Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing Salary
Production Occupations · 61K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$43,380
Median hourly
$21
Average annual
$43,570
Typical range
$32,110–$56,830
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing is $43,380 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 $21 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Set up, operate, or tend woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, and wood nailing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment..
Most earn between $32,110 and $56,830 a year. There are roughly 61K people employed as woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing 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 Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing.
- Hourly
- $20.86
- Daily
- $167
- Weekly
- $834
- Bi-weekly
- $1,668
- Monthly
- $3,615
- Annual
- $43,380
$43,380 a year is around the 50th percentile for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawings. The median is $43,380.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Washington$52,980
- 2Minnesota$51,540
- 3Iowa$51,200
- 4New Jersey$49,680
- 5Oregon$49,480
- 6Nebraska$49,190
- 7Michigan$47,680
- 8Louisiana$47,170
- 9Connecticut$47,140
- 10Colorado$46,500
- 11Vermont$46,480
- 12Maryland$46,470
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA$60,070
- 2Longview-Kelso, WA$59,550
- 3Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$56,950
- 4Albany, OR$56,180
- 5Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$56,180
- 6Bend, OR$55,400
- 7Medford, OR$52,390
- 8Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA$51,730
- 9Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ$51,030
- 10San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$50,970
- 11Bellingham, WA$50,220
- 12Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$50,000
Related job titles
Employers advertise Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing roles under these titles.
- Adzing and Boring Machine Operator
- Artificial Log Machine Operator
- Automatic Clipper
- Automatic Nailing Machine Operator
- Automatic Profile Shaper Operator
- Balloon Sander
- Band Nailer
- Barker Operator
- Barrel Builder
- Barrel Lathe Operator
- Barrel Maker
- Basket Braider
- Basket Weaver
- Bending Frame Operator
- Blind Slat Stapling Machine Operator
- Board Finisher
Related occupations
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood$42,770
- Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$46,570
- Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$50,620
- Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,550
- Milling and Planing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$52,800
- Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$46,330
- Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$47,180
- Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$38,760
What a Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing does
- Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly.
- Secure woodstock against a guide or in a holding device, place woodstock on a conveyor, or dump woodstock in a hopper to feed woodstock into machines.
- Inspect pulleys, drive belts, guards, or fences on machines to ensure that machines will operate safely.
- Monitor operation of machines and make adjustments to correct problems and ensure conformance to specifications.
- Install and adjust blades, cutterheads, boring-bits, or sanding-belts, using hand tools and rules.
- Feed stock through feed mechanisms or conveyors into planing, shaping, boring, mortising, or sanding machines to produce desired components.
- Remove and replace worn parts, bits, belts, sandpaper, or shaping tools.
- Trim wood parts according to specifications, using planes, chisels, or wood files or sanders.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing make?
- The median annual wage for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing is $43,380 ($21 per hour). Pay ranges from about $32,110 at the 10th percentile to $56,830 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $43,570, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawings the most?
- Washington has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $52,980.
- Is Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 61K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing do?
- Start machines, adjust controls, and make trial cuts to ensure that machinery is operating properly.; Secure woodstock against a guide or in a holding device, place woodstock on a conveyor, or dump woodstock in a hopper to feed woodstock into machines.; Inspect pulleys, drive belts, guards, or fences on machines to ensure that machines will operate safely..