Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders to grow 2.6% from 2025 to 2035 (about 400 more jobs), with about 1,800 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $48,040 a year ranks 596th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +2.6%
- Openings a year
- 1,800
- Median pay
- $48,040
- Pay rank
- 596th of 825
Is employment of furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders to rise 2.6% (about 400 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is faster than the -0.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 105 production occupations with a projection. That change ranks 427th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 14,500 |
| Employment, 2035 | 14,900 |
| Projected change | +2.6% |
| Openings a year | 1,800 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 14,500 jobs here differ from the 14,280 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 1,800 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 563rd most of 830 occupations. About 98% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 40 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders rank?
The median of $48,040 a year ranks 596th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the lower half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | -5.7% | 5,200 | $51,610 |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | +1.5% | 5,200 | $45,760 |
| Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders | -2.9% | 1,400 | $54,430 |
| Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | -9.5% | 1,100 | $48,750 |
| Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders | +3.4% | 1,700 | $43,530 |
| Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders | -12.5% | 600 | $38,180 |
| Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | -1.7% | 2,300 | $48,540 |
| Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | +1.3% | 1,300 | $46,460 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.