Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Career, Salary and Skills
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $42,770 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 40,850. Wage data is published for 186 locations.
Occupation description
Set up, operate, or tend wood sawing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment. Includes lead sawyers.
O*NET code
51-7041.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$42,770
Hourly median
$20.56
Employment
40,850
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$30,890
10th
$36,510
25th
$42,770
Median
$48,620
75th
$58,170
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 2.75 | 2.62 |
| Active Listening | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.75 | 2.38 |
| Time Management | 2.75 | 2.38 |
Typical tasks
- Trim lumber to straighten rough edges or remove defects, using circular saws.
- Count, sort, or stack finished workpieces.
- Adjust bolts, clamps, stops, guides, or table angles or heights, using hand tools.
- Inspect and measure workpieces to mark for cuts and to verify the accuracy of cuts, using rulers, squares, or caliper rules.
- Adjust saw blades, using wrenches and rulers, or by turning handwheels or pressing pedals, levers, or panel buttons.
- Mount and bolt sawing blades or attachments to machine shafts.
- Set up, operate, or tend saws or machines that cut or trim wood to specified dimensions, such as circular saws, band saws, multiple-blade sawing machines, scroll saws, ripsaws, or crozer machines.
- Examine logs or lumber to plan the best cuts.
Technology
- Adobe Acrobat
- Automated inventory software
- Computerized numerical control CNC software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in CAMedian $47,390 · Employment 3,230
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in OHMedian $45,010 · Employment 2,180
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in NCMedian $38,100 · Employment 2,020
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in ORMedian $49,740 · Employment 2,010
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in GAMedian $39,860 · Employment 1,930
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in MSMedian $36,960 · Employment 1,910
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in ALMedian $37,520 · Employment 1,880
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in WIMedian $44,440 · Employment 1,880
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in PAMedian $40,590 · Employment 1,720
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in WAMedian $51,940 · Employment 1,720
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in TXMedian $36,740 · Employment 1,680
- Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood Salary in VAMedian $35,790 · Employment 1,580
Related careers
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersNational median $48,540
- Shoe Machine Operators and TendersNational median $35,650
- Sewing Machine OperatorsNational median $36,670
- Machine Feeders and OffbearersNational median $41,220
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersNational median $50,270
- Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $49,030
- Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $49,080
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticNational median $50,140
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.