Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary in the U.S.
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood in the U.S. earn a median of $42,770 a year ($20.56 an hour), based on BLS data for 40,850 workers.
Pay ranges from $30,890 for the lowest-paid 10% to $58,170 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $43,580, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,890 | $14.85 |
| 25th percentile | $36,510 | $17.55 |
| Median | $42,770 | $20.56 |
| 75th percentile | $48,620 | $23.37 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $58,170 | $27.97 |
| Average (mean) | $43,580 | $20.95 |
Half of sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,564.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,782.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,645 |
| Weekly | $822.50 |
| Hourly | $20.56 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $52,680 | 100 |
| Washington | $51,940 | 1,720 |
| Minnesota | $51,330 | 500 |
| Connecticut | $51,150 | 110 |
| Oregon | $49,740 | 2,010 |
| Montana | $49,090 | 280 |
| Idaho | $48,350 | 700 |
| Iowa | $48,090 | 240 |
| California | $47,390 | 3,230 |
| Massachusetts | $47,210 | 60 |
| Maryland | $47,060 | 130 |
| Colorado | $47,030 | 350 |
| Nebraska | $46,970 | 140 |
| Louisiana | $46,610 | 500 |
| Illinois | $46,530 | 470 |
| Maine | $46,210 | 730 |
| New Hampshire | $46,090 | 130 |
| Vermont | $46,040 | 230 |
| Ohio | $45,010 | 2,180 |
| New Jersey | $44,630 | 80 |
| Wisconsin | $44,440 | 1,880 |
| Utah | $43,490 | 180 |
| Arizona | $42,870 | 310 |
| Indiana | $42,620 | 1,270 |
| New York | $42,250 | 1,010 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,590 | 1,720 |
| Michigan | $40,260 | 1,510 |
| Georgia | $39,860 | 1,930 |
| Wyoming | $39,470 | 70 |
| Nevada | $39,350 | 170 |
| South Carolina | $39,300 | 810 |
| Tennessee | $39,070 | 1,510 |
| Florida | $38,280 | 740 |
| North Carolina | $38,100 | 2,020 |
| Missouri | $38,030 | 1,380 |
| Alabama | $37,520 | 1,880 |
| South Dakota | $37,480 | 260 |
| Mississippi | $36,960 | 1,910 |
| Kansas | $36,930 | 110 |
| Kentucky | $36,810 | 1,050 |
| Arkansas | $36,740 | 1,240 |
| Texas | $36,740 | 1,680 |
| Oklahoma | $36,140 | 250 |
| Virginia | $35,790 | 1,580 |
| West Virginia | $35,590 | 360 |
| New Mexico | $34,720 | 70 |
Best-paying metro areas for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $60,100 | 180 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $55,280 | 380 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $54,340 | 30 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $54,090 | 280 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $51,540 | 40 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $50,720 | 60 |
| Redding, CA | $50,630 | 160 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $50,250 | 80 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $49,820 | 30 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $49,740 | 560 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $49,700 | 50 |
| Cleveland, OH | $49,610 | 330 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $49,310 | 90 |
| Vallejo, CA | $49,250 | 30 |
| Medford, OR | $49,230 | 120 |
Metro areas with the most sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 600 | $46,380 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 560 | $49,740 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 550 | $39,610 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 430 | $43,800 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 420 | $37,620 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 420 | $47,460 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 380 | $55,280 |
| Cleveland, OH | 330 | $49,610 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 330 | $41,850 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 320 | $45,360 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 300 | $48,400 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 280 | $40,010 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 280 | $54,090 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 280 | $37,440 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 250 | $39,110 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $46,680 | $22.44 |
| Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | $43,380 | $20.86 |
| Furniture Finisher | $44,540 | $21.41 |
| Woodworkers, All Other | $44,530 | $21.41 |
| Model Makers, Wood | $56,550 | $27.19 |
| Patternmakers, Wood | $49,630 | $23.86 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,650 | $21.47 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $74,450 | $35.79 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $53,750 | $25.84 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Machinist | $58,750 | $28.24 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,110 | $19.29 |
| Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $45,850 | $22.04 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-7041. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood make in the U.S.?
The median salary for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in the U.S. is $42,770 a year, or $20.56 an hour. Pay ranges from $30,890 for the lowest-paid 10% to $58,170 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in the U.S. earn at least $58,170 a year. The top 25% earn $48,620 or more.
What is the starting pay for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $30,890 a year, and a quarter of sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood earn $36,510 or less.
How many sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood work in the U.S.?
About 40,850 sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.