159 metro areas
Woodworking Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Except Sawing Salary by City (2026)
Woodworking machine setters earn the most in Longview, WA, an average of $57,100 a year, against $43,570 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Des Moines, IA ($59,500 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $43,570BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $57,100Longview, WA
- Best after cost of living
- $59,500Des Moines, IA
- Metro areas
- 159With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for woodworking machine setters
Top 10 metro areas
- Longview, WA$57,100
- Des Moines, IA$54,560
- Minneapolis, MN-WI$54,430
- Seattle, WA$54,350
- Albany, OR$53,640
- Bend, OR$53,460
- Boulder, CO$53,330
- New York, NY-NJ$53,250
- San Francisco, CA$52,980
- Medford, OR$52,370
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $57,100 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $54,560 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $54,430 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $54,350 |
| Albany, OR | $53,640 |
| Bend, OR | $53,460 |
| Boulder, CO | $53,330 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $53,250 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $52,980 |
| Medford, OR | $52,370 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- Des Moines, IA$54,560 nominal$59,500
- Longview, WA$57,100 nominal$58,540
- St. Cloud, MN$50,840 nominal$58,020
- Eau Claire, WI$48,760 nominal$52,550
- Albany, OR$53,640 nominal$52,540
- La Crosse, WI-MN$47,880 nominal$52,170
- Minneapolis, MN-WI$54,430 nominal$51,930
- Allentown, PA-NJ$51,880 nominal$51,900
- Medford, OR$52,370 nominal$51,630
- Bend, OR$53,460 nominal$51,600
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $59,500 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $58,540 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $58,020 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $52,550 |
| Albany, OR | $52,540 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $52,170 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $51,930 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $51,900 |
| Medford, OR | $51,630 |
| Bend, OR | $51,600 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Woodworking Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Except Sawing salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Longview, WA | $57,100 | $50,150 | $60,530 | $58,540 |
| 2 | Des Moines, IA | $54,560 | $46,220 | $58,660 | $59,500 |
| 3 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $54,430 | $45,530 | $58,820 | $51,930 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $54,350 | $44,800 | $59,050 | $48,910 |
| 5 | Albany, OR | $53,640 | $43,160 | $58,800 | $52,540 |
| 6 | Bend, OR | $53,460 | $46,130 | $57,080 | $51,600 |
| 7 | Boulder, CO | $53,330 | $43,530 | $58,160 | $50,690 |
| 8 | New York, NY-NJ | $53,250 | $39,290 | $60,130 | $47,310 |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA | $52,980 | $43,930 | $57,430 | $45,830 |
| 10 | Medford, OR | $52,370 | $45,090 | $55,970 | $51,630 |
| 11 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $51,880 | $39,400 | $58,010 | $51,900 |
| 12 | Bellingham, WA | $51,670 | $44,280 | $55,310 | $50,000 |
| 13 | Spokane, WA | $51,520 | $44,930 | $54,770 | $51,340 |
| 14 | Manchester, NH | $51,330 | $40,540 | $56,640 | $48,580 |
| 15 | Portland, OR-WA | $50,860 | $41,890 | $55,290 | $48,240 |
| 16 | St. Cloud, MN | $50,840 | $43,930 | $54,250 | $58,020 |
| 17 | Portland, ME | $49,750 | $41,850 | $53,640 | $48,840 |
