Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Sioux City, IA-NE-SD, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $51,320 at the median, or about $24.68 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $59,364 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,154/month, about 34.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $51K get you in Sioux City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Sioux City’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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 Sioux City
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in Sioux City tracks closely to the national median, $51K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 7% difference. Rent runs $1,154/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Sioux City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $53K | $58K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $51K | $57K |
| Cedar Rapids | $50K | $56K |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $54K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $10K 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 Sioux City 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 Sioux City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 34% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,154/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 Sioux City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,987/month. At HUD’s $1,154/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Sioux City?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $51K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Sioux City compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Sioux City pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $59K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Sioux City, IA-NE-SD?
The median is $51,320 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,790, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $60,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Sioux City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,398/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,154/month, which eats 34% 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 Sioux City?
Sioux City has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 $59,364 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.