Average Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Except Sawing Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Except Sawing is $43,380 per year. The middle 50% earn between $37,100 and $48,720, with 61,420 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 47 states and 159 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Except Sawing pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $32,110
- 25th
- $37,100
- Median
- $43,380
- 75th
- $48,720
- 90th
- $56,830
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Except Sawing earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
Pay is tightly clustered around the median. Most woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing earn within a narrow band, with less variation than many other occupations. That is often a sign of standardized roles or union and public-sector pay scales.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing from 2024 to 2034. This occupation is projected to shrink. Workers may face more competition for fewer openings, and the role may see automation or consolidation pressure.
- Projected growth
- -1.8%
- -1,100 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 6,400
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
A high-school diploma is typically sufficient for entry, with much of the training happening on the job.
Where Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Except Sawing earn the most
Location matters for pay. The top-paying state is noticeably above the national median, so relocating to a higher-paying market can meaningfully boost earnings. Right now, the top-paying state is Washington at $52,980, about 22.1% above the national median. At the metro level, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA leads with a median of $60,070.
Top-paying states
| State | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $52,980 | 1,250 |
| Minnesota | $51,540 | 710 |
| Iowa | $51,200 | 1,100 |
| New Jersey | $49,680 | 410 |
| Oregon | $49,480 | 2,120 |
| Nebraska | $49,190 | 490 |
| Michigan | $47,680 | 5,250 |
| Louisiana | $47,170 | 400 |
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $60,070 | 70 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $59,550 | 70 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $56,950 | 320 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $56,180 | 350 |
| Albany, OR | $56,180 | 110 |
| Bend, OR | $55,400 | 280 |
| Medford, OR | $52,390 | 160 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $51,730 | 110 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Except Sawing rose from $30,990 to $43,380, a gain of +40.0% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $30,990 would need to be worth $39,025 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $43,380 is $4,355 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +11.2% in purchasing power.
Real wages have grown strongly, 11.2% above inflation. Workers in this field have meaningfully gained purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +40.0%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +11.2%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Except Sawing median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $43,380
- 2024
- $40,440
- 2023
- $38,260
- 2022
- $36,830
- 2021
- $36,090
- 2020
- $32,160
- 2019
- $30,990
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Woodworkers, All Other
- $44,530
- Furniture Finishers
- $44,540
- Patternmakers, Wood
- $49,630
- Model Makers, Wood
- $56,550
- Etchers And Engravers
- $43,310
Common salary questions for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Except Sawing
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, And Tenders, Except Sawing workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.