Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood (SOC 51-7041) earn a median $42,770 a year ($20.56 an hour) in the United States, with 40,850 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Alaska.
What sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood do
Wood sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders cut lumber and wood stock to size using circular saws, band saws, multiple-blade saws, and other sawing equipment. The SOC definition includes lead sawyers and permits operation of CNC equipment, though workers who mainly program or run CNC machinery are classified elsewhere. The operator marks stock and measures to check the accuracy of cuts, mounts and bolts blades onto the machine shafts, and adjusts them with wrenches, handwheels, or panel controls. During the run they watch the machine, adjusting speed and tension and clearing jams, and they inspect stock for imperfections, sometimes estimating its grade. Worn or defective blades are replaced or sharpened with hand tools, and workpieces are guided against the saws, sawn by hand, or fed through automatic feeding devices.
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: Automatic Bandsaw Tender, Automatic Edger, Automatic Log Cut-Off Sawyer, Backup Sawyer, Band Saw Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $14.85 | $17.55 | $20.56 | $23.37 | $27.97 | $20.95 | 40,850 |
| Annual | $30,890 | $36,510 | $42,770 | $48,620 | $58,170 | $43,580 | ||
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 sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood 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 | ||||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $18.05 | $24.11 | $25.33 | $25.70 | $27.82 | $24.51 | 100 | 0.32 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $37,550 | $50,160 | $52,680 | $53,460 | $57,870 | $50,980 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $19.10 | $22.29 | $24.97 | $29.15 | $30.38 | $25.55 | 1,720 | 0.49 | 1.85 |
| Annual | $39,730 | $46,370 | $51,940 | $60,630 | $63,180 | $53,150 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $18.67 | $22.62 | $24.68 | $28.07 | $29.42 | $24.81 | 500 | 0.17 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $38,830 | $47,050 | $51,330 | $58,390 | $61,200 | $51,610 | ||||
| Connecticut | Hourly | $18.45 | $19.92 | $24.59 | $28.02 | $31.88 | $24.23 | 110 | 0.06 | 0.24 |
| Annual | $38,380 | $41,430 | $51,150 | $58,270 | $66,300 | $50,400 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $17.97 | $21.73 | $23.91 | $26.62 | $28.49 | $23.93 | 2,010 | 1.02 | 3.89 |
| Annual | $37,370 | $45,190 | $49,740 | $55,380 | $59,250 | $49,770 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $17.95 | $19.07 | $22.78 | $26.45 | $28.44 | $23.07 | 3,230 | 0.18 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $37,330 | $39,660 | $47,390 | $55,020 | $59,160 | $47,980 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $17.28 | $18.41 | $21.64 | $24.11 | $27.44 | $21.42 | 2,180 | 0.39 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $35,940 | $38,290 | $45,010 | $50,160 | $57,070 | $44,560 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $14.00 | $16.86 | $18.32 | $22.53 | $25.90 | $20.06 | 2,020 | 0.41 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $29,120 | $35,080 | $38,100 | $46,860 | $53,880 | $41,720 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $17.97 | $21.73 | $23.91 | $26.62 | $28.49 | $23.93 | 2,010 | 1.02 | 3.89 |
| Annual | $37,370 | $45,190 | $49,740 | $55,380 | $59,250 | $49,770 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $13.35 | $17.15 | $19.16 | $22.86 | $24.25 | $19.51 | 1,930 | 0.39 | 1.50 |
| Annual | $27,760 | $35,660 | $39,860 | $47,540 | $50,430 | $40,570 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Longview-Kelso, WA | Hourly | $22.28 | $23.27 | $28.89 | $29.82 | $29.82 | $26.97 | 180 | 4.40 | 16.76 |
