Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021
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 Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Industry profile for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
Geographic profile for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
National estimates for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
| Employment (1) |
Employment
RSE (3) |
Mean hourly
wage |
Mean annual
wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
| 15,540 |
2.6 % |
$ 22.33 |
$ 46,440 |
0.6 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
| Percentile |
10% |
25% |
50%
(Median) |
75% |
90% |
| Hourly Wage |
$ 14.45 |
$ 17.89 |
$ 22.45 |
$ 28.00 |
$ 29.82 |
| Annual Wage (2) |
$ 30,060 |
$ 37,200 |
$ 46,690 |
$ 58,240 |
$ 62,020 |
Industry profile for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders are provided.
For a list of all industries with employment in Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Foundries |
3,360 |
3.33 |
$ 19.88 |
$ 41,360 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing |
3,210 |
4.11 |
$ 24.52 |
$ 51,000 |
| Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing |
3,190 |
5.76 |
$ 22.56 |
$ 46,920 |
| Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing |
2,120 |
3.85 |
$ 23.20 |
$ 48,260 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) |
580 |
0.08 |
$ 24.53 |
$ 51,020 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
Top paying industries for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
| Industry |
Employment (1) |
Percent of industry employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing |
40 |
0.05 |
$ 30.44 |
$ 63,320 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) |
580 |
0.08 |
$ 24.53 |
$ 51,020 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing |
3,210 |
4.11 |
$ 24.52 |
$ 51,000 |
| Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing |
110 |
0.03 |
$ 23.29 |
$ 48,440 |
| Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing |
2,120 |
3.85 |
$ 23.20 |
$ 48,260 |
Geographic profile for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders are provided.
For a list of all areas with employment in Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Indiana |
1,580 |
0.53 |
4.80 |
$ 22.92 |
$ 47,670 |
| Pennsylvania |
1,270 |
0.23 |
2.07 |
$ 23.49 |
$ 48,850 |
| Alabama |
1,210 |
0.63 |
5.67 |
$ 17.43 |
$ 36,250 |
| Wisconsin |
1,040 |
0.38 |
3.42 |
$ 23.37 |
$ 48,620 |
| Michigan |
990 |
0.24 |
2.22 |
$ 19.49 |
$ 40,540 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Alabama |
1,210 |
0.63 |
5.67 |
$ 17.43 |
$ 36,250 |
| Indiana |
1,580 |
0.53 |
4.80 |
$ 22.92 |
$ 47,670 |
| West Virginia |
320 |
0.49 |
4.44 |
$ 25.30 |
$ 52,620 |
| Wisconsin |
1,040 |
0.38 |
3.42 |
$ 23.37 |
$ 48,620 |
| Iowa |
420 |
0.28 |
2.54 |
$ 24.55 |
$ 51,060 |
Top paying states for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
| State |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| South Carolina |
280 |
0.13 |
1.21 |
$ 34.97 |
$ 72,740 |
| Utah |
320 |
0.20 |
1.85 |
$ 27.60 |
$ 57,410 |
| Washington |
270 |
0.08 |
0.76 |
$ 27.16 |
$ 56,500 |
| Minnesota |
240 |
0.09 |
0.80 |
$ 26.12 |
$ 54,320 |
| West Virginia |
320 |
0.49 |
4.44 |
$ 25.30 |
$ 52,620 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
880 |
0.21 |
1.89 |
$ 25.56 |
$ 53,170 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI |
460 |
0.25 |
2.30 |
$ 20.65 |
$ 42,950 |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL |
390 |
0.81 |
7.33 |
$ 16.21 |
$ 33,710 |
| Pittsburgh, PA |
340 |
0.33 |
3.00 |
$ 23.68 |
$ 49,250 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI |
290 |
0.36 |
3.31 |
$ 23.41 |
$ 48,690 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
230 |
0.04 |
0.36 |
$ 24.02 |
$ 49,960 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL |
220 |
0.17 |
1.55 |
$ 21.67 |
$ 45,080 |
| Reading, PA |
210 |
1.31 |
11.88 |
$ 27.59 |
$ 57,380 |
| Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA |
200 |
1.02 |
9.20 |
$ 18.53 |
$ 38,550 |
| Cleveland-Elyria, OH |
190 |
0.20 |
1.83 |
$ 20.77 |
$ 43,200 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Muskegon, MI |
150 |
2.57 |
23.31 |
$ 20.09 |
$ 41,790 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH |
60 |
1.57 |
14.22 |
$ 27.24 |
$ 56,660 |
| Reading, PA |
210 |
1.31 |
11.88 |
$ 27.59 |
$ 57,380 |
| Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL |
50 |
1.23 |
11.14 |
$ 16.10 |
$ 33,490 |
| Columbus, GA-AL |
130 |
1.14 |
10.32 |
$ 17.77 |
$ 36,970 |
| Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA |
200 |
1.02 |
9.20 |
$ 18.53 |
$ 38,550 |
| Evansville, IN-KY |
130 |
0.89 |
8.08 |
$ 26.40 |
$ 54,900 |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL |
390 |
0.81 |
7.33 |
$ 16.21 |
$ 33,710 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH |
90 |
0.58 |
5.30 |
$ 22.19 |
$ 46,160 |
| Green Bay, WI |
90 |
0.56 |
5.06 |
$ 25.48 |
$ 52,990 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
| Metropolitan area |
Employment (1) |
Employment per thousand jobs |
Location quotient (9) |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage (2) |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC |
190 |
0.55 |
5.02 |
$ 35.57 |
$ 73,990 |
| Salt Lake City, UT |
120 |
0.16 |
1.42 |
$ 29.40 |
$ 61,150 |
| Duluth, MN-WI |
40 |
0.37 |
3.40 |
$ 28.27 |
$ 58,790 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC |
110 |
0.09 |
0.80 |
$ 27.80 |
$ 57,820 |
| Reading, PA |
210 |
1.31 |
11.88 |
$ 27.59 |
$ 57,380 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH |
60 |
1.57 |
14.22 |
$ 27.24 |
$ 56,660 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA |
140 |
0.13 |
1.16 |
$ 26.90 |
$ 55,950 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI |
150 |
0.08 |
0.76 |
$ 26.80 |
$ 55,750 |
| Evansville, IN-KY |
130 |
0.89 |
8.08 |
$ 26.40 |
$ 54,900 |
| Syracuse, NY |
70 |
0.24 |
2.17 |
$ 25.72 |
$ 53,500 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders:
About May 2021 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.
(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 OEWS estimates and related information:
May 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2021 Occupation Profiles
Technical Notes
Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022
United States Department of Labor
