Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing (SOC 51-7042) earn a median $43,380 a year ($20.86 an hour) in the United States, with 61,420 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing do
Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing, run the machines that shape and finish wood parts for wood products. The machines include drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, and nailing machines, in manual and computer-controlled versions. At the start of a job, the operator adjusts machine tables and cutting devices and sets controls for the specified cuts, then makes trial cuts to confirm that the equipment is running right. They examine raw wood stock for defects and size, feed it through, and monitor the machine for problems. Finished pieces are checked for smoothness, shape, angle, depth of cut, and conformity to specifications, by eye and with hand measuring tools. Blades, cutterheads, boring bits, or sanding belts are installed and adjusted with hand tools. The SOC definition excludes workers who primarily program or run CNC equipment, and sawing operators are in a separate code, so this occupation covers the remaining shaping machines.
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: Adzing and Boring Machine Operator, Artificial Log Machine Operator, Automatic Clipper, Automatic Nailing Machine Operator, Automatic Profile Shaper Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.44 | $17.84 | $20.86 | $23.42 | $27.32 | $20.95 | 61,420 |
| Annual | $32,110 | $37,100 | $43,380 | $48,720 | $56,830 | $43,570 | ||
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 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing 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 | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $21.15 | $22.89 | $25.47 | $28.36 | $29.54 | $25.64 | 1,250 | 0.35 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $43,990 | $47,610 | $52,980 | $58,980 | $61,440 | $53,330 | ||||
| Minnesota | Hourly | $22.01 | $23.42 | $24.78 | $27.88 | $28.90 | $25.36 | 710 | 0.24 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $45,780 | $48,720 | $51,540 | $57,980 | $60,120 | $52,750 | ||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $19.01 | $23.78 | $24.62 | $27.63 | $27.64 | $24.77 | 1,100 | 0.71 | 1.79 |
| Annual | $39,540 | $49,460 | $51,200 | $57,470 | $57,480 | $51,530 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $17.63 | $18.28 | $23.88 | $32.74 | $37.78 | $25.54 | 410 | 0.10 | 0.24 |
| Annual | $36,670 | $38,020 | $49,680 | $68,100 | $78,590 | $53,110 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $19.08 | $22.72 | $23.79 | $27.25 | $28.58 | $24.40 | 2,120 | 1.08 | 2.73 |
| Annual | $39,690 | $47,270 | $49,480 | $56,680 | $59,440 | $50,740 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Michigan | Hourly | $18.33 | $20.83 | $22.92 | $23.58 | $26.20 | $22.35 | 5,250 | 1.19 | 3.02 |
| Annual | $38,130 | $43,320 | $47,680 | $49,040 | $54,500 | $46,480 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $14.51 | $15.49 | $18.05 | $21.57 | $23.14 | $18.74 | 4,090 | 0.83 | 2.09 |
| Annual | $30,180 | $32,210 | $37,550 | $44,870 | $48,120 | $38,990 | ||||
| Indiana | Hourly | $16.94 | $17.87 | $20.00 | $22.89 | $27.67 | $20.88 | 3,570 | 1.12 | 2.82 |
| Annual | $35,230 | $37,170 | $41,600 | $47,610 | $57,550 | $43,430 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $18.12 | $19.01 | $22.29 | $23.88 | $27.65 | $22.39 | 3,530 | 0.19 | 0.49 |
| Annual | $37,700 | $39,540 | $46,370 | $49,670 | $57,520 | $46,570 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $17.34 | $18.40 | $21.63 | $23.93 | $29.31 | $21.90 | 3,310 | 0.55 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $36,060 | $38,270 | $44,980 | $49,770 | $60,960 | $45,550 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | Hourly | $19.03 | $25.47 | $28.88 | $28.88 | $28.88 | $26.23 | 70 | 0.18 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $39,580 | $52,970 | $60,070 | $60,070 | $60,070 | $54,550 | ||||
