Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$43,380
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$20.86
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$56,830
entry level starts ~$32,110
Pay Grade
C
below-average pay · 61,000 employed

How much do Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing make?

Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing earn a median annual salary of $43,380 in the United States, which works out to roughly $20.86 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $32,110 at the entry level and $56,830 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $37,100 and $48,720 a year.

That is $18,010 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary range by percentile

Half of all Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing earn between $37,100 and $48,720 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$32,110$15.44
25th percentile (early career)$37,100$17.84
50th percentile (median)$43,380$20.86
75th percentile (experienced)$48,720$23.42
90th percentile (top earners)$56,830$27.32

Highest-paying states for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Washington leads the country for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing pay at $52,980 a year, followed by Minnesota ($51,540) and Iowa ($51,200). At the other end, Texas posts the lowest median at $33,840 — a gap of $19,140 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1Washington$52,980$25.47+22%
2Minnesota$51,540$24.78+19%
3Iowa$51,200$24.62+18%
4New Jersey$49,680$23.88+15%
5Oregon$49,480$23.79+14%

Workforce and education

About 61,000 people work as Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing in the United States. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing make in the United States?
The median Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary in the United States is $43,380 per year, or about $20.86 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $32,110, while the top 10% of earners make $56,830 or more.
How does Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C (below-average pay), the Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing median of $43,380 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing the most?
Washington is the highest-paying state for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing, with a median salary of $52,980 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing need?
For most positions, a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, according to O*NET occupation data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
How many Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing work in the United States?
About 61,000 people were employed as Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

Related salaries

Other manufacturing & production roles with similar pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.