Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
Median $58,040
Occupation · SOC 51-9051
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders: pay and where the jobs are
What furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$48,040 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $50,940
- Median hourly wage
- $23.10
- Mean hourly wage
- $24.49
- Employment
- 14,280
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 51-9051.
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See where your pay falls among furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
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How much do furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders make?
The median annual wage for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders was $48,040 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $35,960 and the highest-paid 10% more than $69,800. As an hourly rate, the median is $23.10. About 14,280 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Maryland ($77,440), Kentucky ($75,620) and Illinois ($62,870). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Kentucky.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,960 | $17.29 | $2,997 | $2,589 |
| 25th percentile | $41,130 | $19.77 | $3,428 | $2,936 |
| Median | $48,040 | $23.10 | $4,003 | $3,398 |
| 75th percentile | $59,830 | $28.77 | $4,986 | $4,188 |
| 90th percentile | $69,800 | $33.56 | $5,817 | $4,828 |
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders: pay by state
43 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$65,994 take-home in national prices
2
$57,162 take-home in national prices
3
$56,798 take-home in national prices
Where a median furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tender paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 100 | $77,440 | $38,720 | $77,470 | $59,997 | $57,162 |
| Kentucky | 240 | $75,620 | $52,140 | $83,270 | $59,500 | $65,994 |
| Illinois | 230 | $62,870 | $45,620 | $73,210 | $49,729 | $49,750 |
| Kansas | 210 | $62,350 | $46,600 | $76,180 | $49,599 | $55,068 |
| Wyoming | 50 | $62,130 | $47,500 | $115,270 | $52,101 | $56,210 |
| North Dakota | 70 | $60,170 | $47,400 | $64,070 | $50,527 | $56,798 |
| Washington | 430 | $58,580 | $47,200 | $72,680 | $48,436 | $45,262 |
| Idaho | 120 | $57,690 | $49,130 | $60,850 | $46,585 | $48,783 |
| Wisconsin | 210 | $56,140 | $45,100 | $64,600 | $45,409 | $48,259 |
| Colorado | 100 | $55,770 | $44,950 | $64,840 | $45,000 | $43,668 |
| Massachusetts | 120 | $53,300 | $39,050 | $72,560 | $42,316 | $40,013 |
| Montana | 100 | $53,250 | $27,600 | $60,540 | $43,220 | $45,666 |
| Vermont | 50 | $52,560 | $38,190 | $60,310 | $43,085 | $43,983 |
| New Jersey | 300 | $52,440 | $36,080 | $73,720 | $42,555 | $39,112 |
| Georgia | 870 | $50,820 | $35,000 | $72,910 | $41,226 | $42,814 |
| Oregon | 540 | $50,820 | $42,960 | $68,970 | $39,442 | $38,159 |
| Alabama | 1,090 | $50,600 | $38,240 | $74,710 | $40,742 | $45,868 |
| Virginia | 260 | $49,650 | $34,790 | $72,890 | $40,033 | $39,596 |
| Pennsylvania | 410 | $49,610 | $37,780 | $64,480 | $40,484 | $41,491 |
| Missouri | 270 | $49,470 | $39,730 | $63,920 | $40,541 | $44,641 |
| New York | 490 | $49,280 | $40,290 | $73,080 | $39,468 | $36,571 |
| New Hampshire | 60 | $49,250 | $41,190 | $63,170 | $41,752 | $40,083 |
| Indiana | 650 | $48,770 | $42,750 | $66,050 | $39,957 | $42,814 |
| South Dakota | 40 | $48,200 | $40,970 | $65,510 | $40,909 | $46,180 |
| South Carolina | 300 | $48,170 | $36,590 | $63,840 | $40,006 | $42,674 |
| Maine | 70 | $48,060 | $36,760 | $71,700 | $38,986 | $40,171 |
| Louisiana | 120 | $47,820 | $43,720 | $64,160 | $39,555 | $44,843 |
| Michigan | 420 | $47,410 | $32,210 | $67,460 | $38,510 | $40,024 |
| Minnesota | 100 | $47,210 | $39,520 | $75,880 | $38,198 | $38,732 |
| Ohio | 1,580 | $46,190 | $35,810 | $63,920 | $38,467 | $41,463 |
| Iowa | 100 | $45,910 | $36,640 | $60,540 | $37,976 | $43,271 |
| West Virginia | 80 | $45,690 | $36,620 | $59,610 | $37,630 | $42,046 |
| Utah | 130 | $45,610 | $32,100 | $81,430 | $37,408 | $37,838 |
| California | 900 | $45,300 | $36,430 | $64,460 | $37,195 | $33,594 |
| Texas | 780 | $45,040 | $34,520 | $71,960 | $38,370 | $39,533 |
| Tennessee | 640 | $44,710 | $38,960 | $57,890 | $38,104 | $41,477 |
| Arizona | 140 | $44,530 | $36,260 | $47,010 | $37,240 | $36,990 |
| Mississippi | 370 | $44,370 | $35,360 | $52,200 | $36,788 | $42,308 |
| Arkansas | 150 | $43,560 | $34,910 | $63,730 | $36,056 | $41,474 |
| Oklahoma | 370 | $42,970 | $32,640 | $57,780 | $35,318 | $40,206 |
| Florida | 350 | $42,400 | $34,420 | $58,220 | $36,248 | $35,052 |
| Nebraska | 100 | $41,650 | $29,550 | $58,430 | $34,630 | $38,434 |
| North Carolina | 530 | $39,310 | $28,890 | $57,150 | $32,706 | $34,673 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 51-9051. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.