Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn a median of $38,310 a year ($18.42 an hour), based on BLS data for 720 workers.
Pay ranges from $31,180 for the lowest-paid 10% to $50,380 for the top 10%. That is 12% lower than the national median of $43,380. Pay here is 2% higher than the North Carolina statewide median of $37,550. There are 4.6 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 11.8× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $40,170, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,180 | $14.99 |
| 25th percentile | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Median | $38,310 | $18.42 |
| 75th percentile | $47,170 | $22.68 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $50,380 | $24.22 |
| Average (mean) | $40,170 | $19.31 |
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 | $3,192.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,596.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,473.46 |
| Weekly | $736.73 |
| Hourly | $18.42 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $38,310 salary, see how much house you can afford in North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $45,430 | 220 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $42,070 | 680 |
| Asheville, NC | $39,530 | 80 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $38,290 | 80 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $37,560 | 480 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $37,550 | 360 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $37,200 | 160 |
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 North Carolina statewide figures.
Related jobs in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Furniture Finisher | $40,000 | $19.23 |
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $45,440 | $21.85 |
| Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood | $37,070 | $17.82 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $42,770 | $20.56 |
| Upholsterer | $59,700 | $28.70 |
| Sewing Machine Operator | $46,540 | $22.38 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $64,910 | $31.21 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $43,140 | $20.74 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $38,720 | $18.62 |
| Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $47,940 | $23.05 |
| Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $53,800 | $25.87 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $41,150 | $19.78 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $39,410 | $18.95 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,740 | $23.43 |
More: Production Occupations · all salaries in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median salary for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area is $38,310 a year, or $18.42 an hour. Pay ranges from $31,180 for the lowest-paid 10% to $50,380 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The top 10% of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn at least $50,380 a year. The top 25% earn $47,170 or more.
What is the starting pay for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $31,180 a year, and a quarter of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing earn $35,360 or less.
How many woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing work in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
About 720 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing are employed in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area, not counting the self-employed.