51 Series · SOC 51-7041

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$42,770
Median / year
+7.1%
2024→2025
$58,170
Top 10% earn
-0.6%
Growth '24–'34
40,850
Estimated US jobs

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood earn a median of $42,770 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $42,770, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $30,890 (10th percentile) to $58,170 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 40,850 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Alaska ($52,680).

51 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood earn a median of $42,770, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 16% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #77 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 0.6% by 2034.

$42,770
Median annual wage
Top 84%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#77 of 105
in Production
1.9×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Alaska at $52,680. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood moved from $30,410 in May 2019 to $42,770 in May 2025 (+40.6%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood sits +16.2 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood (SOC 51-7041) has a national median of $42,770 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $30,890 to $58,170, and the published mean is $43,580. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 40,850 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 46 state or territory areas and 231 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $39,950 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $42,770 in May 2025, a rise of $2,820 (+7.1%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a -0.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as declining relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 4,800 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Production Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Alaska pays the highest state median at $52,680, which is +23% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Longview-Kelso, WA at $60,100. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 40,850 jobs Median $42,770/yr

Median Salary

$42,770

per year

Median Hourly

$20.56/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$43,580

average

Employment

40,850

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$42,770 Bottom 16% higher than 16% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$42,770 · 16th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood sits on the slower-growing side at -0.6% growth and $42,770 median pay. Scatter plot of 23 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Miscellaneous Assemb… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $44650First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $74450Welders, Cutters, So… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.2% · Median annual wage: $53750Packaging and Fillin… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $43220Production Workers, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.5% · Median annual wage: $40110Electrical, Electron… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $45850Bakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.6% · Median annual wage: $37160Laundry and Dry-Clea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.4% · Median annual wage: $34890Food Batchmakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.9% · Median annual wage: $42290Cutting, Punching, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -12.1% · Median annual wage: $46330Computer Numerically… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.7% · Median annual wage: $50690Helpers--Production … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.9% · Median annual wage: $39070Coating, Painting, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $48250Molding, Coremaking,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.8% · Median annual wage: $44350Meat, Poultry, and F… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.5% · Median annual wage: $38300Printing Press Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.1% · Median annual wage: $45780Chemical Equipment O… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.3% · Median annual wage: $58040Butchers and Meat Cu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $40140Water and Wastewater… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.5% · Median annual wage: $60020Multiple Machine Too… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.5% · Median annual wage: $47180Sewing Machine Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.8% · Median annual wage: $36670Paper Goods Machine … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.3% · Median annual wage: $50270Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.6% · Median annual wage: $42770
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood sits on the slower-growing side at -0.6% growth and $42,770 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Miscellaneous Assemb…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $44650
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $74450
  • Welders, Cutters, So…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.2%, Median annual wage $53750
  • Packaging and Fillin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $43220
  • Production Workers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.5%, Median annual wage $40110
  • Electrical, Electron…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $45850
  • Bakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $37160
  • Laundry and Dry-Clea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.4%, Median annual wage $34890
  • Food Batchmakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.9%, Median annual wage $42290
  • Cutting, Punching, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.1%, Median annual wage $46330
  • Computer Numerically…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.7%, Median annual wage $50690
  • Helpers--Production …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.9%, Median annual wage $39070
  • Coating, Painting, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $48250
  • Molding, Coremaking,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.8%, Median annual wage $44350
  • Meat, Poultry, and F…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $38300
  • Printing Press Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.1%, Median annual wage $45780
  • Chemical Equipment O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $58040
  • Butchers and Meat Cu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $40140
  • Water and Wastewater…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.5%, Median annual wage $60020
  • Multiple Machine Too…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.5%, Median annual wage $47180
  • Sewing Machine Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.8%, Median annual wage $36670
  • Paper Goods Machine …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.3%, Median annual wage $50270
  • Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.6%, Median annual wage $42770

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

-0.6%

Declining

Annual Openings

4,800

per year (projected)

Employment Change

-300

45,000 (2024) → 44,700 (2034)

