Tapers Salary
In Cleveland, OH, tapers earn $73,840 at the median, or about $35.5 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $78,620 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,279/month, or 26.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in Cleveland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). 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 tapers
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What this looks like in Cleveland
Tapers pay in Cleveland tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,279/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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 tapers in metros near Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lansing-East Lansing | $61K | $65K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $95K | $93K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level tapers (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Tapers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Tapers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $113K | +66% | 320 |
| Hawaii | $95K | +40% | 170 |
| Pennsylvania | $82K | +20% | 60 |
| Washington | $79K | +16% | 1,550 |
| Minnesota | $78K | +14% | 220 |
| New York | $78K | +14% | N/A |
| Kansas | $74K | +9% | 30 |
| Ohio | $74K | +8% | 110 |
| California | $73K | +8% | 4,540 |
| Oregon | $71K | +5% | 500 |
| Iowa | $67K | -2% | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $65K | -5% | 510 |
| Michigan | $64K | -7% | 190 |
| Connecticut | $64K | -7% | 80 |
| Missouri | $63K | -8% | 220 |
| Nevada | $61K | -11% | 1,190 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | -15% | 70 |
| Idaho | $58K | -15% | 310 |
| Arizona | $56K | -18% | 780 |
| Colorado | $55K | -20% | N/A |
| Utah | $53K | -22% | 210 |
| Florida | $49K | -28% | N/A |
| New Mexico | $48K | -29% | 60 |
| North Carolina | $46K | -33% | N/A |
| Texas | $44K | -36% | 220 |
| Indiana | $43K | -37% | 120 |
| West Virginia | $42K | -39% | 30 |
Showing 1–10 of 27 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track tapers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cleveland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a taper afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 26% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for tapers in Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tapers typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,114/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 31% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is taper a high-paying job in Cleveland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for tapers?
Cleveland pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do tapers make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $73,840 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $68,560, and experienced tapers can clear $97,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,916/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 26% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a tapers salary go in Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (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 tapers salary is worth about $78,620 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do tapers 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.