Closing the OKC Rent Gap: High-Paying Warehouse Roles and Career Training

Claire Brooks

Welcome to The 405 Payroll. I'm Claire Brooks, and this is the lunch break show where we turn Oklahoma City hiring news into something you can use today.

Miles

And I'm Miles. Today's headline comes from Apartment List's October Rent Index, and it's one a lot of us feel. Oklahoma City's median rent is now $1,114 a month, an all time high for their series.

Claire Brooks

That's up 1.2% from a year ago and up 4.1% since January. One bedrooms sit at a median of $919, and two bedrooms at $1,139.

Miles

Here's the part that explains why it feels tight. Vacancy dropped from 7.65% to 5.73% over the past year. Fewer empty apartments means fewer places to shop around, and less room to bargain.

Claire Brooks

So let's not sit in that. Let's do the math, because the math is where the good news lives. Say you earn $15 to $16 an hour. That's roughly $2,600 a month before taxes.

Miles

And $1,114 against $2,600 is about 43% of your gross pay. It's even bigger once you look at take home. So rent eats nearly half of what actually lands in your account.

Claire Brooks

Which leaves very little for utilities, gas, groceries, and the surprise stuff. That's not a you problem. That's arithmetic.

Miles

Now flip it. At $21 an hour, full time, you're at about $3,640 a month gross. At $28, you're near $4,850.

Claire Brooks

And at $21, that median rent sits right around the 30% line that housing folks use as a benchmark. At $28, it's closer to 23%. Same apartment, same rent, a completely different month.

Miles

So the whole show is about that gap, from $15 or $16 up to somewhere between $21 and $28. It's not a fantasy number. We've got named Oklahoma City employers starting at $20.50 and up. We've got six stops today: who's hiring, training that pays, extra money this week, making a raise stick, and a closing story.

Claire Brooks

One note before we go. Pay rates and prices come from current postings and program pages, and postings change fast. So confirm the details with the employer before you rearrange your day.

Miles

Good call. And nobody here is saying you're behind. You're already working hard. We're just pointing at where the next dollars are.

Claire Brooks

Let's go find them.

Miles

Let's start on the south side, because a lot of this is down there. Hobby Lobby's distribution center campus in Oklahoma City is over 10 million square feet and handles more than 80,000 products for 900 plus stores.

Claire Brooks

And it has its own Hiring Center at 3700 South Council Road, ZIP 73179. Walk ins are accepted Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Miles

What are the roles?

Claire Brooks

Distribution Order Puller at $21 an hour, full time. Ecommerce Order Pullers and Packers at $21 on first and second shift. Night Shift Stocker from $21.75. And part time Truck Loaders at $17.50.

Miles

Do you need warehouse experience?

Claire Brooks

It varies by listing, so ask at the desk which ones fit you. Full time roles list medical, dental, vision, prescription coverage, a 401(k) with company match, and an employee discount.

Miles

One honest note. Some of those Hobby Lobby postings showed as 30 plus days old on Indeed, so ask whether they're still open. Walking in settles that fast.

Claire Brooks

Second stop, SpartanNash, southeast Oklahoma City, ZIP 73129. Warehouse Order Selector, full time, starting at $20.50 an hour.

Miles

You pick grocery products and run a motorized pallet jack. And here's the part I like: the company pays for the equipment training, and no prior warehouse certification is required.

Claire Brooks

So if you've never touched a pallet jack, that's not a wall. How do you apply?

Miles

Search SpartanNash Warehouse Order Selector, Oklahoma City, on their careers page or on Indeed, where it's listed as easy apply. Have your work history ready, even if it's retail or food service.

Claire Brooks

Third, McLane Company, south Oklahoma City, ZIP 73149. Warehouse Specialist One, full time, $19 to $23 an hour.

Miles

Experience with pallet jacks, reach trucks, or forklifts is preferred but not required, and the training is on the job.

Claire Brooks

That's a real range, so ask where in the $19 to $23 you'd start based on what you've done. Your reliability, your lifting, your customer service, all of that counts.