Typical Education

High school diploma or equivalent

On-the-Job Training

Moderate-term on-the-job training

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Production Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

3.5/100K

Injury Rate

3.2/100

Danger Index

14.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Operations Monitoring 3.1
Operation and Control 3.1
Critical Thinking 3.0
Monitoring 3.0
Troubleshooting 3.0
Quality Control Analysis 3.0
Active Listening 2.8
Equipment Maintenance 2.8
Judgment and Decision Making 2.8
Time Management 2.8

Knowledge Areas

Production and Processing 3.2
Mechanical 3.2
Public Safety and Security 2.6
Mathematics 2.6
Education and Training 2.3
English Language 2.2
Design 2.1
Engineering and Technology 2.1
Building and Construction 1.9
Psychology 1.8

Key Tasks

  • 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.
  • Set up, operate, or tend saws or machines that cut or trim wood to specified dimensions, such as circular saws, band saws, multiple-blade sawing machines, scroll saws, ripsaws, or crozer machines.
  • Examine logs or lumber to plan the best cuts.
  • Inspect stock for imperfections or to estimate grades or qualities of stock or workpieces.
  • Trim lumber to straighten rough edges or remove defects, using circular saws.
  • Monitor sawing machines, adjusting speed and tension and clearing jams to ensure proper operation.
  • Sharpen blades, or replace defective or worn blades or bands, using hand tools.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$30,890
25th$36,510
Median$42,770
75th$48,620
90th$58,170

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$14.85
25th$17.55
Median$20.56
75th$23.37
90th$27.97

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$25,000$30,000$35,000$40,000$45,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $27,800National median - 2016: $28,380National median - 2017: $29,080National median - 2018: $29,500National median - 2019: $30,410National median - 2020: $31,560National median - 2021: $35,340National median - 2022: $36,270National median - 2023: $38,000National median - 2024: $39,950National median - 2025: $42,770$42,770
National median annual wage for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $27,800
2016 $28,380
2017 $29,080
2018 $29,500
2019 $30,410
2020 $31,560
2021 $35,340
2022 $36,270
2023 $38,000
2024 $39,950
2025 $42,770

2015 median

$27,800

2025 median

$42,770

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$12,360 (+40.6%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+5.8%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $27,800 First banked release 48,600
May 2016 $28,380 +2.1% 50,640
May 2017 $29,080 +2.5% 51,950
May 2018 $29,500 +1.4% 52,260
May 2019 $30,410 Classification break 50,730
May 2020 $31,560 +3.8% 48,400
May 2021 $35,340 +12.0% 45,350
May 2022 $36,270 +2.6% 46,400
May 2023 $38,000 +4.8% 43,570
May 2024 $39,950 +5.1% 43,140
May 2025 $42,770 +7.1% 40,850

