Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary in Fort Smith, AR-OK
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood in the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area earn a median of $34,340 a year ($16.51 an hour), based on BLS data for 70 workers.
Pay ranges from $30,660 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,360 for the top 10%. That is 20% lower than the national median of $42,770. Pay here is 7% lower than the Arkansas statewide median of $36,740. There are 0.74 sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 2.8× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $36,000, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in Fort Smith, AR-OK
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $30,660 | $14.74 |
| 25th percentile | $31,610 | $15.20 |
| Median | $34,340 | $16.51 |
| 75th percentile | $38,480 | $18.50 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $47,360 | $22.77 |
| Average (mean) | $36,000 | $17.31 |
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 period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,861.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,430.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,320.77 |
| Weekly | $660.38 |
| Hourly | $16.51 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $34,340 salary, see how much house you can afford in Arkansas at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $41,550 | 70 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $40,560 | 200 |
| Tulsa, OK | $36,810 | 40 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $35,970 | 80 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $34,670 | 70 |
Highest-paying states for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $52,680 |
| Washington | $51,940 |
| Minnesota | $51,330 |
| Connecticut | $51,150 |
| Oregon | $49,740 |
| Montana | $49,090 |
| Idaho | $48,350 |
| Iowa | $48,090 |
| California | $47,390 |
| Massachusetts | $47,210 |
See Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pay in every state or the Arkansas statewide figures.
Related jobs in Fort Smith, AR-OK
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $45,090 | $21.68 |
| Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing | $38,100 | $18.32 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $37,460 | $18.01 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $36,930 | $17.75 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $62,260 | $29.93 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $41,440 | $19.92 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $34,860 | $16.76 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $40,560 | $19.50 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $46,630 | $22.42 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $56,520 | $27.17 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $45,850 | $22.04 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $38,800 | $18.66 |
| Food Batchmaker | $44,470 | $21.38 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $44,960 | $21.61 |
More: Production Occupations · all salaries in Fort Smith, AR-OK
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 Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The median salary for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area is $34,340 a year, or $16.51 an hour. Pay ranges from $30,660 for the lowest-paid 10% to $47,360 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The top 10% of sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area earn at least $47,360 a year. The top 25% earn $38,480 or more.
What is the starting pay for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $30,660 a year, and a quarter of sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood earn $31,610 or less.
How many sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood work in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
About 70 sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood are employed in the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area, not counting the self-employed.