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Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary in the U.S.

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood in the U.S. earn a median of $42,770 a year ($20.56 an hour), based on BLS data for 40,850 workers.

Median salary
$42,770
Hourly
$20.56
Average
$43,580
Top 10% earn
$58,170
Workers
40,850

Pay ranges from $30,890 for the lowest-paid 10% to $58,170 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $43,580, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.

Pay range for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in the U.S.

$0$70,000
Pay levelYearlyHourly
10th percentile (entry level)$30,890$14.85
25th percentile$36,510$17.55
Median$42,770$20.56
75th percentile$48,620$23.37
90th percentile (top earners)$58,170$27.97
Average (mean)$43,580$20.95

Half of sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.

Median paycheck, before taxes

Pay periodAmount
Monthly$3,564.17
Semi-monthly (24 a year)$1,782.08
Biweekly (26 a year)$1,645
Weekly$822.50
Hourly$20.56

Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.

Buying a home? On a $42,770 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.

Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary by state

StateMedian salaryWorkers
Alaska$52,680100
Washington$51,9401,720
Minnesota$51,330500
Connecticut$51,150110
Oregon$49,7402,010
Montana$49,090280
Idaho$48,350700
Iowa$48,090240
California$47,3903,230
Massachusetts$47,21060
Maryland$47,060130
Colorado$47,030350
Nebraska$46,970140
Louisiana$46,610500
Illinois$46,530470
Maine$46,210730
New Hampshire$46,090130
Vermont$46,040230
Ohio$45,0102,180
New Jersey$44,63080
Wisconsin$44,4401,880
Utah$43,490180
Arizona$42,870310
Indiana$42,6201,270
New York$42,2501,010
Pennsylvania$40,5901,720
Michigan$40,2601,510
Georgia$39,8601,930
Wyoming$39,47070
Nevada$39,350170
South Carolina$39,300810
Tennessee$39,0701,510
Florida$38,280740
North Carolina$38,1002,020
Missouri$38,0301,380
Alabama$37,5201,880
South Dakota$37,480260
Mississippi$36,9601,910
Kansas$36,930110
Kentucky$36,8101,050
Arkansas$36,7401,240
Texas$36,7401,680
Oklahoma$36,140250
Virginia$35,7901,580
West Virginia$35,590360
New Mexico$34,72070

Best-paying metro areas for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood

Metro areaMedian salaryWorkers
Longview-Kelso, WA$60,100180
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$55,280380
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA$54,34030
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI$54,090280
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$51,54040
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$50,72060
Redding, CA$50,630160
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$50,25080
St. Cloud, MN$49,82030
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$49,740560
Baton Rouge, LA$49,70050
Cleveland, OH$49,610330
Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$49,31090
Vallejo, CA$49,25030
Medford, OR$49,230120

Metro areas with the most sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood

Metro areaWorkersMedian salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA600$46,380
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA560$49,740
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA550$39,610
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA430$43,800
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX420$37,620
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA420$47,460
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA380$55,280
Cleveland, OH330$49,610
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI330$41,850
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN320$45,360
Eugene-Springfield, OR300$48,400
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN280$40,010
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI280$54,090
Tuscaloosa, AL280$37,440
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC250$39,110

Related jobs in the U.S.

JobMedian salaryHourly
Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters$46,680$22.44
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$43,380$20.86
Furniture Finisher$44,540$21.41
Woodworkers, All Other$44,530$21.41
Model Makers, Wood$56,550$27.19
Patternmakers, Wood$49,630$23.86
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators$44,650$21.47
First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers$74,450$35.79
Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$48,570$23.35
Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers$53,750$25.84
Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220$20.78
Machinist$58,750$28.24
Production Workers, All Other$40,110$19.29
Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers$45,850$22.04

More: Production Occupations

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-7041. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood make in the U.S.?

The median salary for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in the U.S. is $42,770 a year, or $20.56 an hour. Pay ranges from $30,890 for the lowest-paid 10% to $58,170 for the top 10%.

How much do the highest-paid sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood make in the U.S.?

The top 10% of sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in the U.S. earn at least $58,170 a year. The top 25% earn $48,620 or more.

What is the starting pay for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in the U.S.?

Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $30,890 a year, and a quarter of sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood earn $36,510 or less.

How many sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood work in the U.S.?

About 40,850 sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.