Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO is $43,260/year ($20.8/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.13), that's roughly $42,777 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,759/month, about 58.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $43K actually covers in Fort Collins-Loveland, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Collins-Loveland’s Regional Price Parity (101.13). 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 mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Fort Collins-Loveland
Pay for mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders in Fort Collins-Loveland runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,759/month, which is 60.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.13) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Fort Collins-Loveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $49K | $46K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $49K | $47K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $46K | $46K |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $48K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Collins-Loveland, CO
Entry-level mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $61K | +24% | 420 |
| Minnesota | $59K | +21% | 1,760 |
| Wyoming | $58K | +19% | 210 |
| New Jersey | $58K | +18% | 2,050 |
| Maine | $56K | +13% | 220 |
| Connecticut | $54K | +10% | 260 |
| Washington | $54K | +10% | 2,270 |
| Illinois | $54K | +9% | 10,240 |
| Maryland | $53K | +9% | 770 |
| New York | $53K | +9% | 4,340 |
| Wisconsin | $52K | +7% | 3,380 |
| New Hampshire | $52K | +6% | 310 |
| Iowa | $52K | +5% | 2,310 |
| Delaware | $51K | +5% | 130 |
| West Virginia | $51K | +4% | 350 |
| Kansas | $51K | +4% | 1,380 |
| California | $51K | +3% | 5,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | +3% | 4,380 |
| Oregon | $50K | +3% | 1,090 |
| Missouri | $50K | +3% | 2,800 |
| Virginia | $50K | +2% | 1,530 |
| Alaska | $50K | +2% | 60 |
| Nebraska | $49K | +0% | 940 |
| South Dakota | $49K | +0% | 510 |
| Colorado | $49K | -1% | 640 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -1% | 1,660 |
| Nevada | $48K | -1% | 650 |
| Arizona | $48K | -1% | 1,400 |
| North Dakota | $48K | -2% | 260 |
| Tennessee | $48K | -2% | 1,610 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -3% | 2,560 |
| Ohio | $48K | -3% | 5,230 |
| Indiana | $48K | -3% | 4,840 |
| Rhode Island | $48K | -3% | 190 |
| Louisiana | $47K | -3% | 570 |
| Utah | $47K | -4% | 1,290 |
| North Carolina | $47K | -4% | 3,400 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -4% | 960 |
| Georgia | $47K | -4% | 3,420 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -5% | 1,070 |
| Alabama | $46K | -6% | 2,220 |
| Florida | $46K | -6% | 3,550 |
| Vermont | $45K | -7% | 280 |
| Texas | $45K | -7% | 6,350 |
| Idaho | $45K | -9% | 510 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -9% | 1,100 |
| Michigan | $44K | -10% | 3,040 |
| Montana | $38K | -22% | 280 |
| New Mexico | $37K | -25% | 340 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Fort Collins-Loveland numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Collins-Loveland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 60.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,759/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders in Fort Collins-Loveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,731/month. At HUD’s $1,759/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tender a high-paying job in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $43K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Fort Collins-Loveland compare to the national average for mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Fort Collins-Loveland pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.13), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Fort Collins-Loveland, CO?
The median is $43,260 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,460, and experienced mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $63,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Fort Collins-Loveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,908/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,759/month, which eats 60.5% 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 mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders salary go in Fort Collins-Loveland?
Fort Collins-Loveland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.13 (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 mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $42,777 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do mixing and blending machine setters, 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.