Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $42,830 at the median, or about $20.59 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.52), which stretches that salary to about $46,293 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,236/month, about 42.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $43K get you in Muskegon-Norton Shores?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Muskegon-Norton Shores’s Regional Price Parity (92.52). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Muskegon-Norton Shores
Pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in Muskegon-Norton Shores 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 $1,236/month, which is 42.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.52 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 Muskegon-Norton Shores, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $44K | $44K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $42K | $44K |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $40K | $42K |
| 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, Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $16K 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 Muskegon-Norton Shores 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 Muskegon-Norton Shores?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 42.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,236/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 Muskegon-Norton Shores?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,030/month. At HUD’s $1,236/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Muskegon-Norton Shores?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $43K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Muskegon-Norton Shores compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Muskegon-Norton Shores pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.52), the purchasing-power equivalent is $46K — below the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI?
The median is $42,830 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,830, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $49,660. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Muskegon-Norton Shores?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,886/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,236/month, which eats 42.8% 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 Muskegon-Norton Shores?
Muskegon-Norton Shores has a Regional Price Parity of 92.52 (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 $46,293 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.