Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders (SOC 51-9051) earn a median $48,040 a year ($23.10 an hour) in the United States, with 14,280 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Maryland.
What furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders do
Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators run heating equipment used in industries other than basic metal, plastic, and food processing. Typical processes include annealing glass, drying lumber, curing rubber, boiling soap, and removing moisture from materials. Work orders and instructions give the process specifications and production schedule, and the operator presses and adjusts controls to activate, set, and regulate the equipment. While the batch heats, they watch gauges and panel lights for deviations from standards, and they confer with supervisors or other operators to report malfunctions or settle production problems. Samples of processed material are examined or collected for laboratory testing, and gauge readings, test results, and shift production are written in a log. Autoclave operators and annealers are examples of the job titles. Operators also carry materials and products between work areas, by hand or with carts, handtrucks, or hoists. Lumber kilns, glass annealing ovens, and rubber curing units are among the equipment tended.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Ager Operator, Annealer, Annealing Operator, Autoclave Operator, Automated Process Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.29 | $19.77 | $23.10 | $28.77 | $33.56 | $24.49 | 14,280 |
| Annual | $35,960 | $41,130 | $48,040 | $59,830 | $69,800 | $50,940 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $18.61 | $19.19 | $37.23 | $37.24 | $37.24 | $30.61 | 100 | 0.04 | 0.38 |
| Annual | $38,720 | $39,920 | $77,440 | $77,470 | $77,470 | $63,660 | ||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $25.07 | $29.43 | $36.36 | $39.35 | $40.04 | $33.87 | 240 | 0.12 | 1.32 |
| Annual | $52,140 | $61,220 | $75,620 | $81,850 | $83,270 | $70,450 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $21.93 | $22.03 | $30.23 | $32.28 | $35.20 | $28.83 | 230 | 0.04 | 0.41 |
| Annual | $45,620 | $45,830 | $62,870 | $67,130 | $73,210 | $59,960 | ||||
| Kansas | Hourly | $22.41 | $24.20 | $29.98 | $35.14 | $36.62 | $29.01 | 210 | 0.14 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $46,600 | $50,330 | $62,350 | $73,100 | $76,180 | $60,340 | ||||
| Wyoming | Hourly | $22.84 | $28.75 | $29.87 | $36.99 | $55.42 | $34.20 | 50 | 0.17 | 1.87 |
| Annual | $47,500 | $59,810 | $62,130 | $76,950 | $115,270 | $71,130 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $17.22 | $18.37 | $22.21 | $26.79 | $30.73 | $23.16 | 1,580 | 0.28 | 3.10 |
| Annual | $35,810 | $38,210 | $46,190 | $55,730 | $63,920 | $48,170 | ||||
| Alabama | Hourly | $18.39 | $22.23 | $24.33 | $30.19 | $35.92 | $26.20 | 1,090 | 0.52 | 5.63 |
| Annual | $38,240 | $46,240 | $50,600 | $62,790 | $74,710 | $54,500 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.52 | $18.00 | $21.78 | $26.40 | $30.99 | $23.06 | 900 | 0.05 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $36,430 | $37,440 | $45,300 | $54,910 | $64,460 | $47,960 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $16.83 | $20.35 | $24.43 | $31.40 | $35.05 | $25.43 | 870 | 0.18 | 1.93 |
| Annual | $35,000 | $42,320 | $50,820 | $65,310 | $72,910 | $52,890 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $16.60 | $19.00 | $21.66 | $26.73 | $34.60 | $23.65 | 780 | 0.06 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $34,520 | $39,520 | $45,040 | $55,590 | $71,960 | $49,190 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | Hourly | $22.07 | $30.08 | $39.35 | $39.35 | $40.41 | $35.41 | 70 | 0.10 | 1.13 |
