Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median of $42,860 a year ($20.60 an hour), based on BLS data for 920 workers.
Pay ranges from $38,290 for the lowest-paid 10% to $57,390 for the top 10%. That is 1% lower than the national median of $43,380. Pay here is 4% higher than the Illinois statewide median of $41,360. There are 0.20 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.52). The average (mean) salary is $44,790, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,290 | $18.41 |
| 25th percentile | $39,330 | $18.91 |
| Median | $42,860 | $20.60 |
| 75th percentile | $47,010 | $22.60 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $57,390 | $27.59 |
| Average (mean) | $44,790 | $21.54 |
Half of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing 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 | $3,571.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,785.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,648.46 |
| Weekly | $824.23 |
| Hourly | $20.60 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $42,860 salary, see how much house you can afford in Illinois at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $46,480 | 400 |
| Springfield, IL | $46,090 | 40 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $44,790 | 1,070 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $44,530 | 180 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $42,370 | 200 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $40,370 | 290 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $39,110 | 80 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $38,650 | 60 |
| Kankakee, IL | $37,850 | 110 |
| Rockford, IL | $37,700 | 60 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $37,380 | 370 |
Highest-paying states for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $52,980 |
| Minnesota | $51,540 |
| Iowa | $51,200 |
| New Jersey | $49,680 |
| Oregon | $49,480 |
| Nebraska | $49,190 |
| Michigan | $47,680 |
| Louisiana | $47,170 |
| Connecticut | $47,140 |
| Colorado | $46,500 |
See Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing pay in every state or the Illinois statewide figures.
Related jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $56,410 | $27.12 |
| Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | $39,510 | $19.00 |
| Furniture Finisher | $49,660 | $23.88 |
| Woodworkers, All Other | $36,990 | $17.78 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $43,650 | $20.99 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,230 | $23.19 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,290 | $20.81 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $76,500 | $36.78 |
| Machinist | $59,520 | $28.62 |
| Baker | $37,230 | $17.90 |
| Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $41,160 | $19.79 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $52,650 | $25.31 |
| Food Batchmaker | $47,660 | $22.91 |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $45,590 | $21.92 |
More: Production Occupations · all salaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-7042. 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 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median salary for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $42,860 a year, or $20.60 an hour. Pay ranges from $38,290 for the lowest-paid 10% to $57,390 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The top 10% of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn at least $57,390 a year. The top 25% earn $47,010 or more.
What is the starting pay for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $38,290 a year, and a quarter of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing earn $39,330 or less.
How many woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing work in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
About 920 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing are employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, not counting the self-employed.