Pay by state · 43 states
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operator and Tender Salary by State (2026)
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders earn the most in Maryland at $77,440 a year and the least in North Carolina at $39,310 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $48,040. All 43 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $77,440Maryland
- National median
- $48,040BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $39,310North Carolina
- States reporting
- 43of 54 OEWS areas
All states
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operator and Tender salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MDMaryland | $77,440 | $39,920 | $77,470 | 100 | $73,781 |
| 2 | KYKentucky | $75,620 | $61,220 | $81,850 | 240 | $83,874 |
| 3 | ILIllinois | $62,870 | $45,830 | $67,130 | 230 | $62,896 |
| 4 | KSKansas | $62,350 | $50,330 | $73,100 | 210 | $69,225 |
| 5 | WYWyoming | $62,130 | $59,810 | $76,950 | 50 | $67,029 |
| 6 | NDNorth Dakota | $60,170 | $47,400 | $62,280 | 70 | $67,638 |
| 7 | WAWashington | $58,580 | $47,920 | $63,130 | 430 | $54,741 |
| 8 | IDIdaho | $57,690 | $50,120 | $59,260 | 120 | $60,412 |
| 9 | WIWisconsin | $56,140 | $48,510 | $57,910 | 210 | $59,663 |
| 10 | COColorado | $55,770 | $47,570 | $63,300 | 100 | $54,118 |
| 11 | MAMassachusetts | $53,300 | $44,310 | $68,710 | 120 | $50,399 |
| 12 | MTMontana | $53,250 | $29,880 | $60,540 | 100 | $56,263 |
| 13 | VTVermont | $52,560 | $38,390 | $60,310 | 50 | $53,656 |
| 14 | NJNew Jersey | $52,440 | $42,000 | $64,330 | 300 | $48,196 |
| 15 | GAGeorgia | $50,820 | $42,320 | $65,310 | 870 | $52,776 |
| 16 | OROregon | $50,820 | $48,320 | $60,650 | 540 | $49,167 |
| 17 | ALAlabama | $50,600 | $46,240 | $62,790 | 1,090 | $56,967 |
| 18 | VAVirginia | $49,650 | $39,810 | $59,820 | 260 | $49,108 |
| 19 | PAPennsylvania | $49,610 | $46,920 | $58,460 | 410 | $50,845 |
| 20 | MOMissouri | $49,470 | $43,960 | $59,830 | 270 | $54,472 |
| 21 | NYNew York | $49,280 | $44,610 | $61,330 | 490 | $45,663 |
| 22 | NHNew Hampshire | $49,250 | $46,460 | $59,790 | 60 | $47,281 |
| 23 | INIndiana | $48,770 | $44,650 | $66,020 | 650 | $52,256 |
| 24 | SDSouth Dakota | $48,200 | $42,440 | $65,510 | 40 | $54,410 |
| 25 | SCSouth Carolina | $48,170 | $41,520 | $54,330 | 300 | $51,382 |
| 26 | MEMaine | $48,060 | $44,920 | $61,540 | 70 | $49,521 |
| 27 | LALouisiana | $47,820 | $45,940 | $51,640 | 120 | $54,213 |
| 28 | MIMichigan | $47,410 | $35,250 | $61,350 | 420 | $49,274 |
| 29 | MNMinnesota | $47,210 | $43,410 | $61,450 | 100 | $47,870 |
| 30 | OHOhio | $46,190 | $38,210 | $55,730 | 1,580 | $49,788 |
| 31 | IAIowa | $45,910 | $40,960 | $54,210 | 100 | $52,312 |
| 32 | WVWest Virginia | $45,690 | $36,960 | $57,720 | 80 | $51,052 |
| 33 | UTUtah | $45,610 | $37,280 | $59,250 | 130 | $46,134 |
| 34 | CACalifornia | $45,300 | $37,440 | $54,910 | 900 | $40,914 |
| 35 | TXTexas | $45,040 | $39,520 | $55,590 | 780 | $46,406 |
| 36 | TNTennessee | $44,710 | $42,640 | $49,180 | 640 | $48,667 |
| 37 | AZArizona | $44,530 | $40,190 | $46,920 | 140 | $44,231 |
| 38 | MSMississippi | $44,370 | $37,440 | $48,220 | 370 | $51,028 |
| 39 | ARArkansas | $43,560 | $38,230 | $53,180 | 150 | $50,105 |
| 40 | OKOklahoma | $42,970 | $35,560 | $47,760 | 370 | $48,917 |
| 41 | FLFlorida | $42,400 | $35,590 | $47,530 | 350 | $41,000 |
| 42 | NENebraska | $41,650 | $30,770 | $50,900 | 100 | $46,225 |
| 43 | NCNorth Carolina | $39,310 | $31,160 | $47,900 | 530 | $41,675 |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders, that changes the ranking: Maryland leads on raw pay at $77,440, while Kentucky leads once prices are taken into account at $83,874.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operator and Tender pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders the most?
Maryland reports the highest median wage for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders at $77,440 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Kentucky ($75,620) and Illinois ($62,870).
Which state pays Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders the least?
North Carolina reports the lowest median for Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders at $39,310 a year, $38,130 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts Kentucky first at $83,874 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $75,620. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.