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $27,800 in May 2015 to $42,770 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +5.8% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 50,730 in May 2019 to 40,850 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 46 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Alaska $52,680 +23% above national
2 Washington $51,940 +21% above national
3 Minnesota $51,330 +20% above national
4 Connecticut $51,150 +20% above national
5 Oregon $49,740 +16% above national
6 Montana $49,090 +15% above national
7 Idaho $48,350 +13% above national
8 Iowa $48,090 +12% above national
9 California $47,390 +11% above national
10 Massachusetts $47,210 +10% above national
11 Maryland $47,060 +10% above national
12 Colorado $47,030 +10% above national
13 Nebraska $46,970 +10% above national
14 Louisiana $46,610 +9% above national
15 Illinois $46,530 +9% above national
16 Maine $46,210 +8% above national
17 New Hampshire $46,090 +8% above national
18 Vermont $46,040 +8% above national
19 Ohio $45,010 +5% above national
20 New Jersey $44,630 +4% above national
21 Wisconsin $44,440 +4% above national
22 Utah $43,490 +2% above national
23 Arizona $42,870 same as national
24 Indiana $42,620 same as national
25 New York $42,250 1% below national
26 Pennsylvania $40,590 5% below national
27 Michigan $40,260 6% below national
28 Georgia $39,860 7% below national
29 Wyoming $39,470 8% below national
30 Nevada $39,350 8% below national
31 South Carolina $39,300 8% below national
32 Tennessee $39,070 9% below national
33 Florida $38,280 10% below national
34 North Carolina $38,100 11% below national
35 Missouri $38,030 11% below national
36 Alabama $37,520 12% below national
37 South Dakota $37,480 12% below national
38 Mississippi $36,960 14% below national
39 Kansas $36,930 14% below national
40 Kentucky $36,810 14% below national
41 Arkansas $36,740 14% below national
42 Texas $36,740 14% below national
43 Oklahoma $36,140 16% below national
44 Virginia $35,790 16% below national
45 West Virginia $35,590 17% below national
46 New Mexico $34,720 19% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 140 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Longview-Kelso, WA $60,100 +41% above national
2 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $55,280 +29% above national
3 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $54,340 +27% above national
4 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $54,090 +26% above national
5 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $51,540 +21% above national
6 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $50,720 +19% above national
7 Redding, CA $50,630 +18% above national
8 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $50,250 +17% above national
9 St. Cloud, MN $49,820 +16% above national
10 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $49,740 +16% above national
11 Baton Rouge, LA $49,700 +16% above national
12 Cleveland, OH $49,610 +16% above national
13 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $49,310 +15% above national
14 Vallejo, CA $49,250 +15% above national
15 Medford, OR $49,230 +15% above national
16 Portland-South Portland, ME $48,710 +14% above national
17 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $48,700 +14% above national
18 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $48,400 +13% above national
19 Eugene-Springfield, OR $48,400 +13% above national
20 Coeur d'Alene, ID $48,350 +13% above national
21 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $48,300 +13% above national
22 Stockton-Lodi, CA $48,210 +13% above national
23 Omaha, NE-IA $47,610 +11% above national
24 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $47,460 +11% above national
25 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $47,110 +10% above national
26 Salem, OR $47,050 +10% above national
27 Eau Claire, WI $46,670 +9% above national
28 Reading, PA $46,650 +9% above national
29 Canton-Massillon, OH $46,410 +9% above national
30 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $46,380 +8% above national
31 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $46,370 +8% above national
32 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $46,310 +8% above national
33 Reno, NV $46,310 +8% above national
34 Chico, CA $46,210 +8% above national
35 Huntsville, AL $46,100 +8% above national
36 Jackson, TN $45,850 +7% above national
37 Albany, OR $45,700 +7% above national
38 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $45,620 +7% above national
39 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $45,490 +6% above national
40 Green Bay, WI $45,480 +6% above national
41 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $45,410 +6% above national
42 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $45,360 +6% above national
43 Wausau, WI $45,200 +6% above national
44 Florence, SC $45,000 +5% above national
45 Chattanooga, TN-GA $44,780 +5% above national
46 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $44,620 +4% above national
47 Greeley, CO $44,610 +4% above national
48 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $44,520 +4% above national
49 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $44,410 +4% above national
50 Decatur, AL $44,360 +4% above national
51 Lancaster, PA $44,060 +3% above national
52 Boise City, ID $43,910 +3% above national
53 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $43,800 +2% above national
54 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $43,800 +2% above national
55 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $43,680 +2% above national
56 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $43,620 +2% above national
57 Dubuque, IA $43,600 +2% above national
58 Pittsburgh, PA $43,490 +2% above national
59 Columbus, OH $43,480 +2% above national
60 Bellingham, WA $43,290 +1% above national
61 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $42,910 same as national
62 Fresno, CA $42,850 same as national
63 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $42,240 1% below national
64 Akron, OH $42,190 1% below national
65 Sheboygan, WI $42,040 2% below national
66 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $41,950 2% below national
67 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $41,850 2% below national
68 Rochester, NY $41,590 3% below national
