Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders work in a highly specialized production environment focused on processing metals. National employment stands at 21,000, so this is a relatively focused career path rather than a broad field. The national median annual salary of $55,770 provides a clear benchmark for earning expectations. Projected employment growth of -2.3% indicates a modest decline, yet the field still generates about 2,000 annual openings, which can create ongoing entry and advancement opportunities for qualified workers. Strong skills in mechanical abilities, fine motor control, physical strength and stamina, and attention to detail are central to success, while science, mathematics, and problem-solving support more complex aspects of the work. For people who prefer hands-on roles in industrial settings and can meet the physical and technical demands, this occupation can offer stable, specialized employment options across multiple states and metro areas highlighted by CareerGPS opportunity scores.
The national median annual salary for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders is $55,770, forming a solid baseline for evaluating offers. Salaries vary by state and metro area. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, New York shows a median salary of $66,440, noticeably higher than the national median. Washington follows at $62,850, while Massachusetts and California are close to each other at $58,480 and $58,310. Virginia’s median of $57,000 still sits above the national figure. At the metro level, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington offers a median salary of $63,170, and the New York-Newark-Jersey City area reports $60,430. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue each cluster around the upper-$50,000 range. These differences indicate that location choices can significantly influence earning potential, with some states and metros offering higher median pay than the national benchmark.
Nationally, metal-refining furnace operators and tenders account for 21,000 jobs. The projected employment growth rate of -2.3% indicates a small decline in overall employment over the projection period. Despite this negative growth rate, the occupation is still expected to generate about 2,000 annual openings. This combination suggests that while total positions may contract slightly, there will continue to be movement within the field through replacement openings and other turnover. The uniform -2.3% growth rate shown across top states and metro areas in the CareerGPS data points to a broadly consistent outlook, rather than sharply different regional trajectories. People considering this path should recognize that it is a specialized occupation with limited expansion, yet ongoing hiring activity. For those willing to align their job search with locations that show higher opportunity scores, the field can still present viable long-term employment possibilities.
CareerGPS highlights several states and metro areas where metal-refining furnace operators and tenders show notable opportunity scores. Among states, California, Massachusetts, and New York cluster near the top with opportunity scores around the mid-60s and employment levels between 240 and 760. New York combines the highest median salary at $66,440 with the largest employment count of 760 among these top states. Washington and Virginia offer somewhat lower opportunity scores in the mid-50s but still show salaries around or above the national median and smaller employment bases. At the metro level, the New York-Newark-Jersey City area stands out with the highest opportunity score of 77.27 and a median salary of $60,430. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington all show mid-50s to low-60s opportunity scores with median salaries ranging from the mid-$50,000s to low-$60,000s. These variations allow job seekers to weigh salary, employment scale, and opportunity scores when choosing where to focus a search.
For metal-refining furnace operators and tenders, the typical education requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the occupation accessible to individuals who have completed secondary education and are ready to enter a specialized industrial role without needing a higher degree. However, the skill profile indicates that success relies on more than just formal education. Key strengths include fine motor skills, mechanical abilities, and physical strength and stamina to handle the demands of the work environment. Being detail oriented is important, as are science and mathematics skills, which support understanding of processes and measurements. Leadership and project management abilities can be valuable for coordinating tasks and working with others. Critical and analytical thinking, along with problem solving and decision making, round out the profile, helping workers respond effectively to operational issues. Together, these skills complement the high school education requirement and shape the readiness for this career.
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