| Annual | $46,340 | $48,400 | $60,100 | $62,030 | $62,030 | $56,090 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $20.65 | $23.31 | $26.58 | $31.35 | $31.55 | $26.81 | 380 | 0.18 | 0.69 |
| Annual | $42,950 | $48,480 | $55,280 | $65,210 | $65,620 | $55,770 | ||||
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | Hourly | $22.27 | $26.13 | $26.13 | $31.43 | $31.43 | $27.05 | 30 | 0.33 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $46,330 | $54,340 | $54,340 | $65,370 | $65,370 | $56,260 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $19.74 | $22.81 | $26.01 | $28.30 | $28.98 | $25.18 | 280 | 0.14 | 0.54 |
| Annual | $41,060 | $47,440 | $54,090 | $58,870 | $60,270 | $52,370 | ||||
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | Hourly | $19.22 | $19.92 | $24.78 | $26.11 | $30.20 | $24.22 | 40 | 0.06 | 0.22 |
| Annual | $39,980 | $41,430 | $51,540 | $54,300 | $62,820 | $50,380 | ||||
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 | $17.77 | $18.97 | $22.30 | $25.29 | $28.91 | $22.49 | 600 | 0.10 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $36,960 | $39,450 | $46,380 | $52,600 | $60,120 | $46,770 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $18.93 | $22.39 | $23.91 | $29.08 | $30.40 | $24.85 | 560 | 0.46 | 1.77 |
| Annual | $39,370 | $46,580 | $49,740 | $60,490 | $63,220 | $51,690 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $14.75 | $18.52 | $19.05 | $22.10 | $24.42 | $19.78 | 550 | 0.19 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $30,680 | $38,520 | $39,610 | $45,970 | $50,790 | $41,140 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $17.33 | $18.43 | $21.06 | $23.32 | $26.56 | $21.62 | 430 | 0.25 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $36,050 | $38,330 | $43,800 | $48,510 | $55,250 | $44,970 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $14.91 | $17.37 | $18.09 | $21.82 | $24.12 | $19.37 | 420 | 0.10 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $31,020 | $36,130 | $37,620 | $45,380 | $50,160 | $40,280 | ||||
Top industries employing sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
Sawmills and Wood Preservation employ 37.8% of sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood nationally (15,430 jobs) at a median $45,000 a year ($21.63 an hour), followed by Other Wood Product Manufacturing (24.0%) and Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing (12.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation NAICS 321100 | 15,430 | 37.8% | $45,000 | $21.63 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing NAICS 321900 | 9,820 | 24.0% | $38,990 | $18.75 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing NAICS 321200 | 4,900 | 12.0% | $43,860 | $21.09 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) NAICS 4230A1 | 3,080 | 7.5% | $42,720 | $20.54 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) NAICS 3370A1 | 3,030 | 7.4% | $41,720 | $20.06 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (40,850). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $35,340 for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in May 2021 and $42,770 in May 2025, with employment of 45,350 and 40,850.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $35,340 | $16.99 | 45,350 |
| May 2022 | $36,270 | $17.44 | 46,400 |
| May 2023 | $38,000 | $18.27 | 43,570 |
| May 2024 | $39,950 | $19.21 | 43,140 |
| May 2025 | $42,770 | $20.56 | 40,850 |
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
46 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 | Alaska profile | $25.33 | $52,680 | $37,550 | $57,870 | 100 | 0.32 | 1.23 |
| 2 | Washington profile | $24.97 | $51,940 | $39,730 | $63,180 | 1,720 | 0.49 | 1.85 |
| 3 | Minnesota profile | $24.68 | $51,330 | $38,830 | $61,200 | 500 | 0.17 | 0.64 |
| 4 | Connecticut profile | $24.59 | $51,150 | $38,380 | $66,300 | 110 | 0.06 | 0.24 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $23.91 | $49,740 | $37,370 | $59,250 | 2,010 | 1.02 | 3.89 |
| 6 | Montana profile | $23.60 | $49,090 | $42,320 | $57,960 | 280 | 0.54 | 2.07 |