| Annual | $45,900 | $62,560 | $81,840 | $81,850 | $84,050 | $73,660 | ||||
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | Hourly | $19.96 | $23.32 | $39.20 | $44.12 | $44.13 | $35.11 | 40 | 0.08 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $41,520 | $48,510 | $81,530 | $91,770 | $91,790 | $73,030 | ||||
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | Hourly | $18.61 | $21.38 | $37.23 | $37.24 | $37.24 | $32.55 | 70 | 0.05 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $38,720 | $44,480 | $77,440 | $77,470 | $77,470 | $67,710 | ||||
| Longview-Kelso, WA | Hourly | $28.43 | $30.71 | $33.21 | $37.18 | $38.38 | $33.42 | 60 | 1.57 | 17.11 |
| Annual | $59,140 | $63,870 | $69,070 | $77,330 | $79,840 | $69,510 | ||||
| Savannah, GA | Hourly | $15.66 | $22.66 | $31.92 | $34.68 | $34.68 | $28.73 | 40 | 0.19 | 2.05 |
| Annual | $32,570 | $47,140 | $66,390 | $72,130 | $72,130 | $59,760 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.74 | $18.00 | $18.70 | $22.12 | $30.98 | $21.61 | 380 | 0.06 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $36,910 | $37,440 | $38,900 | $46,010 | $64,430 | $44,940 | ||||
| Birmingham, AL | Hourly | $20.63 | $24.33 | $27.51 | $37.25 | $37.26 | $28.67 | 290 | 0.55 | 6.00 |
| Annual | $42,900 | $50,600 | $57,220 | $77,490 | $77,500 | $59,630 | ||||
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | Hourly | $16.89 | $18.21 | $22.44 | $28.52 | $33.15 | $23.60 | 270 | 0.24 | 2.65 |
| Annual | $35,120 | $37,870 | $46,680 | $59,320 | $68,960 | $49,080 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $17.67 | $21.00 | $23.64 | $30.44 | $35.40 | $25.29 | 270 | 0.03 | 0.30 |
| Annual | $36,750 | $43,680 | $49,170 | $63,320 | $73,630 | $52,600 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $16.60 | $19.00 | $21.72 | $23.38 | $36.47 | $23.33 | 250 | 0.06 | 0.68 |
| Annual | $34,520 | $39,520 | $45,170 | $48,630 | $75,850 | $48,530 | ||||
Top industries employing furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing employ 37.3% of furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders nationally (5,320 jobs) at a median $47,650 a year ($22.91 an hour), followed by Sawmills and Wood Preservation (8.1%) and Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing (6.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing NAICS 327000 | 5,320 | 37.3% | $47,650 | $22.91 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation NAICS 321100 | 1,150 | 8.1% | $49,210 | $23.66 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing NAICS 321200 | 890 | 6.2% | $47,820 | $22.99 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) NAICS 3250A1 | 470 | 3.3% | $58,460 | $28.11 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying NAICS 212300 | 440 | 3.1% | $68,260 | $32.82 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (14,280). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $43,710 for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders in May 2021 and $48,040 in May 2025, with employment of 14,180 and 14,280.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $43,710 | $21.01 | 14,180 |
| May 2022 | $44,530 | $21.41 | 15,030 |
| May 2023 | $45,640 | $21.94 | 14,820 |
| May 2024 | $47,010 | $22.60 | 16,160 |
| May 2025 | $48,040 | $23.10 | 14,280 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
43 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland profile | $37.23 | $77,440 | $38,720 | $77,470 | 100 | 0.04 | 0.38 |
| 2 | Kentucky profile | $36.36 | $75,620 | $52,140 | $83,270 | 240 | 0.12 | 1.32 |
| 3 | Illinois profile | $30.23 | $62,870 | $45,620 | $73,210 | 230 | 0.04 | 0.41 |
| 4 | Kansas profile | $29.98 | $62,350 | $46,600 | $76,180 | 210 | 0.14 | 1.56 |
