JobAfterNext

Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing

Set up, operate, or tend woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, and wood nailing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$43,380
Employment, U.S.61,420
Median hourly wage$20.86
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$32,110$37,100$43,380$48,720$56,830
By state (47)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama2,580$36,7503.08
Arizona1,430$39,4401.12
Arkansas760$36,8501.47
California3,530$46,3700.49
Colorado440$46,5000.39
Connecticut150$47,1400.22
Florida1,840$38,7400.47
Georgia2,280$37,3801.18
Idaho830$45,7302.46
Illinois1,820$41,3600.76
Indiana3,570$41,6002.82
Iowa1,100$51,2001.79
Kansas470$43,5800.82
Kentucky1,320$38,0801.66
Louisiana400$47,1700.52
Maine440$44,3701.73
Maryland420$46,4700.38
Massachusetts890$46,4300.62
Michigan5,250$47,6803.02
Minnesota710$51,5400.61
Mississippi860$42,0901.88
Missouri940$38,6400.81
Montana360$45,6101.80
Nebraska490$49,1901.21
Nevada310$41,0900.51
New Hampshire440$46,4501.61
New Jersey410$49,6800.24
New Mexico150$38,6500.42
New York1,250$43,7200.33
North Carolina4,090$37,5502.09
North Dakota280$45,8201.66
Ohio2,710$43,9301.23
Oklahoma260$35,9900.38
Oregon2,120$49,4802.73
Pennsylvania3,310$44,9801.38
Rhode Island100$45,8800.50
South Carolina1,660$41,9901.82
South Dakota490$41,7402.72
Tennessee1,840$35,2901.42
Texas2,130$33,8400.38
Utah1,050$39,2601.54
Vermont200$46,4801.67
Virginia1,520$39,3700.94
Washington1,250$52,9800.89
West Virginia280$40,0201.01
Wisconsin2,610$44,4502.25
Wyoming40$39,9300.38

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood1-20.979
2Textile Cutting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders1-20.976
3Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic1-20.973
4Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic1-20.968
5Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders1-20.966
6Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic1-20.964
7Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers1-20.964
8Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic1-20.963
9Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders1-20.963
10Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters1-20.963

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Pourers and Casters, MetalJudgment and Decision Making0.880.957
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and PlasticJudgment and Decision Making0.880.953
Helpers--Extraction WorkersCoordination1.250.952
Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground MiningCoordination1.000.951
Furniture FinishersTime Management0.760.948
Continuous Mining Machine OperatorsJudgment and Decision Making0.880.945
FallersJudgment and Decision Making0.760.944

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing, excluding software Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Operational databases3 of 2011.5x
SAP software11 of 201.8x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 3.62 3.50
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 3.50 3.25
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 3.25 3.00
MonitoringEssential skill 3.12 2.88
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 3.00 2.88
SpeakingEssential skill 3.00 2.50
RepairingTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
Active ListeningEssential skill 2.88 2.75
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 2.88 2.50
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 2.88 2.12
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 2.75 2.75
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 2.75 2.50
Time ManagementTransferable skill 2.75 2.12
Active LearningEssential skill 2.50 2.12
MathematicsEssential skill 2.38 2.50
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.25 2.12
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 2.25 2.00
CoordinationTransferable skill 2.12 2.00
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 2.00 1.62
InstructingTransferable skill 1.88 1.75
PersuasionTransferable skill 1.88 1.75
WritingEssential skill 1.88 1.75
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 1.88 1.62
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 1.88 1.50
NegotiationTransferable skill 1.88 1.38
Service OrientationTransferable skill 1.88 1.38
Technology DesignTransferable skill 1.88 1.38
InstallationTransferable skill 1.88 1.25
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 1.75 1.12
ProgrammingTransferable skill 1.75 1.12
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 1.75 0.88
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 1.62 0.62
ScienceEssential skill 1.50 0.50
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Mechanical 3.26 3.63
Production and Processing 2.95 2.90
Mathematics 2.92 2.87
Public Safety and Security 2.51 2.20
Building and Construction 2.37 2.19
Education and Training 2.35 2.64
Design 2.30 2.02
English Language 2.28 2.07
Administration and Management 1.98 1.49
Transportation 1.95 1.41
Engineering and Technology 1.90 1.57
Customer and Personal Service 1.80 1.57
Computers and Electronics 1.78 1.59
Chemistry 1.73 1.83
Sales and Marketing 1.66not rated
Personnel and Human Resources 1.65 0.88
Physics 1.56 1.28
Medicine and Dentistry 1.40 0.58
Administrative 1.38not rated
Psychology 1.36 0.68
Communications and Media 1.28 0.70
Economics and Accounting 1.26not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.21not rated
Biology 1.19not rated
Telecommunications 1.15not rated
Foreign Language 1.12not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.11not rated
Law and Government 1.10not rated
Sociology and Anthropology 1.07not rated
Geography 1.03not rated
Food Production 1.02not rated
Fine Arts 1.00not rated
History and Archeology 1.00not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Reaction Time 3.62 3.88
Near Vision 3.62 3.50
Control Precision 3.50 3.62
Manual Dexterity 3.50 3.25
Oral Comprehension 3.38 3.50
Multilimb Coordination 3.25 3.12
Static Strength 3.25 3.12
Trunk Strength 3.25 3.12
Problem Sensitivity 3.25 2.88
Visualization 3.12 3.75
Selective Attention 3.12 3.62
Auditory Attention 3.12 3.38
Finger Dexterity 3.12 3.25
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.12 3.12
Far Vision 3.12 3.00
Perceptual Speed 3.12 3.00
Extent Flexibility 3.00 3.00
Oral Expression 3.00 3.00
Category Flexibility 3.00 2.88
Deductive Reasoning 3.00 2.88
Dynamic Strength 3.00 2.88
Flexibility of Closure 3.00 2.88
Information Ordering 3.00 2.88
Rate Control 3.00 2.88
Speech Recognition 3.00 2.75
Depth Perception 2.88 3.00
Written Comprehension 2.88 2.88
Inductive Reasoning 2.88 2.75
Speech Clarity 2.88 2.62
Speed of Closure 2.75 2.50
Response Orientation 2.62 2.62
Wrist-Finger Speed 2.62 2.62
Visual Color Discrimination 2.62 2.50
Speed of Limb Movement 2.62 2.38
Hearing Sensitivity 2.50 2.50
Stamina 2.50 2.12
Gross Body Coordination 2.38 2.25
Number Facility 2.38 2.00
Time Sharing 2.25 2.62
Gross Body Equilibrium 2.12 1.62
Fluency of Ideas 2.00 2.00
Originality 2.00 2.00
Mathematical Reasoning 2.00 1.88
Memorization 2.00 1.88
Written Expression 2.00 1.75
Explosive Strength 1.88 1.12
Spatial Orientation 1.75 1.12
Sound Localization 1.75 1.00
Peripheral Vision 1.62 1.25
Dynamic Flexibility 1.62 0.75
Glare Sensitivity 1.50 0.50
Night Vision 1.38 0.38

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Elkhart-Goshen, IN1,07021.24$44,790
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI2,78011.77$47,720
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC72011.76$38,310
Wausau, WI2508.97$43,640
Morristown, TN1507.94$31,270
Kankakee, IL1106.63$37,850
Bend, OR2806.47$55,400
Tuscaloosa, AL2605.99$35,150
Albany, OR1105.90$56,180
Bellingham, WA2105.79$50,220

More metros, other thresholds