Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders

November 2004 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders: Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel.

Earnings for machine operators can vary by size of the company, union or nonunion status, industry, and skill level and experience of the operator. Also, temporary employees, who are being hired in greater numbers, usually get paid less than company-employed workers. The median hourly earnings in 2002 for a variety of machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic were as follows:

Model makers, metal and plastic	$18.27
Patternmakers, metal and plastic	16.09
Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders	14.79
Lay-out workers, metal and plastic	14.79
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	14.55
Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners	14.14
Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	14.04
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.79
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.62
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.56
Pourers and casters, metal	13.40
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	13.23
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.64
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.56
Foundry mold and coremakers	12.55
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.44
Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	12.22
Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	11.81
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	11.17
All other metal workers and plastic workers	13.65

Machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic held about 1.3 million jobs in 2002. Approximately 9 of 10 jobs were found in manufacturing. About 38 percent of all employment was in these manufacturing industries: transportation equipment manufacturing, plastics and rubber products manufacturing, and machinery manufacturing. The following tabulation shows the distribution of employment of machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic by detailed occupation.

Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	283,000
Molding, coremaking, and casting machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	151,000
Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	104,000
Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	99,000
Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	98,000
Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	75,000
Drilling and boring machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	53,000
Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	45,000
Rolling machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	44,000
Plating and coating machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	44,000
Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	31,000
Heat treating equipment setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic	29,000
Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners	26,000
Foundry mold and coremakers	23,000
Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders	18,000
Pourers and casters, metal	13,000
Lay-out workers, metal and plastic	13,000
Model makers, metal and plastic	8,500
Patternmakers, metal and plastic	6,500
All other metal workers and plastic workers	104,000

(from the Occupational Outlook Handbook: Machine setters, operators, and tenders—metal and plastic)

See more recent statistics for employed workers below.

November 2004 employment and annual earnings distribution, wage and salary workers

National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Earnings

Alabama Arizona Arkansas California Connecticut Florida Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri New Jersey New York North Carolina Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin
State maximums: employment earnings: mean 10th 25th 50th 75th 90th
Metro maximums: employment earnings: mean 10th 25th 50th 75th 90th

Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
	Percentile annual earnings, $
	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
National
U.S. employment: 16,780 mean earnings: $33,850	21,890	26,450	32,900	40,670	47,770
State and Metro Area
Alabama (ACS) (EAG) employment: 610 mean earnings: $27,410	18,140	21,140	26,260	32,900	39,980
Anniston, AL employment: 40 mean earnings: $26,530	23,330	24,490	26,240	27,990	31,380
Birmingham, AL employment: 260 mean earnings: $28,720	17,260	20,540	26,690	37,740	43,460
Arizona (ACS) (EAG) employment: 140 mean earnings: $40,410	27,100	31,080	37,220	45,160	62,910
Phoenix - Mesa, AZ employment: 40 mean earnings: $31,760	25,010	28,840	31,940	35,460	41,320
Arkansas (ACS) (EAG) employment: 310 mean earnings: $35,270	24,360	28,470	33,830	41,940	49,690
California (ACS) (EAG) employment: 450 mean earnings: $26,660	18,870	21,550	25,370	29,320	35,930
Los Angeles - Long Beach, CA employment: 200 mean earnings: $25,090	18,400	20,650	24,280	27,520	30,210
Orange County, CA employment: n.a. mean earnings: $27,290	19,170	20,900	24,740	31,110	41,800
Connecticut (ACS) (EAG) employment: 60 mean earnings: $34,740	25,620	30,370	34,000	40,770	45,890
Florida (ACS) (EAG) employment: 60 mean earnings: $25,380	17,910	20,570	24,260	28,150	32,540
Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater, FL employment: 50 mean earnings: $24,820	17,180	20,080	23,810	28,080	32,790
Illinois (ACS) (EAG) employment: 850 mean earnings: $30,530	20,500	23,680	27,340	37,180	44,200
Chicago, IL employment: 490 mean earnings: $28,750	22,430	24,010	26,530	32,350	40,250
Indiana (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,400 mean earnings: $38,880	24,470	28,540	37,200	46,290	55,420
Fort Wayne, IN employment: 200 mean earnings: $36,940	24,790	29,230	37,380	43,400	50,630
Gary, IN employment: 510 mean earnings: $43,780	27,850	35,730	42,200	51,070	57,290
Indianapolis, IN employment: 120 mean earnings: $37,230	28,830	32,280	37,240	42,080	46,700
Kansas (ACS) (EAG) employment: 90 mean earnings: $29,000	19,130	21,250	30,140	35,150	40,450
Kentucky (ACS) (EAG) employment: 550 mean earnings: $32,690	25,310	29,670	33,190	36,430	40,650
Massachusetts (ACS) (EAG) employment: 140 mean earnings: $35,620	28,960	31,670	35,780	40,730	44,150
Michigan (ACS) (EAG) employment: 950 mean earnings: $38,080	22,940	27,690	37,510	49,080	54,030
Detroit, MI employment: 140 mean earnings: $39,270	20,580	25,570	46,130	52,250	55,930
Grand Rapids - Muskegon - Holland, MI employment: 170 mean earnings: $38,160	25,830	33,800	39,630	43,890	46,990
Minnesota (ACS) (EAG) employment: 260 mean earnings: $33,300	23,400	29,580	33,270	38,020	43,730
Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN - WI employment: 190 mean earnings: $35,240	29,140	31,290	34,600	40,030	44,570
Mississippi (ACS) (EAG) employment: 50 mean earnings: $23,850	18,630	20,040	22,390	26,830	32,820
Missouri (ACS) (EAG) employment: 640 mean earnings: $30,820	24,470	28,560	31,270	34,000	35,680
Kansas City, MO - KS employment: 30 mean earnings: $34,480	21,250	30,500	36,740	40,980	43,530
St. Louis, MO - IL employment: 380 mean earnings: $34,130	26,920	29,880	32,620	35,410	48,570
New Jersey (ACS) (EAG) employment: 340 mean earnings: $32,730	20,340	24,600	31,250	40,580	48,880
Middlesex - Somerset - Hunterdon, NJ employment: 110 mean earnings: $41,770	27,960	34,580	42,600	49,160	55,700
Newark, NJ employment: 100 mean earnings: $28,440	19,200	21,370	29,030	33,620	38,180
New York (ACS) (EAG) employment: 780 mean earnings: $36,750	23,860	29,520	35,040	44,820	52,690
Albany - Schenectady - Troy, NY Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: n.a. mean earnings: $36,970	22,350	25,770	33,570	50,370	55,180
Buffalo - Niagara Falls, NY employment: 50 mean earnings: $46,070	30,180	34,280	49,410	54,620	59,730
New York, NY employment: 100 mean earnings: $29,560	23,820	25,720	28,740	32,930	35,610
Rochester, NY employment: 110 mean earnings: $27,040	17,470	21,050	29,380	32,780	34,810
North Carolina (ACS) (EAG) employment: 220 mean earnings: $37,430	24,200	31,370	37,800	42,920	50,120
Charlotte - Gastonia - Rock Hill, NC - SC employment: 170 mean earnings: $37,050	25,500	30,750	37,940	42,080	44,580
