Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
The median pay for a mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY is $55,780/year ($26.82/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.69), which stretches that salary to about $63,610 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,405/month, about 38.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $56K get you in Watertown-Fort Drum?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Watertown-Fort Drum’s Regional Price Parity (87.69). 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 Watertown-Fort Drum
Watertown-Fort Drum sits well above the national pay line for mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $49K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,405/month, which is 38% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.69 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Watertown-Fort Drum, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $57K | $50K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $51K | $53K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $61K | $61K |
| Rochester | $49K | $51K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Watertown-Fort Drum, NY
Entry-level mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $61K 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 |
| Georgia | $47K | -4% | 3,420 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -4% | 960 |
| 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
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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Watertown-Fort Drum?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 38% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,405/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,248/month. At HUD’s $1,405/month FMR, rent would take 63% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $56K here vs. $49K nationally.
How does Watertown-Fort Drum compare to the national average for mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Watertown-Fort Drum pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $49K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.69), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Watertown-Fort Drum, NY?
The median is $55,780 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,470, and experienced mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $60,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Watertown-Fort Drum?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,700/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,405/month, which eats 38% 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 Watertown-Fort Drum?
Watertown-Fort Drum has a Regional Price Parity of 87.69 (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 mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $63,610 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.