Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Maine, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $48,410 at the median, or about $23.28 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $58K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $49,550 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,281/month, about 38.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Maine. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $48K get you in Maine?
About welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Maine
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in Maine tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,281/month, which is 39.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $58K or more, a $13K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine 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 Maine?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 39.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/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 Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,706/month. At HUD’s $1,281/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Maine?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Maine compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Maine pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Maine?
The median is $48,410 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,100, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $57,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,241/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 39.5% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $49,550 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.