Ohio (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,640 mean earnings: $34,610	23,490	27,470	33,150	41,160	48,640
Akron, OH employment: 80 mean earnings: $31,420	23,610	27,620	31,510	34,410	36,240
Cincinnati, OH - KY - IN employment: 120 mean earnings: $30,570	19,960	26,200	31,610	35,080	37,860
Cleveland - Lorain - Elyria, OH employment: 220 mean earnings: $33,420	23,100	26,010	31,320	39,580	50,650
Dayton - Springfield, OH employment: 30 mean earnings: $35,220	22,420	28,700	33,360	40,730	53,450
Hamilton - Middletown, OH employment: 200 mean earnings: $32,110	23,580	27,200	31,940	36,300	42,640
Youngstown - Warren, OH employment: 190 mean earnings: $40,370	26,950	32,060	40,840	47,410	55,130
Oklahoma (ACS) (EAG) employment: 150 mean earnings: $33,700	26,510	29,670	32,920	37,390	43,640
Tulsa, OK employment: 120 mean earnings: $34,640	28,880	30,640	33,630	38,630	43,910
Pennsylvania (ACS) (EAG) employment: 1,850 mean earnings: $34,750	21,870	26,650	33,730	42,830	50,640
Allentown - Bethlehem - Easton, PA Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: 30 mean earnings: $27,920	21,310	24,600	28,570	32,110	34,240
Johnstown, PA employment: n.a. mean earnings: $32,120	22,680	26,000	32,260	39,130	42,830
Philadelphia, PA - NJ employment: 230 mean earnings: $34,670	23,350	26,560	34,250	42,820	48,090
Pittsburgh, PA employment: 660 mean earnings: $34,450	20,730	24,910	33,800	43,270	50,970
Scranton - - Wilkes - Barre - - Hazleton, PA employment: 40 mean earnings: $28,150	22,100	24,410	26,880	31,140	38,520
Sharon, PA employment: 60 mean earnings: $33,330	28,240	30,780	33,500	36,620	42,890
Rhode Island (ACS) (EAG) employment: 30 mean earnings: $31,690	20,310	25,100	30,990	34,730	50,070
Providence - Fall River - Warwick, RI - MA employment: 80 mean earnings: $34,710	23,080	29,930	34,640	40,790	45,030
South Carolina (ACS) (EAG) employment: 220 mean earnings: $33,440	22,190	24,670	28,860	41,100	44,840
Tennessee (ACS) (EAG) employment: 610 mean earnings: $29,770	22,760	24,810	27,990	33,940	39,700
Chattanooga, TN - GA employment: 40 mean earnings: $28,260	23,570	25,230	27,910	31,670	34,340
Johnson City - Kingsport - Bristol, TN - VA employment: 40 mean earnings: $22,760	15,110	16,470	23,340	26,840	31,660
Knoxville, TN employment: n.a. mean earnings: $33,080	23,690	26,110	31,120	37,910	48,080
Texas (ACS) (EAG) employment: 740 mean earnings: $28,950	16,110	19,880	29,130	35,940	43,730
Dallas, TX employment: 170 mean earnings: $34,460	24,040	28,940	34,820	40,870	45,450
Fort Worth - Arlington, TX employment: n.a. mean earnings: $25,360	15,760	17,200	21,110	31,640	45,430
Houston, TX Occupational Outlook Handbookemployment: 70 mean earnings: $27,580	16,910	22,650	26,660	32,740	40,290
Longview - Marshall, TX employment: 30 mean earnings: $25,140	17,050	21,210	25,100	29,840	33,520
Utah (ACS) (EAG) employment: 640 mean earnings: $34,080	19,910	26,350	35,310	41,820	45,440
Salt Lake City - Ogden, UT employment: 330 mean earnings: $37,650	24,570	33,640	39,480	43,210	45,500
Virginia (ACS) (EAG) employment: 220 mean earnings: $34,120	25,440	29,530	34,280	39,560	43,610
Washington (ACS) (EAG) employment: 420 mean earnings: $35,330	25,600	29,710	34,880	41,610	45,320
Seattle - Bellevue - Everett, WA employment: 50 mean earnings: $34,380	24,720	28,390	32,430	37,380	49,700
Spokane, WA employment: 90 mean earnings: $31,410	24,040	25,800	28,830	37,830	42,910
West Virginia (ACS) (EAG) employment: 300 mean earnings: $34,890	26,160	30,320	34,380	40,330	45,040
Wisconsin (ACS) (EAG) employment: 630 mean earnings: $34,830	23,680	28,290	34,540	41,940	46,570
Milwaukee - Waukesha, WI employment: 150 mean earnings: $37,080	23,460	29,810	36,460	44,950	50,280
Racine, WI employment: 40 mean earnings: $32,350	23,640	25,960	30,540	35,590	48,380

source: Occupational Employment Statistics Program; about these estimates

The highlighted text indicates the maximum values in each column among the states and metropolitan areas.

The (ACS) links lead to data from the American Community Survey from the Census Bureau.

The (EAG) links lead to U.S. Economy at a Glance data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.