Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $60,180 at the median, or about $28.93 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $57,086 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,922/month, about 48.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro sits well above the national pay line for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders, local pay runs about 26% higher than the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,922/month, which is 50.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Eugene-Springfield | $47K | $46K |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $46K | $40K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $53K | $48K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $54K | $47K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $35K 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 50.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,922/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,730/month. At HUD’s $1,922/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Local pay is 26% above the national median — $60K here vs. $48K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 5% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $57K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA?
The median is $60,180 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,500, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $80,160. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,804/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,922/month, which eats 50.5% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro?
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders salary is worth about $57,086 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.