Miles

And if nights work for you, US Foods lists a Night Warehouse Selector at 10211 North I 35 Service Road, from $23.64 an hour, Sunday through Thursday, starting at 4:30 p.m. They prefer experience, but apply anyway.

Claire Brooks

If you're at $16 today, that's a jump of more than $7 an hour. Pick one and apply.

Claire Brooks

Now the next rung. Say you're at $15 to $18 an hour and you want $22 to $28. One local path is machining, through Francis Tuttle Technology Center.

Miles

Machining. Like, making metal parts?

Claire Brooks

Right, cutting precision parts, the kind used in aerospace, defense, energy, and precision tooling around the region. Graduates enter jobs that pay $22 to $28 an hour and up.

Miles

Okay, what does it cost? Because I'm guessing that's the scary part.

Claire Brooks

It's the opposite. In state adult tuition at Francis Tuttle is $2.20 per clock hour. The Manual Machining Assistant program is 480 clock hours, so $1,056 in base tuition.

Miles

And time?

Claire Brooks

18 weeks full time, or 36 weeks part time, in a morning block, 7:55 to 11 a.m., or an afternoon block, 12:30 to 3:35 p.m.

Miles

That afternoon block could work around a night shift, honestly. What about the full program?

Claire Brooks

The complete CNC Machinist career major is 960 clock hours, $2,112 in tuition, one school year full time or two years part time. Along the way you earn OSHA 10, forklift certification, and Precision Measurement Instruments credentials.

Miles

So the forklift certification, which those warehouse jobs care about, comes inside the program.

Claire Brooks

Exactly. The Portland Campus is at 3500 Northwest 150th Street, and the Reno Campus is at 7301 West Reno Avenue.

Miles

Now the question everyone wants answered. Can somebody pay for this without a pile of cash?

Claire Brooks

Often, yes. The options include Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and the Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant, which covers up to $480 per 480 hour payment period. There's also WIOA funding through Oklahoma Works and the Central Oklahoma Workforce Innovation Board. Together those can frequently cover all of an adult student's tuition and equipment fees.

Miles

Frequently, not always. So ask.

Claire Brooks

Right, eligibility depends on your situation. Call Francis Tuttle's adult admissions and ask for financial aid, and ask about WIOA through Oklahoma Works in the same week.

Miles

And do the math with me. Say you go from $17 to $22 an hour. That's about $860 more gross every month.

Claire Brooks

So even if you paid the full $1,056 yourself, a raise like that pays it back in a little over a month. And for a lot of people, the grants mean they never pay it at all.

Miles

Okay, extra money this week, because training takes time and rent is due on the first. Two ideas, and neither one is a get rich scheme.

Claire Brooks

Honest numbers are the whole point. First, CSL Plasma, 716 Northwest 23rd Street, Oklahoma City 73103. The phone number is 405 521 9204.

Miles

New donors can get up to $100 for the first donation, and CSL's promotional schedule lets new donors earn up to $700 to $800 in the first month.

Claire Brooks

Up to is the key phrase, so check the current schedule when you call. Payment loads onto a reloadable prepaid card right after each donation.

Miles

How long does it take?

Claire Brooks

The first visit is about two hours because of the health screening. After that it's 60 to 90 minutes. You can donate up to twice in a seven day period.

Miles

And what do you bring? Nothing's worse than driving over and getting turned around.

Claire Brooks

Photo ID, proof of your Social Security number, and proof of local residency, which a lease or a utility bill covers.

Miles

Second idea, Roadie, a UPS delivery platform. Drivers deliver things like retail goods, tools, auto parts, and luggage for partners such as Home Depot, Best Buy, Tractor Supply, and Delta Air Lines out of Will Rogers World Airport.

Claire Brooks

The nice part is the pay shows upfront before you accept. Local single trips pay up to $12 to $25, multi stop deliveries pay $25 to $50, and big or bulky items pay $20 to $50 plus.

Miles

What's realistic take home?

Claire Brooks

Average per task pay runs about $9.60 to $11.65. People driving routes they already take can bring in $50 to $150 a week. That's before gas, so pick gigs that match your drive.

Miles

And when does the money hit?

