Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In New Orleans-Metairie, LA, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $74,910 at the median, or about $36.02 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers.
So what does $75K get you in New Orleans-Metairie?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New Orleans-Metairie’s Regional Price Parity (92.6). 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 New Orleans-Metairie
New Orleans-Metairie sits well above the national pay line for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders, local pay runs about 56% higher than the U.S. median of $48K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,121/month, 23% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.6 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, New Orleans-Metairie offers a genuinely strong financial position for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenderss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near New Orleans-Metairie, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $48K | , |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $55K | , |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $52K | , |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $43K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Orleans-Metairie, LA
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $59K 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
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 New Orleans-Metairie 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 New Orleans-Metairie?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 23% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,121/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in New Orleans-Metairie?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,863/month. At HUD’s $1,121/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 New Orleans-Metairie?
Local pay is 56% above the national median — $75K here vs. $48K nationally.
How does New Orleans-Metairie compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
New Orleans-Metairie pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +56%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.6), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in New Orleans-Metairie, LA?
The median is $74,910 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,050, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $90,190. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in New Orleans-Metairie?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,874/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,121/month, which eats 23% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary go in New Orleans-Metairie?
New Orleans-Metairie has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $80,896 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.