SOC 51-9124 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — Bellingham
Bellingham, WA · 8 metro areas compared
In Bellingham, WA the median wage for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $53,690 a year, which is 11.3% higher than the national figure of $48,250.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
In Bellingham, WA the median wage for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $53,690 a year, which is 11.3% higher than the national figure of $48,250. Half of workers earn between $46,780 and $61,360. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $42,130 and the ninetieth at $83,340.
The area has 100 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 1.05 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Seattle leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $63,030. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 229th of 321 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $42,130 | −12.7% |
| 25th | $46,780 | −3.0% |
| Median (50th) | $53,690 | +11.3% |
| 75th | $61,360 | +27.2% |
| 90th | $83,340 | +72.7% |
| Mean | $60,980 | +26.4% |
Other metro areas in Washington
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Bellingham run 7.0% above the national average, so the median of $53,690 buys what $50,178 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 4.0% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$53,690as reported by BLSLocal price level
107.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$50,178US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $53,690 a year, 11.3% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $42,130 to $83,340 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 100 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Seattle, at $63,030.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in Bellingham, WA?
The median annual wage is $53,690, or $25.81 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $48,250, so pay in Bellingham, WA is 11.3% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Bellingham, WA earns more than $83,340 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $42,130 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Seattle, at $63,030 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 100 jobs in this occupation in Bellingham, WA. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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