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.
Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing work with specialized equipment that shapes and processes wood. Nationally, about 63,000 people are employed in this occupation, indicating a moderate-sized workforce. Typical entry into this field is accessible with a high school diploma or equivalent, making it a potential option for individuals who want to enter the workforce without extensive postsecondary education. The role draws on a mix of fine motor skills, physical strength and stamina, mechanical aptitude, and attention to detail, as well as abilities in mathematics, science, problem solving, and computers and information technology. Creativity and innovation can also play a role, alongside critical and analytical thinking. Nationally, annual openings are estimated at 6,000, suggesting ongoing turnover and opportunities for new workers. While the projected employment growth rate is -1.8%, there are still positions opening each year, so this career may appeal to people who enjoy hands-on, mechanically focused work with wood and machinery.
Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing have a national median annual salary of $40,440. Earnings can differ by location. Among the highlighted states, Washington shows a median salary of $52,980, while California, Massachusetts, New York, and Colorado all have median salaries between about $43,720 and $46,500. At the metro level, median salaries in leading areas range from $45,660 in Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim to $50,970 in San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, with New York–Newark–Jersey City at $49,050 and Boston–Cambridge–Newton at $48,330. These figures indicate that some states and metro areas offer higher median salaries than the national median, and workers comparing opportunities may want to weigh potential pay differences between regions. Overall, the occupation offers a defined earning range that varies meaningfully across different labor markets.
National employment for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing stands at about 63,000 workers. The projected employment growth rate is -1.8%, indicating a small overall decline in jobs over the projection period. Even with this negative growth rate, the occupation is expected to have about 6,000 annual openings nationwide. These openings can reflect the need to replace workers who leave the labor force or change occupations. For job seekers, this means that while the total number of positions may edge downward, there are still recurring opportunities to enter the field. People considering this career should understand that the labor market is not expanding, but there is a continuing flow of openings. Careful attention to location choices and skill development in areas such as mechanical aptitude, problem solving, and computers and information technology may help candidates compete for available positions.
Location can make a significant difference for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing. Among states, California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington rank highly by CareerGPS opportunity score, all sharing the same projected growth rate of -1.8% but differing in pay and employment size. Washington has the highest listed median salary at $52,980, while California, Massachusetts, New York, and Colorado range from $43,720 to $46,500. Employment in these states ranges from 440 workers in Colorado to 3,530 in California, indicating variation in the scale of local job markets. At the metro level, New York–Newark–Jersey City leads the opportunity scores, with a median salary of $49,050 and employment of 820. San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont offers a median salary of $50,970, the highest among the listed metros. Other strong metros include Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, Boston–Cambridge–Newton, and Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim, each with its own mix of salary levels and employment counts for this occupation.
The typical education requirement for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing is a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the career accessible to individuals who want to enter the workforce without completing a college degree. However, success in this occupation draws on a broad set of skills. Fine motor abilities and physical strength and stamina are important, alongside mechanical skills and being detail oriented. Mathematics and science knowledge can support more accurate and efficient work with machinery and materials. The occupation also benefits from creativity and innovation, as well as critical and analytical thinking. Problem solving and decision making are relevant when addressing issues that arise during machine operation. Finally, competence with computers and information technology is valuable, reflecting the role of digital tools and systems in modern equipment. Together, these skills complement the baseline educational requirement and can help workers perform effectively and advance within this field.
Use CareerGPS Pro to compare markets, understand the tradeoffs, and focus on the places with the strongest potential.
