a Regional Price Parity of 95.09 (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 $52,182 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.