Tapers Salary
In Kennewick-Richland, WA, tapers earn $66,830 at the median, or about $32.13 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.08), that's roughly $66,777 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,538/month, about 33.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $67K get you in Kennewick-Richland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kennewick-Richland’s Regional Price Parity (100.08). 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 Kennewick-Richland
Tapers pay in Kennewick-Richland tracks closely to the national median, $67K locally vs. $68K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,538/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.08) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Kennewick-Richland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $80K | $72K |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $92K | $88K |
| Boise City | $58K | $59K |
| Coeur d'Alene | $59K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kennewick-Richland, WA
Entry-level tapers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $31K 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 with published data
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 Kennewick-Richland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a taper afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kennewick-Richland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 33.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,538/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for tapers in Kennewick-Richland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tapers typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,918/month. At HUD’s $1,538/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Kennewick-Richland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $67K locally vs. $68K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Kennewick-Richland compare to the national average for tapers?
Kennewick-Richland pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.08), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — below the national median.
How much do tapers make in Kennewick-Richland, WA?
The median is $66,830 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,640, and experienced tapers can clear $79,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Kennewick-Richland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,617/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,538/month, which eats 33.3% 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 tapers salary go in Kennewick-Richland?
Kennewick-Richland has a Regional Price Parity of 100.08 (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 tapers salary is worth about $66,777 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.