Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Salary
Production Occupations · 14K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$48,040
Median hourly
$23
Average annual
$50,940
Typical range
$35,960–$69,800
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders is $48,040 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $23 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $35,960 and $69,800 a year. There are roughly 14K people employed as furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders.
- Hourly
- $23.10
- Daily
- $185
- Weekly
- $924
- Bi-weekly
- $1,848
- Monthly
- $4,003
- Annual
- $48,040
$48,040 a year is around the 50th percentile for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenderss. The median is $48,040.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Maryland$77,440
- 2Kentucky$75,620
- 3Illinois$62,870
- 4Kansas$62,350
- 5Wyoming$62,130
- 6North Dakota$60,170
- 7Washington$58,580
- 8Idaho$57,690
- 9Wisconsin$56,140
- 10Colorado$55,770
- 11Massachusetts$53,300
- 12Montana$53,250
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$81,840
- 2Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$81,530
- 3Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$77,440
- 4Longview-Kelso, WA$69,070
- 5Savannah, GA$66,390
- 6Vineland, NJ$62,910
- 7Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO$61,500
- 8Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$60,160
- 9Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN$58,670
- 10Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$58,460
- 11Wichita, KS$57,650
- 12Montgomery, AL$57,240
Related job titles
Employers advertise Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders roles under these titles.
- Annealer
- Annealing Operator
- Automated Process Operator
- Backing-in Machine Tender
- Ballman
- Base Draw Operator
- Batch and Furnace Operator
- Beehive Kiln Charcoal Burner
- Black Ash Burner Operator
- Black Mill Operator
- Boiler Attendant
- Boiler Control Room Operator
- Bone Char Kiln Tender
- Bone Drier Operator
- Bread Oven Operator
- Brick Baker
Related occupations
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,610
- Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders$54,430
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$45,760
- Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$48,750
- Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders$43,530
- Machine Feeders and Offbearers$41,220
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,540
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders$38,180
What a Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders does
- Transport materials and products to and from work areas, manually or using carts, handtrucks, or hoists.
- Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards.
- Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules.
- Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications.
- Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications.
- Record gauge readings, test results, and shift production in log books.
- Confer with supervisors or other equipment operators to report equipment malfunctions or to resolve production problems.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders make?
- The median annual wage for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders is $48,040 ($23 per hour). Pay ranges from about $35,960 at the 10th percentile to $69,800 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $50,940, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenderss the most?
- Maryland has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $77,440.
- Is Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 14K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders do?
- Transport materials and products to and from work areas, manually or using carts, handtrucks, or hoists.; Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards.; Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules..