Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders salary by state
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders is a professional role in the Production job family, focused on Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenderss do
Typical education: High School Diploma
Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards.
Confer with supervisors or other equipment operators to report equipment malfunctions or to resolve production problems.
Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications.
Record gauge readings, test results, and shift production in log books.
Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringSpeakingReading ComprehensionOperation and ControlMonitoringCritical Thinking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders salary by industry
Sectors 31, 32, and 33 – Manufacturing
12,680 workers
$53,000
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
470 workers
$66,000
Wholesale Trade
350 workers
$50,000
Sectors 44 and 45 – Retail Trade$35,000
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services$43,000
Educational Services$45,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders pays 5% below the average across 105 roles in the Production job family (family average $55,000).
How much does a Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders make?
The average base salary for a Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders in the United States is $52,500 per year, or about $25.24 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $42,500 and $62,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Production roles?
The Production job family averages $55,000 across 105 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