| 18 | Colorado Springs, CO | $49,670 | $42,580 | $53,160 | $49,320 |
| 19 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $49,630 | $38,900 | $54,930 | $45,580 |
| 20 | Boston, MA-NH | $49,440 | $41,770 | $53,230 | $45,670 |
| 21 | Hartford, CT | $49,380 | $39,190 | $54,410 | $48,060 |
| 22 | Salem, OR | $49,320 | $43,080 | $52,400 | $47,580 |
| 23 | Santa Rosa, CA | $48,960 | $41,080 | $52,850 | $45,420 |
| 24 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $48,820 | $40,790 | $52,770 | $47,600 |
| 25 | Eau Claire, WI | $48,760 | $41,580 | $52,290 | $52,550 |
| 26 | Savannah, GA | $48,340 | $34,400 | $55,200 | $50,770 |
| 27 | Redding, CA | $47,960 | $43,580 | $50,130 | $47,630 |
| 28 | La Crosse, WI-MN | $47,880 | $39,890 | $51,830 | $52,170 |
| 29 | Eugene, OR | $47,550 | $38,750 | $51,900 | $46,820 |
| 30 | Sacramento, CA | $47,340 | $38,750 | $51,560 | $44,380 |
| 31 | Grand Rapids, MI | $47,300 | $42,180 | $49,820 | $49,500 |
| 32 | Lancaster, PA | $47,170 | $38,080 | $51,630 | $48,010 |
| 33 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $47,130 | $40,040 | $50,630 | $47,950 |
| 34 | Kiryas Joel, NY | $47,090 | $38,580 | $51,290 | $43,040 |
| 35 | Reading, PA | $47,070 | $38,130 | $51,480 | $48,500 |
| 36 | Deltona, FL | $46,990 | $37,150 | $51,830 | $47,290 |
| 37 | Fargo, ND-MN | $46,570 | $41,310 | $49,150 | $51,250 |
| 38 | York, PA | $46,570 | $36,210 | $51,690 | $48,510 |
| 39 | Detroit, MI | $46,550 | $39,250 | $50,150 | $46,410 |
| 40 | Baltimore, MD | $46,530 | $36,590 | $51,420 | $44,530 |
| 41 | Boise City, ID | $46,530 | $39,940 | $49,770 | $47,290 |
| 42 | Denver, CO | $46,490 | $35,710 | $51,790 | $43,950 |
| 43 | Bridgeport, CT | $46,360 | $39,120 | $49,940 | $43,380 |
| 44 | Buffalo, NY | $46,360 | $36,730 | $51,080 | $48,370 |
| 45 | Jacksonville, FL | $46,260 | $36,750 | $50,940 | $46,500 |
| 46 | Harrisburg, PA | $46,050 | $37,290 | $50,380 | $46,680 |
| 47 | San Diego, CA | $45,990 | $37,690 | $50,090 | $41,100 |
| 48 | Lansing, MI | $45,970 | $41,500 | $48,150 | $48,390 |
| 49 | Chico, CA | $45,860 | $38,190 | $49,650 | $45,320 |
| 50 | Los Angeles, CA | $45,640 | $37,980 | $49,400 | $40,190 |
| 51 | Muskegon, MI | $45,450 | $37,730 | $49,250 | $49,130 |
| 52 | Providence, RI-MA | $45,450 | $36,300 | $49,980 | $44,660 |
| 53 | Riverside, CA | $45,360 | $38,420 | $48,800 | $42,610 |
| 54 | Elkhart, IN | $45,120 | $36,050 | $49,590 | $49,950 |
| 55 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $44,990 | $34,940 | $49,940 | $44,890 |
| 56 | Chicago, IL-IN | $44,800 | $38,250 | $48,030 | $43,250 |
| 57 | Omaha, NE-IA | $44,760 | $40,810 | $46,720 | $48,700 |
| 58 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $44,740 | $35,630 | $49,210 | $48,070 |
| 59 | Stockton, CA | $44,720 | $38,000 | $48,030 | $42,550 |
| 60 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $44,680 | $37,440 | $48,240 | $46,990 |
| 61 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $44,600 | $37,440 | $48,110 | $47,360 |
| 62 | North Port, FL | $44,570 | $37,340 | $48,130 | $43,520 |
| 63 | Cleveland, OH | $44,550 | $35,510 | $49,030 | $47,430 |
| 64 | Oxnard, CA | $44,430 | $38,650 | $47,300 | $40,200 |
| 65 | Columbus, OH | $44,350 | $34,380 | $49,230 | $46,450 |
| 66 | Oshkosh, WI | $44,320 | $37,250 | $47,800 | $47,690 |
| 67 | Pittsburgh, PA | $44,320 | $35,210 | $48,800 | $46,810 |
| 68 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $44,280 | $36,820 | $47,960 | $47,850 |
| 69 | Modesto, CA | $44,200 | $38,440 | $47,050 | $42,460 |
