Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders in the U.S. is $54,430 ($26.17 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $54,430
- Mean annual wage
- $55,490
- Median hourly wage
- $26.17
- Employment
- 16,780
16,780 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,200 | $18.85 |
| 25th percentile | $46,080 | $22.15 |
| Median (50th) | $54,430 | $26.17 |
| 75th percentile | $62,810 | $30.20 |
| 90th percentile | $74,470 | $35.81 |
Highest-paying states for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $75,880 | 200 |
| New Jersey | $75,020 | 150 |
| New York | $66,440 | 760 |
| Oregon | $64,410 | 400 |
| Washington | $62,850 | 330 |
| North Carolina | $60,780 | 390 |
| Utah | $60,510 | 330 |
| Arizona | $59,830 | 490 |
| Kentucky | $59,040 | 810 |
| Massachusetts | $58,480 | 240 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $39,610 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $39,920 median annual wage
- South Carolina: $44,160 median annual wage
- Kansas: $44,800 median annual wage
- Michigan: $44,900 median annual wage
About this occupation
Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.
Typical tasks
- Draw smelted metal samples from furnaces or kettles for analysis, and calculate types and amounts of materials needed to ensure that materials meet specifications.
- Kindle fires, and shovel fuel and other materials into furnaces or onto conveyors by hand, with hoists, or by directing crane operators.
- Observe operations inside furnaces, using television screens, to ensure that problems do not occur.
- Inspect furnaces and equipment to locate defects and wear.
- Observe air and temperature gauges or metal color and fluidity, and turn fuel valves or adjust controls to maintain required temperatures.
- Drain, transfer, or remove molten metal from furnaces, and place it into molds, using hoists, pumps, or ladles.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 11.9% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 59.5% |
| Some college, no degree | 18.2% |
| Associate's degree | 7.1% |
| Bachelor's degree | 2.6% |
| Master's degree | 0.6% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.2% |
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.