Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $49,160 at the median, or about $23.64 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.94), that's roughly $50,194 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,713/month, about 51.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk’s Regional Price Parity (97.94). 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,713/month, which is 52.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.94) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders in metros near Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lynchburg | $46K | $52K |
| Richmond | $51K | $52K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $51K | $53K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $51K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $18K 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 52.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,713/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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,671/month. At HUD’s $1,713/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median is $49,160 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,510, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $62,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,269/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,713/month, which eats 52.4% 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk has a Regional Price Parity of 97.94 (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 $50,194 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.