| 70 | Springfield, MA | $44,180 | $36,820 | $47,800 | $45,990 |
| 71 | Charleston, SC | $43,990 | $36,280 | $47,800 | $43,570 |
| 72 | Rochester, NY | $43,950 | $37,020 | $47,360 | $45,290 |
| 73 | Spartanburg, SC | $43,760 | $33,780 | $48,690 | $48,060 |
| 74 | Bangor, ME | $43,660 | $38,710 | $46,090 | $45,240 |
| 75 | Reno, NV | $43,490 | $34,920 | $47,690 | $43,050 |
| 76 | Wausau, WI | $43,450 | $35,650 | $47,280 | $46,900 |
| 77 | South Bend, IN-MI | $43,390 | $37,610 | $46,260 | $46,730 |
| 78 | Springfield, IL | $43,390 | $36,590 | $46,740 | $46,780 |
| 79 | Worcester, MA | $43,370 | $36,440 | $46,760 | $42,300 |
| 80 | Durham, NC | $43,330 | $36,650 | $46,610 | $44,410 |
| 81 | Niles, MI | $43,280 | $35,150 | $47,280 | $46,860 |
| 82 | Greenville, SC | $43,200 | $36,880 | $46,300 | $46,320 |
| 83 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $43,160 | $34,990 | $47,200 | $44,340 |
| 84 | Miami, FL | $43,160 | $34,900 | $47,220 | $37,810 |
| 85 | Yuba City, CA | $43,160 | $38,310 | $45,550 | $41,410 |
| 86 | Appleton, WI | $43,100 | $35,590 | $46,800 | $46,640 |
| 87 | Akron, OH | $43,060 | $37,250 | $45,910 | $46,120 |
| 88 | Indianapolis, IN | $43,060 | $34,820 | $47,090 | $45,000 |
| 89 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $42,890 | $37,110 | $45,740 | $47,320 |
| 90 | Altoona, PA | $42,740 | $34,650 | $46,740 | $47,750 |
| 91 | Salt Lake City, UT | $42,700 | $36,050 | $45,970 | $42,330 |
| 92 | Ogden, UT | $42,580 | $34,820 | $46,400 | $42,430 |
| 93 | Phoenix, AZ | $42,560 | $37,110 | $45,240 | $41,190 |
| 94 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $42,200 | $34,740 | $45,910 | $49,130 |
| 95 | Milwaukee, WI | $42,200 | $33,050 | $46,700 | $43,530 |
| 96 | Rockford, IL | $42,120 | $35,980 | $45,140 | $45,710 |
| 97 | Scranton, PA | $42,120 | $34,400 | $45,910 | $45,020 |
| 98 | Green Bay, WI | $42,040 | $33,510 | $46,240 | $45,160 |
| 99 | Fort Wayne, IN | $41,950 | $33,880 | $45,950 | $45,320 |
| 100 | Dayton, OH | $41,910 | $34,880 | $45,390 | $45,210 |
| 101 | St. George, UT | $41,870 | $35,380 | $45,050 | $43,020 |
| 102 | Syracuse, NY | $41,850 | $35,820 | $44,800 | $43,710 |
| 103 | Provo, UT | $41,830 | $34,550 | $45,430 | $42,580 |
| 104 | Williamsport, PA | $41,660 | $35,650 | $44,640 | $45,110 |
| 105 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $41,580 | $35,940 | $44,370 | $43,600 |
| 106 | Las Vegas, NV | $41,390 | $34,010 | $45,030 | $41,300 |
| 107 | Fresno, CA | $41,230 | $37,670 | $42,970 | $40,360 |
| 108 | Augusta, GA-SC | $41,200 | $31,600 | $45,930 | $44,830 |
| 109 | Lexington, KY | $41,140 | $34,690 | $44,320 | $44,290 |
| 110 | Sheboygan, WI | $41,100 | $31,370 | $45,880 | $43,720 |
| 111 | Albuquerque, NM | $41,080 | $34,590 | $44,280 | $42,990 |
| 112 | Terre Haute, IN | $41,060 | $30,620 | $46,220 | $46,770 |
| 113 | Palm Bay, FL | $40,810 | $36,400 | $42,970 | $40,810 |
| 114 | Atlanta, GA | $40,790 | $33,180 | $44,550 | $40,770 |
| 115 | Florence, SC | $40,600 | $33,430 | $44,140 | $46,790 |
| 116 | Valdosta, GA | $40,600 | $35,320 | $43,200 | $45,990 |
| 117 | Roanoke, VA | $40,500 | $33,780 | $43,830 | $43,260 |
| 118 | Lewiston, ME | $40,440 | $37,230 | $42,020 | $42,690 |
| 119 | Orlando, FL | $40,230 | $33,920 | $43,330 | $39,670 |
| 120 | Huntsville, AL | $40,190 | $34,090 | $43,180 | $43,180 |
| 121 | Hickory, NC | $40,160 | $32,590 | $43,910 | $45,390 |
| 122 | Fayetteville, AR | $39,980 | $27,910 | $45,930 | $43,760 |
| 123 | Nashville, TN | $39,960 | $33,570 | $43,100 | $41,480 |
| 124 | Kankakee, IL | $39,940 | $37,250 | $41,270 | $41,430 |