| Longview-Kelso, WA | Hourly | $23.65 | $24.34 | $28.63 | $29.21 | $29.21 | $27.45 | 70 | 1.79 | 4.52 |
| Annual | $49,190 | $50,620 | $59,550 | $60,750 | $60,750 | $57,100 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $21.50 | $23.37 | $27.38 | $28.81 | $30.26 | $26.17 | 320 | 0.17 | 0.42 |
| Annual | $44,720 | $48,600 | $56,950 | $59,930 | $62,940 | $54,430 | ||||
| Albany, OR | Hourly | $18.54 | $23.07 | $27.01 | $28.31 | $29.71 | $25.79 | 110 | 2.33 | 5.90 |
| Annual | $38,550 | $47,980 | $56,180 | $58,880 | $61,800 | $53,640 | ||||
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | Hourly | $19.74 | $22.77 | $27.01 | $28.67 | $31.02 | $26.13 | 350 | 0.17 | 0.43 |
| Annual | $41,050 | $47,350 | $56,180 | $59,630 | $64,520 | $54,350 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | Hourly | $18.94 | $22.59 | $22.94 | $23.65 | $24.02 | $22.74 | 2,780 | 4.65 | 11.77 |
| Annual | $39,390 | $46,980 | $47,720 | $49,190 | $49,950 | $47,300 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $17.83 | $18.16 | $19.44 | $22.53 | $23.81 | $20.46 | 1,250 | 0.53 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $37,080 | $37,770 | $40,440 | $46,870 | $49,530 | $42,550 | ||||
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | Hourly | $17.45 | $18.21 | $21.54 | $22.88 | $29.72 | $21.69 | 1,070 | 8.39 | 21.24 |
| Annual | $36,300 | $37,890 | $44,790 | $47,590 | $61,820 | $45,120 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $16.00 | $16.19 | $17.97 | $21.44 | $25.58 | $19.61 | 1,010 | 0.35 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $33,280 | $33,680 | $37,370 | $44,590 | $53,210 | $40,800 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.41 | $18.91 | $20.60 | $22.60 | $27.59 | $21.54 | 920 | 0.21 | 0.52 |
| Annual | $38,290 | $39,330 | $42,860 | $47,010 | $57,390 | $44,790 | ||||
Top industries employing woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
Other Wood Product Manufacturing employ 41.2% of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing nationally (25,280 jobs) at a median $40,970 a year ($19.70 an hour), followed by Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) (23.7%) and Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing (12.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing NAICS 321900 | 25,280 | 41.2% | $40,970 | $19.70 |
| Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (3371 and 3372 only) NAICS 3370A1 | 14,580 | 23.7% | $45,450 | $21.85 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing NAICS 321200 | 7,690 | 12.5% | $44,200 | $21.25 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation NAICS 321100 | 5,390 | 8.8% | $45,790 | $22.02 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 2,470 | 4.0% | $37,040 | $17.81 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (61,420). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $36,090 for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in May 2021 and $43,380 in May 2025, with employment of 67,210 and 61,420.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $36,090 | $17.35 | 67,210 |
| May 2022 | $36,830 | $17.71 | 63,680 |
| May 2023 | $38,260 | $18.40 | 61,250 |
| May 2024 | $40,440 | $19.44 | 63,350 |
| May 2025 | $43,380 | $20.86 | 61,420 |
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
47 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 | Washington profile | $25.47 | $52,980 | $43,990 | $61,440 | 1,250 | 0.35 | 0.89 |
| 2 | Minnesota profile | $24.78 | $51,540 | $45,780 | $60,120 | 710 | 0.24 | 0.61 |
| 3 | Iowa profile | $24.62 | $51,200 | $39,540 | $57,480 | 1,100 | 0.71 | 1.79 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $23.88 | $49,680 | $36,670 | $78,590 | 410 | 0.10 | 0.24 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $23.79 | $49,480 | $39,690 | $59,440 | 2,120 | 1.08 | 2.73 |
