Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-9051

Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

Median pay sits 35% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters, Power Plant Operators, Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters ($63K) , Power Plant Operators ($102K) , Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($97K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-9051 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards
  2. 2. Confer with supervisors or other equipment operators to report equipment malfunctions or to resolve production problems
  3. 3. Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications
  4. 4. Record gauge readings, test results, and shift production in log books
  5. 5. Stop equipment and clear blockages or jams, using fingers, wire, or hand tools
  6. 6. Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules
  7. 7. Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications
  8. 8. Load equipment receptacles or conveyors with material to be processed, by hand or using hoists
  9. 9. Remove products from equipment, manually or using hoists, and prepare them for storage, shipment, or additional processing
  10. 10. Calculate amounts of materials to be loaded into furnaces, adjusting amounts as necessary for specific conditions
  11. 11. Transport materials and products to and from work areas, manually or using carts, handtrucks, or hoists
  12. 12. Melt or refine metal before casting, calculating required temperatures, and observe metal color, adjusting controls as necessary to maint…

Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-9051 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.9 ; lead knowledge Mechanical. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.9
  2. 2. Reading Comprehension 3.1
  3. 3. Active Listening 3.1
  4. 4. Speaking 3.1
  5. 5. Critical Thinking 3.1
  6. 6. Monitoring 3.1
  7. 7. Operation and Control 3.1
  8. 8. Quality Control Analysis 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mechanical 3.5
  2. 2. Production and Processing 3.2
  3. 3. Public Safety and Security 3.1
  4. 4. Computers and Electronics 3.0
  5. 5. English Language 2.8
  6. 6. Education and Training 2.8
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-35%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $48,040/yr
$48K
National median
↑ +3%
Growth 2024-2034
1,900
Annual openings
14,280
Estimated US jobs
Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Highest-pay peer · $107K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

1. Maryland $77,440
2. Kentucky $75,620
3. Idaho $57,690
4. Kansas $62,350
5. North Dakota $60,170
6. Illinois $62,870
7. Colorado $55,770
8. Wisconsin $56,140
9. Washington $58,580
10. Wyoming $62,130

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  2. 2. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $96,710
  3. 3. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380
  4. 4. Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters $62,620
  5. 5. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  6. 6. Tool and Die Makers $64,050

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders sits 35% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $48,040.

Employment Projections expect +3% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 1,900 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Maryland at $77,440. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $106,730. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders pay-rank #49 in Production Occupations

Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders sits at pay-rank #49 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 51-9051 · national median $48,040 · middle third of Production Occupations (#49/105). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-9051

Maryland · top state for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

$77K published median

Kentucky · #2 state pay

$76K · behind Maryland

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Highest-pay peer vs Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders · $107K

Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters

Lower-pay peer beside Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders · $63K

Compare Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

Against another occupation

Power Distributors and Dispatchers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders mid-table among Production Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #49 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Medical Appliance Technicians ($48K), Foundry Mold and Coremakers ($48K), Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ($48K), Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers ($48K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders. Leading ones include: Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards; Confer with supervisors or other equipment operators to report equipment malfunctions or to resolve production problems; Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications; Record gauge readings, test results, and shift production in log books. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders? ▼
For SOC 51-9051, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.9), Reading Comprehension (3.1), Active Listening (3.1), Speaking (3.1). Knowledge areas emphasize Mechanical, Production and Processing, Public Safety and Security. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $48,040 as the national median for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders. The published 10th-90th range is $35,960 to $69,800. Beside Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($106,730), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders is +3%. Projected annual openings: about 1,900. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders? ▼
Maryland ($77,440), Kentucky ($75,620), Idaho ($57,690) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-9051. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics