Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 51-9051 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$48,048
$23.10/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders is $48,048 per year ($23.10/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $41,122 and $59,842 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $69,805 per year. There are approximately 14,280 furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+3.0%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
2K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
17K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
3% from new growth97% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing
NAICS 327000
5K
$47,650
Sawmills and Wood Preservation
NAICS 321100
1K
$49,210
Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing
NAICS 321200
890
$47,820
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)
NAICS 3250A1
470
$58,460
Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying
NAICS 212300
440
$68,260
Wage range across top 5 industries: $47,650 to $68,260 (43% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$17.29
$35,963
P25
$19.77
$41,122
P50MEDIAN
$23.10
$48,048
P75
$28.77
$59,842
P90
$33.56
$69,805
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders salary?
The national median salary for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders is $48,048 per year ($23.10/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $41,122 and $59,842 annually.
How much do top-earning furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders make?
The 90th percentile salary for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders is $69,805 per year ($33.56/hr). The 75th percentile is $59,842 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders?
Entry-level Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders (10th percentile) earn approximately $35,963 per year ($17.29/hr). The 25th percentile is $41,122 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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