Production

Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

13/100
#596 of 825
$48,040
median pay, U.S.
14,280
employed (2024)
+3.0%
growth, 2024–34
1,900
openings per year
High school diploma or equivalent
typical entry education

Is furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders a good career?

It scores 13/100 and ranks #596 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.

Advantages

  • No college degree typically required to enter

Possible tradeoffs

  • Pays below the U.S. median wage ($48,040 vs $61,390)

What furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders earn

Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025

Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders earn between $41,130 and $59,830 a year.

Best-paying states

Maryland statewide
$77,440
Kentucky statewide
$75,620
Illinois statewide
$62,870
Kansas statewide
$62,350
Wyoming statewide
$62,130
North Dakota statewide
$60,170
Washington statewide
$58,580
Idaho statewide
$57,690
Wisconsin statewide
$56,140
Colorado statewide
$55,770
$20k $70k $120k

Best-paying metros

02 Albany, NY $81,530
03 Baltimore, MD $77,440
04 Longview, WA $69,070
05 Savannah, GA $66,390
06 Vineland, NJ $62,910
07 Denver, CO $61,500
08 Seattle, WA $60,160

Strongest employment concentration

01 Ohio 1,580
02 Alabama 1,090
03 California 900
04 Georgia 870
05 Texas 780
06 Indiana 650

Live furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders jobs

No live furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders openings yet

When the jobs.best ATS feed launches, verified furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders openings will appear here — each shown against the $48,040 national median. Nothing here is placeholder.

No placeholder listings · nothing invented

How to become a furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tender

Typical education
High school diploma or equivalent
Work experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Related occupations

High school diploma or equivalent · $48,570 median
High school diploma or equivalent · $58,040 median
High school diploma or equivalent · $48,990 median
Questions about becoming a furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tender
How much do furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders make?

The national median wage is $48,040 a year, with the middle half earning between $41,130 and $59,830 (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Is furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders a good career?

On the Jobs.best index it scores 13 of 100 and ranks #596 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +3.0% through 2034.

What education do you need to become a furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tender?

The typical entry-level education is high school diploma or equivalent.

Where do furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders earn the most?

Among states, Maryland pays the highest median ($77,440). Local pay for every state and metro is below.

U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsWages: BLS OEWS May 2025 · Projections: BLS EP 2024–34
Sources: OEWS-M2025 · EP-2024-34. How we score careers →