Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Fort Wayne, IN, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $44,670 at the median, or about $21.48 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $48,255 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,113/month, about 35.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Fort Wayne?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Wayne’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). 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 Fort Wayne
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in Fort Wayne tracks closely to the national median, $45K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,113/month, which is 36.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Fort Wayne, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $39K | $41K |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $48K | $53K |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $46K | $50K |
| Evansville | $44K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Wayne, IN
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $24K 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
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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 Fort Wayne?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 36.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Fort Wayne?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,253/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Fort Wayne?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $45K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Fort Wayne compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Fort Wayne pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Fort Wayne, IN?
The median is $44,670 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,550, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $61,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Fort Wayne?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,047/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 36.5% 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 Fort Wayne?
Fort Wayne has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (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 $48,255 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.