Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Charleston-North Charleston, SC, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $66,570 at the median, or about $32 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers.
So what does $67K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (101). 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 welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Charleston-North Charleston
Charleston-North Charleston sits well above the national pay line for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders, local pay runs about 39% higher than the U.S. median of $48K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $994/month, 22.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 101) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Charleston-North Charleston offers a genuinely strong financial position for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenderss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $46K | , |
| Spartanburg | $49K | , |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $46K | , |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $49K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $67K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $70K | +46% | 280 |
| Alaska | $63K | +31% | 50 |
| Washington | $59K | +23% | 50 |
| Illinois | $59K | +23% | 180 |
| Oregon | $59K | +22% | 250 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | +20% | 1,150 |
| Minnesota | $58K | +20% | 670 |
| Nebraska | $57K | +20% | 650 |
| Missouri | $56K | +17% | 560 |
| New Jersey | $54K | +12% | 510 |
| South Dakota | $53K | +10% | 150 |
| New York | $52K | +9% | 740 |
| Iowa | $52K | +8% | 1,310 |
| Texas | $51K | +7% | 1,750 |
| Idaho | $51K | +6% | 100 |
| Kentucky | $51K | +6% | 1,000 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +5% | 480 |
| Rhode Island | $50K | +4% | 160 |
| Colorado | $50K | +4% | 100 |
| Virginia | $49K | +3% | 410 |
| California | $49K | +2% | 2,290 |
| Louisiana | $49K | +2% | 320 |
| Maine | $48K | +1% | 60 |
| Ohio | $48K | +1% | 2,190 |
| Connecticut | $48K | -0% | 590 |
| Nevada | $48K | -0% | 170 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -1% | 820 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | -1% | 1,120 |
| New Hampshire | $48K | -1% | 290 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -2% | 1,950 |
| Maryland | $47K | -2% | 430 |
| Arkansas | $47K | -2% | 210 |
| Kansas | $47K | -3% | 160 |
| West Virginia | $46K | -3% | 120 |
| South Carolina | $46K | -3% | 340 |
| Georgia | $46K | -4% | 840 |
| Indiana | $44K | -8% | 2,840 |
| Michigan | $43K | -11% | 3,150 |
| Florida | $41K | -14% | 740 |
| Utah | $41K | -15% | 120 |
| Oklahoma | $40K | -16% | 460 |
| Alabama | $40K | -16% | 1,250 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -22% | 480 |
| Montana | $36K | -26% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 44 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary changes
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Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston-North Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $67K, rent takes 22.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $994/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,245/month. At HUD’s $994/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tender a high-paying job in Charleston-North Charleston?
Local pay is 39% above the national median — $67K here vs. $48K nationally.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $67K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +39%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $66,570 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,410, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $74,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $67K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,382/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $994/month, which eats 22.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary go in Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $65,911 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do welding, soldering, and brazing 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.