Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Dubuque, IA, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $49,930 at the median, or about $24.01 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.33), which stretches that salary to about $57,174 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,077/month, about 31.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Dubuque?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Dubuque’s Regional Price Parity (87.33). 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 Dubuque
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in Dubuque tracks closely to the national median, $50K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,077/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Dubuque, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $53K | $58K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $51K | $57K |
| Cedar Rapids | $50K | $56K |
| Sioux City | $51K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Dubuque, IA
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $18K 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 with published data
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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Dubuque numbers change.
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 Dubuque?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 32.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in Dubuque?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,640/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Dubuque?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $50K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Dubuque compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Dubuque pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Dubuque, IA?
The median is $49,930 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,000, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $61,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Dubuque?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,311/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 32.5% 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 welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary go in Dubuque?
Dubuque has a Regional Price Parity of 87.33 (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 welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $57,174 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.