| 5 | Wyoming profile | $29.87 | $62,130 | $47,500 | $115,270 | 50 | 0.17 | 1.87 |
| 6 | North Dakota profile | $28.93 | $60,170 | $47,400 | $64,070 | 70 | 0.15 | 1.66 |
| 7 | Washington profile | $28.17 | $58,580 | $47,200 | $72,680 | 430 | 0.12 | 1.31 |
| 8 | Idaho profile | $27.74 | $57,690 | $49,130 | $60,850 | 120 | 0.14 | 1.49 |
| 9 | Wisconsin profile | $26.99 | $56,140 | $45,100 | $64,600 | 210 | 0.07 | 0.77 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $26.81 | $55,770 | $44,950 | $64,840 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.36 |
| 11 | Massachusetts profile | $25.63 | $53,300 | $39,050 | $72,560 | 120 | 0.03 | 0.36 |
| 12 | Montana profile | $25.60 | $53,250 | $27,600 | $60,540 | 100 | 0.19 | 2.11 |
| 13 | Vermont profile | $25.27 | $52,560 | $38,190 | $60,310 | 50 | 0.17 | 1.83 |
| 14 | New Jersey profile | $25.21 | $52,440 | $36,080 | $73,720 | 300 | 0.07 | 0.77 |
| 15 | Georgia profile | $24.43 | $50,820 | $35,000 | $72,910 | 870 | 0.18 | 1.93 |
| 16 | Oregon profile | $24.44 | $50,820 | $42,960 | $68,970 | 540 | 0.28 | 2.99 |
| 17 | Alabama profile | $24.33 | $50,600 | $38,240 | $74,710 | 1,090 | 0.52 | 5.63 |
| 18 | Virginia profile | $23.87 | $49,650 | $34,790 | $72,890 | 260 | 0.06 | 0.70 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | $23.85 | $49,610 | $37,780 | $64,480 | 410 | 0.07 | 0.74 |
| 20 | Missouri profile | $23.78 | $49,470 | $39,730 | $63,920 | 270 | 0.09 | 1.01 |
| 21 | New York profile | $23.69 | $49,280 | $40,290 | $73,080 | 490 | 0.05 | 0.55 |
| 22 | New Hampshire profile | $23.68 | $49,250 | $41,190 | $63,170 | 60 | 0.09 | 0.93 |
| 23 | Indiana profile | $23.45 | $48,770 | $42,750 | $66,050 | 650 | 0.20 | 2.23 |
| 24 | South Dakota profile | $23.17 | $48,200 | $40,970 | $65,510 | 40 | 0.09 | 1.02 |
| 25 | South Carolina profile | $23.16 | $48,170 | $36,590 | $63,840 | 300 | 0.13 | 1.41 |
| 26 | Maine profile | $23.11 | $48,060 | $36,760 | $71,700 | 70 | 0.12 | 1.27 |
| 27 | Louisiana profile | $22.99 | $47,820 | $43,720 | $64,160 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.69 |
| 28 | Michigan profile | $22.79 | $47,410 | $32,210 | $67,460 | 420 | 0.10 | 1.03 |
| 29 | Minnesota profile | $22.70 | $47,210 | $39,520 | $75,880 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.36 |
| 30 | Ohio profile | $22.21 | $46,190 | $35,810 | $63,920 | 1,580 | 0.28 | 3.10 |
| 31 | Iowa profile | $22.07 | $45,910 | $36,640 | $60,540 | 100 | 0.07 | 0.71 |
| 32 | West Virginia profile | $21.97 | $45,690 | $36,620 | $59,610 | 80 | 0.12 | 1.29 |
| 33 | Utah profile | $21.93 | $45,610 | $32,100 | $81,430 | 130 | 0.07 | 0.79 |
| 34 | California profile | $21.78 | $45,300 | $36,430 | $64,460 | 900 | 0.05 | 0.54 |
| 35 | Texas profile | $21.66 | $45,040 | $34,520 | $71,960 | 780 | 0.06 | 0.61 |
| 36 | Tennessee profile | $21.49 | $44,710 | $38,960 | $57,890 | 640 | 0.20 | 2.14 |
| 37 | Arizona profile | $21.41 | $44,530 | $36,260 | $47,010 | 140 | 0.04 | 0.47 |
| 38 | Mississippi profile | $21.33 | $44,370 | $35,360 | $52,200 | 370 | 0.32 | 3.43 |
| 39 | Arkansas profile | $20.94 | $43,560 | $34,910 | $63,730 | 150 | 0.11 | 1.22 |
| 40 | Oklahoma profile | $20.66 | $42,970 | $32,640 | $57,780 | 370 | 0.22 | 2.36 |
| 41 | Florida profile | $20.39 | $42,400 | $34,420 | $58,220 | 350 | 0.04 | 0.38 |
| 42 | Nebraska profile | $20.02 | $41,650 | $29,550 | $58,430 | 100 | 0.10 | 1.10 |
| 43 | North Carolina profile | $18.90 | $39,310 | $28,890 | $57,150 | 530 | 0.11 | 1.17 |
Part of Production Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 51-9051 Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 51-9051, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-9051.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.