SOC 51-4051 · Production Occupations
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders wages by metro
National median annual wage
$54,430
- 10th percentile
- $39,200
- 25th percentile
- $46,080
- Median
- $54,430
- 75th percentile
- $62,810
- 90th percentile
- $74,470
- Mean
- $55,490
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 16,780.
That median is 6.8% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 240 | $49,000 | $85,370 | $92,050 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 190 | $42,360 | $77,560 | $78,270 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 190 | $47,090 | $74,060 | $81,680 |
| Reading, PA | 210 | $50,230 | $68,990 | $108,170 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 60 | $45,230 | $67,360 | $72,010 |
| Cleveland, OH | 520 | $40,920 | $65,660 | $71,080 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 700 | $45,490 | $63,170 | $65,040 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 170 | $37,110 | $63,170 | $79,110 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 240 | $49,770 | $61,780 | $74,470 |
| Huntsville, AL | 100 | $49,290 | $61,390 | $81,170 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 320 | $38,980 | $60,810 | $69,930 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 180 | $45,170 | $60,510 | $61,550 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 80 | $53,400 | $60,430 | $81,580 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 80 | $53,130 | $60,020 | $60,060 |
| Columbus, OH | 70 | $40,710 | $59,950 | $73,540 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 160 | $48,650 | $58,310 | $72,460 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 40 | $37,620 | $58,290 | $75,180 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 120 | $36,730 | $57,030 | $63,680 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 160 | $43,180 | $56,710 | $78,880 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | 180 | $46,990 | $56,550 | $61,960 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 700 | $45,490 | $63,170 | $65,040 |
| Cleveland, OH | 520 | $40,920 | $65,660 | $71,080 |
| Birmingham, AL | 420 | $38,710 | $56,250 | $61,130 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 370 | $38,830 | $53,130 | $60,790 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 320 | $38,980 | $60,810 | $69,930 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 240 | $49,770 | $61,780 | $74,470 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 240 | $49,000 | $85,370 | $92,050 |
| Reading, PA | 210 | $50,230 | $68,990 | $108,170 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 190 | $39,410 | $51,330 | $62,580 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 190 | $47,090 | $74,060 | $81,680 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | 190 | $42,360 | $77,560 | $78,270 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 180 | $45,170 | $60,510 | $61,550 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | 180 | $46,990 | $56,550 | $61,960 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 170 | $37,110 | $63,170 | $79,110 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 170 | $46,210 | $47,570 | $61,600 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 160 | $40,910 | $51,080 | $56,740 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 160 | $43,180 | $56,710 | $78,880 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 160 | $48,650 | $58,310 | $72,460 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 160 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 150 | $33,810 | $39,180 | $70,940 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 200 | $44,550 | $75,880 | $79,070 |
| New Jersey | 150 | $53,100 | $75,020 | $79,110 |
| New York | 760 | $46,840 | $66,440 | $81,650 |
| Oregon | 400 | $46,020 | $64,410 | $84,070 |
| Washington | 330 | $48,690 | $62,850 | $92,050 |
| North Carolina | 390 | $40,350 | $60,780 | $74,470 |
| Utah | 330 | $45,190 | $60,510 | $78,760 |
| Arizona | 490 | $45,180 | $59,830 | $76,480 |
| Kentucky | 810 | $44,670 | $59,040 | $67,440 |
| Massachusetts | 240 | $45,140 | $58,480 | $75,310 |
| California | 280 | $46,940 | $58,310 | $72,460 |
| Indiana | 1,520 | $42,190 | $58,300 | $65,420 |
| Tennessee | 730 | $37,430 | $57,490 | $75,470 |
| Iowa | 330 | $44,090 | $57,030 | $62,660 |
| Virginia | 110 | $36,840 | $57,000 | $74,650 |
| Nevada | 130 | $40,590 | $56,790 | $79,020 |
| West Virginia | 70 | $39,910 | $56,290 | $72,120 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,230 | $39,410 | $55,910 | $70,010 |
| Missouri | 200 | $51,250 | $55,480 | $65,120 |
| Ohio | 1,790 | $40,010 | $55,080 | $71,080 |
| Alabama | 1,250 | $36,130 | $54,260 | $79,780 |
| Nebraska | 60 | $39,480 | $52,800 | $67,070 |
| Illinois | 590 | $44,130 | $51,020 | $63,180 |
| Connecticut | 60 | $37,830 | $50,510 | $67,110 |
| New Mexico | 60 | $38,380 | $50,260 | $65,180 |
| Florida | 700 | $38,260 | $49,780 | $60,790 |
| Oklahoma | 110 | $38,460 | $48,890 | $57,190 |
| Wisconsin | 540 | $43,930 | $48,260 | $61,640 |
| Georgia | 230 | $36,230 | $47,750 | $60,150 |
| Texas | 600 | $38,250 | $46,670 | $73,930 |
| New Hampshire | 60 | $39,100 | $46,380 | $62,320 |
| Michigan | 680 | $37,310 | $44,900 | $59,140 |
| Kansas | 100 | $36,480 | $44,800 | $55,360 |
| South Carolina | 290 | $37,060 | $44,160 | $70,940 |
| Arkansas | 490 | $34,920 | $39,920 | $61,880 |
| Mississippi | 120 | $35,860 | $39,610 | $56,910 |
Other production occupations
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
- Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
- Machinists
- Production Workers, All Other
- Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders is $54,430. Employment is 16,780.
How does Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders is 6.8% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA is highest on this page's list at $85,370.