Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA is $60,020/year ($28.85/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $53K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers.
So what does $60K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.1). 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders pay in Waterloo-Cedar Falls tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $54K nationwide, a 10% difference. Rent runs $1,034/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.1 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in metros near Waterloo-Cedar Falls, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $63K | , |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $49K | , |
| St. Louis | $51K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level metal-refining furnace operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $53K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $7K 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a metal-refining furnace operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 26.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,034/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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new metal-refining furnace operators and tenders typically earn — is $53K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,188/month. At HUD’s $1,034/month FMR, rent would take 32% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $54K nationally, a 10% difference.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s +10%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.1), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do metal-refining furnace operators and tenders make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $60,020 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,130, and experienced metal-refining furnace operators and tenders can clear $60,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,939/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,034/month, which eats 26.3% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median metal-refining furnace operators and tenders salary is worth about $68,909 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.