Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Michigan, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $42,530 at the median, or about $20.45 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.89), which stretches that salary to about $45,298 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 43.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Michigan. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $43K get you in Michigan?
About welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
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What this looks like in Michigan
Pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in Michigan runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 44.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Michigan
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by metro in Michigan
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niles | $50K | +18% | 80 |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $47K | +11% | 50 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $44K | +4% | 1,190 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores | $43K | +1% | 90 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $42K | -2% | 730 |
| Jackson | $41K | -3% | 40 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $40K | -5% | 170 |
| Ann Arbor | $39K | -9% | 50 |
| Traverse City | $36K | -15% | 40 |
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 Michigan 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 Michigan?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 44.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/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 Michigan?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,129/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Michigan?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $43K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Michigan compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Michigan pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Michigan?
The median is $42,530 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,480, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $55,830. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Michigan?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,867/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 44.4% 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 Michigan?
Michigan has a Regional Price Parity of 93.89 (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 $45,298 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.