| 7 | Idaho profile | $23.25 | $48,350 | $39,520 | $59,720 | 700 | 0.81 | 3.10 |
| 8 | Iowa profile | $23.12 | $48,090 | $37,230 | $53,500 | 240 | 0.15 | 0.58 |
| 9 | California profile | $22.78 | $47,390 | $37,330 | $59,160 | 3,230 | 0.18 | 0.67 |
| 10 | Massachusetts profile | $22.70 | $47,210 | $43,630 | $75,430 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.06 |
| 11 | Maryland profile | $22.63 | $47,060 | $37,740 | $131,980 | 130 | 0.05 | 0.19 |
| 12 | Colorado profile | $22.61 | $47,030 | $39,110 | $57,980 | 350 | 0.12 | 0.47 |
| 13 | Nebraska profile | $22.58 | $46,970 | $40,040 | $56,190 | 140 | 0.14 | 0.53 |
| 14 | Louisiana profile | $22.41 | $46,610 | $29,810 | $56,870 | 500 | 0.26 | 0.97 |
| 15 | Illinois profile | $22.37 | $46,530 | $33,270 | $70,550 | 470 | 0.08 | 0.29 |
| 16 | Maine profile | $22.22 | $46,210 | $37,230 | $56,590 | 730 | 1.14 | 4.34 |
| 17 | New Hampshire profile | $22.16 | $46,090 | $32,220 | $56,910 | 130 | 0.19 | 0.72 |
| 18 | Vermont profile | $22.14 | $46,040 | $36,820 | $58,870 | 230 | 0.76 | 2.90 |
| 19 | Ohio profile | $21.64 | $45,010 | $35,940 | $57,070 | 2,180 | 0.39 | 1.49 |
| 20 | New Jersey profile | $21.46 | $44,630 | $34,750 | $58,090 | 80 | 0.02 | 0.07 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | $21.37 | $44,440 | $33,220 | $55,930 | 1,880 | 0.64 | 2.44 |
| 22 | Utah profile | $20.91 | $43,490 | $36,020 | $55,560 | 180 | 0.10 | 0.39 |
| 23 | Arizona profile | $20.61 | $42,870 | $36,590 | $55,110 | 310 | 0.10 | 0.36 |
| 24 | Indiana profile | $20.49 | $42,620 | $34,270 | $58,840 | 1,270 | 0.40 | 1.51 |
| 25 | New York profile | $20.31 | $42,250 | $35,860 | $57,470 | 1,010 | 0.10 | 0.40 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $19.52 | $40,590 | $31,210 | $57,520 | 1,720 | 0.28 | 1.08 |
| 27 | Michigan profile | $19.36 | $40,260 | $34,920 | $50,550 | 1,510 | 0.34 | 1.31 |
| 28 | Georgia profile | $19.16 | $39,860 | $27,760 | $50,430 | 1,930 | 0.39 | 1.50 |
| 29 | Wyoming profile | $18.98 | $39,470 | $30,780 | $47,890 | 70 | 0.26 | 0.99 |
| 30 | Nevada profile | $18.92 | $39,350 | $30,560 | $54,760 | 170 | 0.11 | 0.43 |
| 31 | South Carolina profile | $18.89 | $39,300 | $29,070 | $51,750 | 810 | 0.35 | 1.33 |
| 32 | Tennessee profile | $18.79 | $39,070 | $30,680 | $49,400 | 1,510 | 0.46 | 1.75 |
| 33 | Florida profile | $18.40 | $38,280 | $33,330 | $48,710 | 740 | 0.08 | 0.28 |
| 34 | North Carolina profile | $18.32 | $38,100 | $29,120 | $53,880 | 2,020 | 0.41 | 1.56 |
| 35 | Missouri profile | $18.29 | $38,030 | $30,630 | $48,670 | 1,380 | 0.47 | 1.79 |
| 36 | Alabama profile | $18.04 | $37,520 | $29,950 | $51,620 | 1,880 | 0.89 | 3.38 |
| 37 | South Dakota profile | $18.02 | $37,480 | $30,460 | $58,450 | 260 | 0.57 | 2.15 |
| 38 | Mississippi profile | $17.77 | $36,960 | $28,320 | $51,450 | 1,910 | 1.64 | 6.24 |
| 39 | Kansas profile | $17.76 | $36,930 | $28,760 | $50,400 | 110 | 0.07 | 0.28 |
| 40 | Kentucky profile | $17.70 | $36,810 | $28,880 | $46,700 | 1,050 | 0.53 | 2.00 |
| 41 | Arkansas profile | $17.66 | $36,740 | $28,180 | $64,850 | 1,240 | 0.95 | 3.63 |
| 42 | Texas profile | $17.67 | $36,740 | $28,550 | $50,300 | 1,680 | 0.12 | 0.45 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $17.38 | $36,140 | $29,570 | $47,840 | 250 | 0.15 | 0.55 |
| 44 | Virginia profile | $17.21 | $35,790 | $30,480 | $47,780 | 1,580 | 0.38 | 1.46 |
| 45 | West Virginia profile | $17.11 | $35,590 | $27,450 | $58,280 | 360 | 0.52 | 1.96 |
| 46 | New Mexico profile | $16.69 | $34,720 | $29,120 | $64,840 | 70 | 0.08 | 0.29 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-7040), with their national median annual wage.
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 51-7041 Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood.
- 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 51-7041, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-7041.00, 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.