Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders in the U.S. is $48,040 ($23.10 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $48,040
- Mean annual wage
- $50,940
- Median hourly wage
- $23.10
- Employment
- 14,280
14,280 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,960 | $17.29 |
| 25th percentile | $41,130 | $19.77 |
| Median (50th) | $48,040 | $23.10 |
| 75th percentile | $59,830 | $28.77 |
| 90th percentile | $69,800 | $33.56 |
Highest-paying states for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $77,440 | 100 |
| Kentucky | $75,620 | 240 |
| Illinois | $62,870 | 230 |
| Kansas | $62,350 | 210 |
| Wyoming | $62,130 | 50 |
| North Dakota | $60,170 | 70 |
| Washington | $58,580 | 430 |
| Idaho | $57,690 | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $56,140 | 210 |
| Colorado | $55,770 | 100 |
Lowest-paying states
- North Carolina: $39,310 median annual wage
- Nebraska: $41,650 median annual wage
- Florida: $42,400 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $42,970 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $43,560 median annual wage
About this occupation
Operate or tend heating equipment other than basic metal, plastic, or food processing equipment. Includes activities such as annealing glass, drying lumber, curing rubber, removing moisture from materials, or boiling soap.
Typical tasks
- Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards.
- Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications.
- Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules.
- Replace worn or defective equipment parts, using hand tools.
- Clean, lubricate, and adjust equipment, using scrapers, solvents, air hoses, oil, and hand tools.
- Direct crane operators and crew members to load vessels with materials to be processed.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 10.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 43.1% |
| Some college, no degree | 24.2% |
| Associate's degree | 13.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 6.9% |
| Master's degree | 1.7% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220
- Machinists$58,750
- Production Workers, All Other$40,110
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.