Tapers Salary
In Salt Lake City-Murray, UT, tapers earn $54,530 at the median, or about $26.22 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.87), that's roughly $54,060 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,241/month, about 34.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $55K get you in Salt Lake City-Murray?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salt Lake City-Murray’s Regional Price Parity (100.87). 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 Salt Lake City-Murray
Pay for tapers in Salt Lake City-Murray runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $68K. Rent runs $1,241/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.87) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for tapers in metros near Salt Lake City-Murray, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Ogden | $56K | $56K |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $51K | $52K |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas | $61K | $61K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $60K | $58K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Salt Lake City-Murray, UT
Entry-level tapers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $55K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $35K 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 Salt Lake City-Murray numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a taper afford a 2BR apartment alone in Salt Lake City-Murray?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $55K, rent takes 34.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,241/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 tapers in Salt Lake City-Murray?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new tapers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,304/month. At HUD’s $1,241/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Salt Lake City-Murray?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $55K here vs. $68K nationally.
How does Salt Lake City-Murray compare to the national average for tapers?
Salt Lake City-Murray pays $55K median vs. the U.S. average of $68K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.87), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do tapers make in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT?
The median is $54,530 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,400, and experienced tapers can clear $73,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $55K enough to live in Salt Lake City-Murray?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,610/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,241/month, which eats 34.4% 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 Salt Lake City-Murray?
Salt Lake City-Murray has a Regional Price Parity of 100.87 (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 $54,060 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.