Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood
SOC code 51-7041 · O*NET-SOC 51-7041.00 · Little to some preparation needed · Manufacturing and production
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$42,770
a year
Hourly
$20.56
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$43,580
$20.95 per hour
Middle 50%
$36,510 – $48,620
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$30,890 – $58,170
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
40,850
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $30,890
- $14.85/hr
- 25th percentile
- $36,510
- $17.55/hr
- Median percentile
- $42,770
- $20.56/hr
- 75th percentile
- $48,620
- $23.37/hr
- 90th percentile
- $58,170
- $27.97/hr
What do sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood do?
Set up, operate, or tend wood sawing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment. Includes lead sawyers.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Inspect and measure workpieces to mark for cuts and to verify the accuracy of cuts, using rulers, squares, or caliper rules.
- Adjust saw blades, using wrenches and rulers, or by turning handwheels or pressing pedals, levers, or panel buttons.
- Mount and bolt sawing blades or attachments to machine shafts.
- Adjust bolts, clamps, stops, guides, or table angles or heights, using hand tools.
- Set up, operate, or tend saws or machines that cut or trim wood to specified dimensions, such as circular saws, band saws, multiple-blade sawing machines, scroll saws, ripsaws, or crozer machines.
- Examine logs or lumber to plan the best cuts.
- Inspect stock for imperfections or to estimate grades or qualities of stock or workpieces.
- Trim lumber to straighten rough edges or remove defects, using circular saws.
How to qualify for this work
Most people in this role hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged) — 59% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 2 — Little to some preparation needed
- Education
- Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
- Experience
- Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
- Training
- Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)59%
- Less than a High School Diploma22%
- Post-Secondary Certificate10%
- Some College Courses10%
Common questions
How much does a sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood earn?
The national median is $42,770 a year. The full range runs from $30,890 at the 10th percentile to $58,170 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 2, meaning the typical entry route is usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Critical Thinking3.0/5
- Monitoring3.0/5
- Active Listening2.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing3.2/5
- Mechanical3.2/5
- Public Safety and Security2.6/5
- Mathematics2.6/5
Transferable strengths: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Troubleshooting, Quality Control Analysis, Equipment Maintenance, Judgment and Decision Making.