Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary in the U.S.
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing in the U.S. earn a median of $43,380 a year ($20.86 an hour), based on BLS data for 61,420 workers.
Pay ranges from $32,110 for the lowest-paid 10% to $56,830 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $43,570, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $32,110 | $15.44 |
| 25th percentile | $37,100 | $17.84 |
| Median | $43,380 | $20.86 |
| 75th percentile | $48,720 | $23.42 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $56,830 | $27.32 |
| Average (mean) | $43,570 | $20.95 |
Half of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing 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 | $3,615 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,807.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,668.46 |
| Weekly | $834.23 |
| Hourly | $20.86 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $52,980 | 1,250 |
| Minnesota | $51,540 | 710 |
| Iowa | $51,200 | 1,100 |
| New Jersey | $49,680 | 410 |
| Oregon | $49,480 | 2,120 |
| Nebraska | $49,190 | 490 |
| Michigan | $47,680 | 5,250 |
| Louisiana | $47,170 | 400 |
| Connecticut | $47,140 | 150 |
| Colorado | $46,500 | 440 |
| Vermont | $46,480 | 200 |
| Maryland | $46,470 | 420 |
| New Hampshire | $46,450 | 440 |
| Massachusetts | $46,430 | 890 |
| California | $46,370 | 3,530 |
| Rhode Island | $45,880 | 100 |
| North Dakota | $45,820 | 280 |
| Idaho | $45,730 | 830 |
| Montana | $45,610 | 360 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,980 | 3,310 |
| Wisconsin | $44,450 | 2,610 |
| Maine | $44,370 | 440 |
| Ohio | $43,930 | 2,710 |
| New York | $43,720 | 1,250 |
| Kansas | $43,580 | 470 |
| Mississippi | $42,090 | 860 |
| South Carolina | $41,990 | 1,660 |
| South Dakota | $41,740 | 490 |
| Indiana | $41,600 | 3,570 |
| Illinois | $41,360 | 1,820 |
| Nevada | $41,090 | 310 |
| West Virginia | $40,020 | 280 |
| Wyoming | $39,930 | 40 |
| Arizona | $39,440 | 1,430 |
| Virginia | $39,370 | 1,520 |
| Utah | $39,260 | 1,050 |
| Florida | $38,740 | 1,840 |
| New Mexico | $38,650 | 150 |
| Missouri | $38,640 | 940 |
| Kentucky | $38,080 | 1,320 |
| North Carolina | $37,550 | 4,090 |
| Georgia | $37,380 | 2,280 |
| Arkansas | $36,850 | 760 |
| Alabama | $36,750 | 2,580 |
| Oklahoma | $35,990 | 260 |
| Tennessee | $35,290 | 1,840 |
| Texas | $33,840 | 2,130 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,840 | n/a |
Best-paying metro areas for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $60,070 | 70 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $59,550 | 70 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $56,950 | 320 |
| Albany, OR | $56,180 | 110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $56,180 | 350 |
| Bend, OR | $55,400 | 280 |
| Medford, OR | $52,390 | 160 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $51,730 | 110 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $51,030 | 380 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $50,970 | 220 |
| Bellingham, WA | $50,220 | 210 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $50,000 | 40 |
| Boulder, CO | $49,860 | 70 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $49,850 | 440 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $49,790 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 2,780 | $47,720 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,250 | $40,440 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 1,070 | $44,790 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 1,010 | $37,370 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 920 | $42,860 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 850 | $45,660 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 820 | $49,050 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 720 | $38,310 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 680 | $42,070 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 620 | $39,200 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 580 | $46,200 |
| Cleveland, OH | 520 | $45,870 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 500 | $48,330 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 480 | $37,560 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 460 | $40,560 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $46,680 | $22.44 |
| Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | $42,770 | $20.56 |
| 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 51-7042. 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 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing make in the U.S.?
The median salary for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in the U.S. is $43,380 a year, or $20.86 an hour. Pay ranges from $32,110 for the lowest-paid 10% to $56,830 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in the U.S. earn at least $56,830 a year. The top 25% earn $48,720 or more.
What is the starting pay for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $32,110 a year, and a quarter of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing earn $37,100 or less.
How many woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing work in the U.S.?
About 61,420 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.