Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Jackson, TN, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $36,350 at the median, or about $17.48 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.52), which stretches that salary to about $42,505 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,260/month, about 48.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K get you in Jackson?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Jackson’s Regional Price Parity (85.52). 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 Jackson
Pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in Jackson runs about 24% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,260/month, which is 48.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.52 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenderss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Jackson, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $51K | $53K |
| Knoxville | $48K | $52K |
| Memphis | $49K | $53K |
| Chattanooga | $45K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Jackson, TN
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $22K 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 Jackson 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 Jackson?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 48.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,260/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Jackson?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,747/month. At HUD’s $1,260/month FMR, rent would take 72% 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 Jackson?
Local pay runs 24% below the national median — $36K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Jackson compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Jackson pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -24%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.52), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Jackson, TN?
The median is $36,350 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,120, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $51,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Jackson?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,604/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,260/month, which eats 48.4% 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 welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary go in Jackson?
Jackson has a Regional Price Parity of 85.52 (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 $42,505 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.