| 125 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $39,890 | $32,550 | $43,490 | $40,730 |
| 126 | Albany, NY | $39,560 | $35,380 | $41,620 | $39,730 |
| 127 | Kalamazoo, MI | $39,500 | $33,590 | $42,410 | $41,650 |
| 128 | Little Rock, AR | $39,500 | $30,450 | $43,930 | $44,200 |
| 129 | Winston, NC | $39,480 | $33,840 | $42,270 | $42,890 |
| 130 | Daphne, AL | $39,420 | $34,380 | $41,890 | $41,630 |
| 131 | Raleigh, NC | $39,310 | $33,180 | $42,330 | $40,050 |
| 132 | Erie, PA | $39,170 | $31,100 | $43,140 | $43,070 |
| 133 | Madison, WI | $39,100 | $31,050 | $43,060 | $40,190 |
| 134 | Tucson, AZ | $38,980 | $34,220 | $41,330 | $40,230 |
| 135 | Wichita, KS | $38,920 | $30,490 | $43,080 | $43,760 |
| 136 | Greensboro, NC | $38,810 | $31,970 | $42,180 | $41,790 |
| 137 | Dallas, TX | $38,790 | $31,180 | $42,540 | $37,630 |
| 138 | Asheville, NC | $38,380 | $31,620 | $41,700 | $39,770 |
| 139 | Tampa, FL | $38,290 | $29,140 | $42,810 | $37,950 |
| 140 | Canton, OH | $38,170 | $32,910 | $40,750 | $42,690 |
| 141 | Richmond, VA | $38,020 | $30,740 | $41,620 | $38,850 |
| 142 | Columbia, SC | $37,960 | $30,160 | $41,810 | $40,530 |
| 143 | Lakeland, FL | $37,710 | $31,660 | $40,680 | $38,820 |
| 144 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $37,610 | $31,140 | $40,790 | $40,800 |
| 145 | Billings, MT | $37,590 | $22,130 | $45,200 | $40,190 |
| 146 | Oklahoma City, OK | $37,590 | $33,090 | $39,790 | $41,580 |
| 147 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $37,040 | $33,720 | $38,690 | $39,550 |
| 148 | Rapid City, SD | $36,900 | $31,080 | $39,770 | $41,390 |
| 149 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $36,820 | $30,200 | $40,080 | $40,260 |
| 150 | Logan, UT-ID | $36,820 | $33,510 | $38,440 | $38,380 |
| 151 | Tulsa, OK | $36,770 | $33,300 | $38,500 | $41,220 |
| 152 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $36,340 | $29,390 | $39,770 | $41,430 |
| 153 | Knoxville, TN | $36,280 | $30,600 | $39,080 | $39,190 |
| 154 | Houston, TX | $36,250 | $28,520 | $40,060 | $36,750 |
| 155 | Florence, AL | $35,650 | $27,930 | $39,440 | $42,030 |
| 156 | Birmingham, AL | $35,380 | $26,620 | $39,670 | $38,610 |
| 157 | San Antonio, TX | $34,990 | $28,120 | $38,380 | $36,940 |
| 158 | Morristown, TN | $33,320 | $29,910 | $35,010 | $38,580 |
| 159 | Longview, TX | $29,700 | $22,340 | $33,340 | $33,190 |
More
More on woodworking machine setters
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Woodworking Machine Setter, Operator, and Tender, Except Sawing salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays woodworking machine setters the most?
Longview, WA, where the average (mean) wage is $57,100 a year, followed by Des Moines, IA ($54,560), Minneapolis, MN-WI ($54,430), Seattle, WA ($54,350). The national mean is $43,570 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do woodworking machine setters earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Des Moines, IA ($59,500 at national prices, $54,560 nominal), Longview, WA ($58,540 at national prices, $57,100 nominal), St. Cloud, MN ($58,020 at national prices, $50,840 nominal).
How much do woodworking machine setters make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $53,250; Los Angeles, CA: $45,640; Chicago, IL-IN: $44,800; Dallas, TX: $38,790; Houston, TX: $36,250 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do woodworking machine setters earn the least?
Of the 159 metro areas with their own estimate, Longview, TX has the lowest mean wage, $29,700. At local prices that is worth $33,190.