Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $40,240 at the median, or about $19.35 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.84), which stretches that salary to about $42,429 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,162/month, about 42.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $40K get you in Kalamazoo-Portage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kalamazoo-Portage’s Regional Price Parity (94.84). 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 Kalamazoo-Portage
Pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in Kalamazoo-Portage runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,162/month, which is 42.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.84 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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 Kalamazoo-Portage, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $44K | $44K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $42K | $44K |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores | $43K | $46K |
| Niles | $50K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kalamazoo-Portage, MI
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $14K 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 Kalamazoo-Portage numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kalamazoo-Portage?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 42.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,162/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 Kalamazoo-Portage?
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 $2,202/month. At HUD’s $1,162/month FMR, rent would take 53% 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 Kalamazoo-Portage?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $40K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kalamazoo-Portage compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Kalamazoo-Portage pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.84), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Kalamazoo-Portage, MI?
The median is $40,240 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,700, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $51,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Kalamazoo-Portage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,722/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,162/month, which eats 42.7% 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 Kalamazoo-Portage?
Kalamazoo-Portage has a Regional Price Parity of 94.84 (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 $42,429 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.