69 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $41,550 3% below national
70 Jacksonville, FL $41,440 3% below national
71 Bangor, ME $41,340 3% below national
72 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $40,880 4% below national
73 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $40,800 5% below national
74 Columbia, SC $40,620 5% below national
75 Modesto, CA $40,600 5% below national
76 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $40,560 5% below national
77 Idaho Falls, ID $40,490 5% below national
78 Utica-Rome, NY $40,260 6% below national
79 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $40,010 6% below national
80 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $40,000 6% below national
81 Knoxville, TN $40,000 6% below national
82 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $39,730 7% below national
83 Syracuse, NY $39,690 7% below national
84 Williamsport, PA $39,630 7% below national
85 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $39,610 7% below national
86 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $39,590 7% below national
87 Toledo, OH $39,580 7% below national
88 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $39,570 7% below national
89 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $39,510 8% below national
90 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $39,370 8% below national
91 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $39,260 8% below national
92 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $39,240 8% below national
93 Kansas City, MO-KS $39,200 8% below national
94 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $39,110 9% below national
95 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $39,040 9% below national
96 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $38,890 9% below national
97 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $38,800 9% below national
98 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $38,740 9% below national
99 York-Hanover, PA $38,650 10% below national
100 Fort Wayne, IN $38,600 10% below national
101 St. Louis, MO-IL $38,520 10% below national
102 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $38,460 10% below national
103 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $38,280 10% below national
104 Winston-Salem, NC $38,260 11% below national
105 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $38,090 11% below national
106 Birmingham, AL $38,080 11% below national
107 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $38,040 11% below national
108 Jefferson City, MO $37,980 11% below national
109 Appleton, WI $37,920 11% below national
110 Yuba City, CA $37,910 11% below national
111 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL $37,720 12% below national
112 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $37,620 12% below national
113 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $37,570 12% below national
114 Jackson, MS $37,470 12% below national
115 Clarksville, TN-KY $37,440 12% below national
116 Tuscaloosa, AL $37,440 12% below national
117 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $37,370 13% below national
118 Lewiston-Auburn, ME $37,330 13% below national
119 Binghamton, NY $37,190 13% below national
120 Columbus, GA-AL $37,140 13% below national
121 Burlington, NC $37,090 13% below national
122 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $37,070 13% below national
123 Auburn-Opelika, AL $37,060 13% below national
124 Morristown, TN $36,910 14% below national
125 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $36,890 14% below national
126 Tulsa, OK $36,810 14% below national
127 Lynchburg, VA $36,710 14% below national
128 Greensboro-High Point, NC $36,600 14% below national
129 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $36,470 15% below national
130 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $36,420 15% below national
131 Spartanburg, SC $36,250 15% below national
132 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $35,970 16% below national
133 Richmond, VA $35,790 16% below national
134 Goldsboro, NC $35,660 17% below national
135 Roanoke, VA $35,310 17% below national
136 Oklahoma City, OK $34,670 19% below national
137 Fort Smith, AR-OK $34,340 20% below national
138 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $31,510 26% below national
139 Rapid City, SD $30,460 29% below national
140 Longview, TX $29,120 32% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 51 (Production Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 104 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Production Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($42,770 here) and reported employment (40,850 jobs here).

Similar employment scale

Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood make?
The median annual salary for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood is $42,770 ($20.56/hour). The salary range spans from $30,890 at the 10th percentile to $58,170 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $42,770, Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pay is higher than 16% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood the most?
Alaska pays the highest median salary for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood at $52,680/year, which is +23% above the national median.
What education do Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood need?
BLS assigns Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood in this release. WageDex shows the Production Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood a good career?
Employment for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood is projected to decline 0.6% from 2024 to 2034, which is declining. About 4,800 openings are projected each year.
How does Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pay vary by state?
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Alaska at $52,680/year, while New Mexico pays the least at $34,720/year. BLS data covers 46 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Longview-Kelso, WA at $60,100/year. BLS reports a median for 140 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $48,620/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Alaska leads at $52,680/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.