Claire Brooks

Instant cashout opens after five deliveries and an account that's been active seven days. So sign up today, because that clock starts when you do.

Miles

Fun math. Say you take the $100 plasma start and add $100 a week from Roadie. That's about $500 in a month before gas, and you're still keeping your day job.

Claire Brooks

And both are flexible, so if one stops fitting your schedule, you can drop it and keep the other. Start with whichever is easier to begin tonight.

Claire Brooks

Raises are great, and the next challenge is keeping them when a surprise bill shows up. So here's one local resource and one habit.

Miles

Resource first. Upward Transitions, 1134 Northwest 4th Street, Oklahoma City 73106. They're a United Way community partner focused on housing stability in Oklahoma City and Oklahoma County.

Claire Brooks

They provide emergency rent and utility assistance. It's limited to one time, up to two months' rent, not to exceed $1,000.

Miles

Who qualifies?

Claire Brooks

Qualifying households with a child under 18 or a senior 55 or older. So it won't fit everyone, but if it fits you, it's real money.

Miles

And how do you get in line?

Claire Brooks

Online screening opens Mondays at 7 a.m., and phone screening opens at 9 a.m. The number is 405 232 5507.

Miles

Set a Monday alarm. That's a real tip.

Claire Brooks

And here's a part people overlook. They also help low income workers pay to replace a missing state ID, driver's license, or birth certificate.

Miles

Which is huge, because a missing ID can stall onboarding at a new job or block you from enrolling in a training course. Sometimes the only thing between you and $21 an hour is a piece of paper.

Claire Brooks

So if a job offer is waiting on documents, call them. Now, the habit.

Miles

Split direct deposit. When you get a raise or steady gig income, send half of the difference into a separate savings account automatically.

Claire Brooks

Here's an example. Going from $18 to $22 is $4 more an hour, about $690 more a month before taxes. Half of that, around $345, goes straight to savings.

Miles

And you still get to feel the other half. That matters. You should enjoy the raise.

Claire Brooks

Totally. The savings is for the utility spike in a hot July or a slow season when hours drop. At that pace, six months builds roughly $2,000 before taxes.

Miles

How do you set it up?

Claire Brooks

Ask payroll or HR about split direct deposit, or ask your bank. Do it before the first raised paycheck, so the money never shows up in your spending account.

Claire Brooks

Time for our closing story. A quick honesty note: we don't have a verified neighbor's story we can name today, and we won't make up a real person. So here's a picture built entirely from today's numbers.

Miles

Call her Dana, which is a made up name. She's at $16 an hour in retail, roughly $2,600 a month before taxes, and rent in her building is right around that $1,114 median.

Claire Brooks

Step one, Dana walks into the Hiring Center on South Council Road before 4 p.m. and asks which roles fit her. She lands a $21 an hour order puller job.

Miles

That's about $3,640 a month, roughly $1,000 more than before. Same rent, but now it's near 30% of her pay instead of 43%.

Claire Brooks

Step two, she sets up split direct deposit and sends half the raise, around $500 a month, into savings before she can spend it.

Miles

Step three, she calls Francis Tuttle about the afternoon machining block and asks about WIOA funding through Oklahoma Works.

Claire Brooks

Then she's on the path toward the $22 to $28 an hour machining jobs, with forklift certification and OSHA 10 along the way.

Miles

What I like is that none of it takes a miracle. It takes a first call.

Claire Brooks

And a first application. Those small wins count, and they're worth celebrating before the big ones show up.

Miles

So what's the hardest step?

Claire Brooks

Honestly, the first one. After that, the next one is easier to see.

Miles

Which brings us to your one action before the end of the day. Pick one of the three employers, Hobby Lobby, SpartanNash, or McLane, and send in one application today.

Claire Brooks

Just one. Not all three. If you're near South Council Road on your lunch break, the Hobby Lobby Hiring Center is open until 4 p.m.

Miles

One application. That's the whole assignment. Everything else we talked about can wait until after it's done.

Claire Brooks

Thanks for spending your lunch with us. I'm Claire Brooks.

Miles

And I'm Miles. This was The 405 Payroll. Go get that paycheck.