Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
In Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA, welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $54,470 at the median, or about $26.19 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.06), which stretches that salary to about $62,566 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,051/month, or 29.4% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $54K get you in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Waterloo-Cedar Falls’s Regional Price Parity (87.06). 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls
Waterloo-Cedar Falls sits well above the national pay line for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $48K. Rent runs $1,051/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.2% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.06 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, 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 |
| Sioux City | $51K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA
Entry-level welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $15K 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Yes — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 29.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,051/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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,829/month. At HUD’s $1,051/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $54K here vs. $48K nationally.
How does Waterloo-Cedar Falls compare to the national average for welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders make in Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA?
The median is $54,470 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,150, and experienced welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders can clear $62,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,594/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,051/month, which eats 29.2% 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 Waterloo-Cedar Falls?
Waterloo-Cedar Falls has a Regional Price Parity of 87.06 (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 $62,566 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.