Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Wichita, KS is $40,770/year ($19.6/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.95), which stretches that salary to about $45,835 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,099/month, about 39.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $41K get you in Wichita?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wichita’s Regional Price Parity (88.95). 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 Wichita
Pay for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in Wichita runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $54K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,099/month, which is 39.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.95 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for metal-refining furnace operators and tenderss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in metros near Wichita, adjusted for local cost of living.
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wichita, KS
Entry-level metal-refining furnace operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $11K 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 Wichita numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a metal-refining furnace operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wichita?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 39.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,099/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Wichita?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new metal-refining furnace operators and tenders typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,300/month. At HUD’s $1,099/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Wichita?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $41K here vs. $54K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Wichita compare to the national average for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders?
Wichita pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $54K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.95), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do metal-refining furnace operators and tenders make in Wichita, KS?
The median is $40,770 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,340, and experienced metal-refining furnace operators and tenders can clear $49,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Wichita?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,761/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,099/month, which eats 39.8% 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 Wichita?
Wichita has a Regional Price Parity of 88.95 (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 $45,835 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.