| 6 | Nebraska profile | $23.65 | $49,190 | $39,340 | $49,190 | 490 | 0.48 | 1.21 |
| 7 | Michigan profile | $22.92 | $47,680 | $38,130 | $54,500 | 5,250 | 1.19 | 3.02 |
| 8 | Louisiana profile | $22.68 | $47,170 | $38,570 | $61,570 | 400 | 0.21 | 0.52 |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $22.66 | $47,140 | $37,440 | $57,250 | 150 | 0.09 | 0.22 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $22.36 | $46,500 | $34,100 | $62,620 | 440 | 0.16 | 0.39 |
| 11 | Vermont profile | $22.35 | $46,480 | $39,120 | $56,560 | 200 | 0.66 | 1.67 |
| 12 | Maryland profile | $22.34 | $46,470 | $36,820 | $63,320 | 420 | 0.15 | 0.38 |
| 13 | New Hampshire profile | $22.33 | $46,450 | $39,130 | $62,040 | 440 | 0.64 | 1.61 |
| 14 | Massachusetts profile | $22.32 | $46,430 | $37,190 | $55,910 | 890 | 0.24 | 0.62 |
| 15 | California profile | $22.29 | $46,370 | $37,700 | $57,520 | 3,530 | 0.19 | 0.49 |
| 16 | Rhode Island profile | $22.06 | $45,880 | $31,200 | $58,960 | 100 | 0.20 | 0.50 |
| 17 | North Dakota profile | $22.03 | $45,820 | $40,470 | $48,790 | 280 | 0.65 | 1.66 |
| 18 | Idaho profile | $21.99 | $45,730 | $36,980 | $57,670 | 830 | 0.97 | 2.46 |
| 19 | Montana profile | $21.93 | $45,610 | $32,020 | $58,100 | 360 | 0.71 | 1.80 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.63 | $44,980 | $36,060 | $60,960 | 3,310 | 0.55 | 1.38 |
| 21 | Wisconsin profile | $21.37 | $44,450 | $35,430 | $55,170 | 2,610 | 0.89 | 2.25 |
| 22 | Maine profile | $21.33 | $44,370 | $37,400 | $55,680 | 440 | 0.69 | 1.73 |
| 23 | Ohio profile | $21.12 | $43,930 | $35,010 | $53,150 | 2,710 | 0.49 | 1.23 |
| 24 | New York profile | $21.02 | $43,720 | $35,910 | $64,070 | 1,250 | 0.13 | 0.33 |
| 25 | Kansas profile | $20.95 | $43,580 | $30,560 | $57,580 | 470 | 0.32 | 0.82 |
| 26 | Mississippi profile | $20.24 | $42,090 | $29,630 | $56,150 | 860 | 0.74 | 1.88 |
| 27 | South Carolina profile | $20.19 | $41,990 | $29,720 | $57,010 | 1,660 | 0.72 | 1.82 |
| 28 | South Dakota profile | $20.07 | $41,740 | $31,070 | $51,870 | 490 | 1.07 | 2.72 |
| 29 | Indiana profile | $20.00 | $41,600 | $35,230 | $57,550 | 3,570 | 1.12 | 2.82 |
| 30 | Illinois profile | $19.89 | $41,360 | $36,970 | $53,160 | 1,820 | 0.30 | 0.76 |
| 31 | Nevada profile | $19.76 | $41,090 | $33,900 | $50,170 | 310 | 0.20 | 0.51 |
| 32 | West Virginia profile | $19.24 | $40,020 | $29,860 | $49,120 | 280 | 0.40 | 1.01 |
| 33 | Wyoming profile | $19.20 | $39,930 | $27,800 | $46,010 | 40 | 0.15 | 0.38 |
| 34 | Arizona profile | $18.96 | $39,440 | $36,790 | $49,830 | 1,430 | 0.44 | 1.12 |
| 35 | Virginia profile | $18.93 | $39,370 | $32,500 | $48,410 | 1,520 | 0.37 | 0.94 |
| 36 | Utah profile | $18.88 | $39,260 | $35,360 | $49,680 | 1,050 | 0.61 | 1.54 |
| 37 | Florida profile | $18.63 | $38,740 | $32,700 | $52,260 | 1,840 | 0.19 | 0.47 |
| 38 | New Mexico profile | $18.58 | $38,650 | $32,850 | $59,300 | 150 | 0.17 | 0.42 |
| 39 | Missouri profile | $18.58 | $38,640 | $34,600 | $49,260 | 940 | 0.32 | 0.81 |
| 40 | Kentucky profile | $18.31 | $38,080 | $32,650 | $48,290 | 1,320 | 0.66 | 1.66 |
| 41 | North Carolina profile | $18.05 | $37,550 | $30,180 | $48,120 | 4,090 | 0.83 | 2.09 |
| 42 | Georgia profile | $17.97 | $37,380 | $29,780 | $53,160 | 2,280 | 0.47 | 1.18 |
| 43 | Arkansas profile | $17.71 | $36,850 | $25,960 | $59,630 | 760 | 0.58 | 1.47 |
| 44 | Alabama profile | $17.67 | $36,750 | $29,140 | $49,390 | 2,580 | 1.22 | 3.08 |
| 45 | Oklahoma profile | $17.30 | $35,990 | $31,110 | $61,060 | 260 | 0.15 | 0.38 |
| 46 | Tennessee profile | $16.97 | $35,290 | $29,330 | $46,420 | 1,840 | 0.56 | 1.42 |
| 47 | Texas profile | $16.27 | $33,840 | $21,690 | $46,230 | 2,130 | 0.15 | 0.38 |
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 51-7042 Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing.
- 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 51-7042, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-7042.00, 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.