Average Salary for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
SOC 51-4051 · Production Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders in the United States is $55,770 ($26.81/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $38,760 at the 10th percentile to $80,280 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 20,330 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 35.6% since 2014.
Median Annual
$55,770
Mean Annual
$57,290
10th Pct
$38,760
75th Pct
$65,070
Employment
20,330
Salary Distribution
$39k
10th
$47k
25th
$56k
Median
$65k
75th
$80k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $86,300 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $73,500 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $71,740 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $71,000 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $66,370 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $66,360 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $65,380 |
| Cleveland, OH | $63,030 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $62,770 |
| Reading, PA | $61,350 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $60,210 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $58,550 |
| Huntsville, AL | $57,360 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $57,340 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $55,740 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Indiana | $75,630 |
| Utah | $70,450 |
| New York | $64,350 |
| Iowa | $64,080 |
| Oregon | $62,320 |
| New Jersey | $62,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,200 |
| Washington | $59,170 |
| California | $58,220 |
| Kansas | $57,470 |
| Louisiana | $57,070 |
| Connecticut | $56,870 |
| Missouri | $56,160 |
| Minnesota | $55,720 |
| Arizona | $54,550 |
| Illinois | $54,200 |
| Georgia | $51,400 |
| West Virginia | $51,150 |
| Ohio | $50,790 |
| Nevada | $50,590 |
| Kentucky | $50,100 |
| Tennessee | $49,810 |
| Florida | $48,980 |
| Massachusetts | $48,510 |
| Colorado | $48,150 |
| Wisconsin | $47,980 |
| Alabama | $47,520 |
| New Hampshire | $46,960 |
| Nebraska | $46,760 |
| Michigan | $46,290 |
| Virginia | $46,120 |
| New Mexico | $45,990 |
| Oklahoma | $45,840 |
| Rhode Island | $45,740 |
| Texas | $45,170 |
| North Carolina | $43,720 |
| Arkansas | $40,220 |
| South Carolina | $39,780 |
| Mississippi | $38,370 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $70,440 |
| Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $70,440 |
| Metal Ore Mining | $70,440 |
| Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | $63,390 |
| Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | $62,650 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | $61,160 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | $58,220 |
| Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | $57,620 |
| Manufacturing | $56,220 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $55,770 |
| Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | $55,410 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $53,910 |
| Temporary Help Services | $53,740 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $52,940 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $52,530 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $50,590 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $50,590 |
| Employment Services | $50,100 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $50,100 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $49,330 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $49,170 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $49,140 |
| Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | $49,110 |
| Jewelry and Silverware Manufacturing | $48,990 |
| Foundries | $48,010 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | $47,600 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | $47,520 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $47,110 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | $46,340 |
| Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | $45,380 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | $45,040 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $44,940 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | $44,420 |
| Wholesale Trade | $42,370 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $42,370 |
| Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | $41,920 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $40,860 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $35,860 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $55,770 |
| 2023 | $50,250 |
| 2022 | $50,280 |
| 2021 | $46,690 |
| 2020 | $44,610 |
| 2019 | $42,250 |
| 2018 | $41,220 |
| 2017 | $41,300 |
| 2016 | $41,040 |
| 2015 | $42,240 |
| 2014 | $41,140 |