Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-7041

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood

Median pay sits 43% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Plant Operators, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Chemical Plant and System Operators, Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood: Power Plant Operators ($102K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Chemical Plant and System Operators ($78K) , Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers ($65K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-7041 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Inspect and measure workpieces to mark for cuts and to verify the accuracy of cuts, using rulers, squares, or caliper rules
  2. 2. Adjust saw blades, using wrenches and rulers, or by turning handwheels or pressing pedals, levers, or panel buttons
  3. 3. Mount and bolt sawing blades or attachments to machine shafts
  4. 4. Adjust bolts, clamps, stops, guides, or table angles or heights, using hand tools
  5. 5. Set up, operate, or tend saws or machines that cut or trim wood to specified dimensions, such as circular saws, band saws, multiple-blade…
  6. 6. Examine logs or lumber to plan the best cuts
  7. 7. Inspect stock for imperfections or to estimate grades or qualities of stock or workpieces
  8. 8. Trim lumber to straighten rough edges or remove defects, using circular saws
  9. 9. Monitor sawing machines, adjusting speed and tension and clearing jams to ensure proper operation
  10. 10. Sharpen blades, or replace defective or worn blades or bands, using hand tools
  11. 11. Count, sort, or stack finished workpieces
  12. 12. Guide workpieces against saws, saw over workpieces by hand, or operate automatic feeding devices to guide cuts

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-7041 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.1 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.1
  2. 2. Operation and Control 3.1
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.0
  4. 4. Monitoring 3.0
  5. 5. Troubleshooting 3.0
  6. 6. Quality Control Analysis 3.0
  7. 7. Active Listening 2.8
  8. 8. Equipment Maintenance 2.8

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.2
  2. 2. Mechanical 3.2
  3. 3. Public Safety and Security 2.6
  4. 4. Mathematics 2.6
  5. 5. Education and Training 2.3
  6. 6. English Language 2.2
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-43%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $42,770/yr
$43K
National median
↓ -1%
Growth 2024-2034
4,800
Annual openings
40,850
Estimated US jobs
Power Plant Operators
Highest-pay peer · $102K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood

1. Connecticut $51,150
2. California $47,390
3. Washington $51,940
4. Idaho $48,350
5. Minnesota $51,330
6. Alaska $52,680
7. Iowa $48,090
8. Montana $49,090
9. Massachusetts $47,210
10. Oregon $49,740

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Chemical Plant and System Operators $78,120
  2. 2. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380
  3. 3. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470
  4. 4. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  5. 5. Gas Plant Operators $87,820
  6. 6. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood sits 43% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $42,770.

Employment Projections expect -1% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 4,800 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: Connecticut at $51,150. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Plant Operators at $102,040. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pay-rank #77 in Production Occupations

On the Production Occupations median table (105 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood lands at #77, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third 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.

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pays 43% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-7041

Connecticut · top state for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood

$51K published median

California · #2 state pay

$47K · behind Connecticut

Power Plant Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood · $102K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood · $62K

Compare Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood

Against another occupation

Power Plant Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood land on the Production Occupations median table? ▼
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood is pay-rank #77 of 105 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand ($43K), Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders ($43K), Food Batchmakers ($42K), Print Binding and Finishing Workers ($42K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood. Leading ones include: Inspect and measure workpieces to mark for cuts and to verify the accuracy of cuts, using rulers, squares, or caliper rules; Adjust saw blades, using wrenches and rulers, or by turning handwheels or pressing pedals, levers, or panel buttons; Mount and bolt sawing blades or attachments to machine shafts; Adjust bolts, clamps, stops, guides, or table angles or heights, using hand tools. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood? ▼
For SOC 51-7041, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.1), Operation and Control (3.1), Critical Thinking (3.0), Monitoring (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Mechanical, Public Safety and Security. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $42,770 as the national median for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood. The published 10th-90th range is $30,890 to $58,170. Beside Power Plant Operators ($102,040), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood is -1%. Projected annual openings: about 4,800. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood? ▼
Connecticut ($51,150), California ($47,390), Washington ($51,940) 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 Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-7041. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood. 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