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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019

51-4051 Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel. Excludes “Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic” (51-4191).


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
17,150 3.9 % $20.81 $43,280 1.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $13.41 $16.28 $20.31 $24.89 $29.52
Annual Wage (2) $27,900 $33,870 $42,250 $51,770 $61,400


Industry profile for this occupation:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing 3,620 5.81 $21.98 $45,720
Foundries 3,550 2.96 $19.11 $39,740
Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing 3,240 3.78 $22.83 $47,490
Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing 2,610 4.33 $19.92 $41,440
Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) 640 0.04 $18.25 $37,950

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing 3,620 5.81 $21.98 $45,720
Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing 2,610 4.33 $19.92 $41,440
Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing 3,240 3.78 $22.83 $47,490
Foundries 3,550 2.96 $19.11 $39,740
Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel 400 0.69 $21.72 $45,170

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Metal Ore Mining 200 0.48 $25.62 $53,290
Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing 3,240 3.78 $22.83 $47,490
Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) 360 0.05 $22.17 $46,110
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing 3,620 5.81 $21.98 $45,720
Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing (8) (8) $21.79 $45,330


Geographic profile for this occupation:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pennsylvania 1,680 0.28 2.44 $23.19 $48,230
Ohio 1,550 0.29 2.44 $17.66 $36,740
Alabama 1,390 0.71 6.04 $16.84 $35,030
Indiana 1,190 0.39 3.32 $20.41 $42,440
Texas 740 0.06 0.51 $18.55 $38,590




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alabama 1,390 0.71 6.04 $16.84 $35,030
Indiana 1,190 0.39 3.32 $20.41 $42,440
Kentucky 570 0.30 2.56 $21.42 $44,550
West Virginia 210 0.29 2.50 $24.73 $51,430
Ohio 1,550 0.29 2.44 $17.66 $36,740




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Utah 410 0.27 2.35 $26.60 $55,330
Oregon 410 0.21 1.82 $26.43 $54,970
Nevada 160 0.11 0.98 $25.39 $52,820
South Carolina 340 0.16 1.39 $25.29 $52,610
Massachusetts 100 0.03 0.23 $24.76 $51,510





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 770 0.16 1.41 $21.72 $45,170
Reading, PA 420 2.37 20.31 $25.29 $52,610
Pittsburgh, PA 410 0.36 3.04 $22.84 $47,510
Cleveland-Elyria, OH 400 0.38 3.25 $16.25 $33,800
Salt Lake City, UT 360 0.49 4.20 $27.60 $57,410
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 320 0.26 2.21 $26.80 $55,740
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 260 0.13 1.12 $21.42 $44,560
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 230 0.02 0.20 $24.31 $50,570
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 220 0.18 1.56 $28.54 $59,360
Mobile, AL 210 1.20 10.25 $26.12 $54,320




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Albany, OR 150 3.41 29.25 $24.99 $51,970
Reading, PA 420 2.37 20.31 $25.29 $52,610
Muskegon, MI 120 1.99 17.01 $22.59 $46,990
Canton-Massillon, OH 210 1.22 10.49 $18.91 $39,340
Mobile, AL 210 1.20 10.25 $26.12 $54,320
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA 200 0.93 8.01 $18.01 $37,470
Duluth, MN-WI 80 0.64 5.51 $24.91 $51,810
Salt Lake City, UT 360 0.49 4.20 $27.60 $57,410
Peoria, IL 80 0.46 3.91 $24.75 $51,490
Fort Wayne, IN 90 0.43 3.71 $20.72 $43,100




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Rockford, IL (8) (8) (8) $30.52 $63,470
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 220 0.18 1.56 $28.54 $59,360
Salt Lake City, UT 360 0.49 4.20 $27.60 $57,410
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC 320 0.26 2.21 $26.80 $55,740
Mobile, AL 210 1.20 10.25 $26.12 $54,320
Reading, PA 420 2.37 20.31 $25.29 $52,610
Albany, OR 150 3.41 29.25 $24.99 $51,970
Duluth, MN-WI 80 0.64 5.51 $24.91 $51,810
Peoria, IL 80 0.46 3.91 $24.75 $51,490
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 230 0.02 0.20 $24.31 $50,570

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 240 1.12 9.62 $19.22 $39,980
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 220 1.00 8.55 $21.99 $45,730
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 170 0.83 7.09 $17.32 $36,030
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 170 1.24 10.64 $19.24 $40,020
North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) 160 0.47 4.02 $16.64 $34,620

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 170 1.24 10.64 $19.24 $40,020
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 240 1.12 9.62 $19.22 $39,980
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 220 1.00 8.55 $21.99 $45,730
South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area 170 0.83 7.09 $17.32 $36,030
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 120 0.75 6.39 $21.92 $45,600

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 110 0.69 5.95 $25.17 $52,350
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 120 0.60 5.14 $25.13 $52,260
Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $22.77 $47,370
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 220 1.00 8.55 $21.99 $45,730
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area 120 0.75 6.39 $21.92 $45,600


About May 2019 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2019 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: July 6, 2020