Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood
Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed
Set up, operate, or tend wood sawing machines. May operate computer numerically controlled (CNC) equipment. Includes lead sawyers.
Median pay: $42,770/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)
Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Job outlook: -0.6% projected growth, 2024–2034 — declining.
About 4,800 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.
• 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.
• 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.
• Inspect stock for imperfections or to estimate grades or qualities of stock or workpieces.
• Monitor sawing machines, adjusting speed and tension and clearing jams to ensure proper operation.
• Sharpen blades, or replace defective or worn blades or bands, using hand tools.
• Guide workpieces against saws, saw over workpieces by hand, or operate automatic feeding devices to guide cuts.
What's the median pay for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood?
The median pay for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood is $42,770 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood?
Employment for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood is projected to change -0.6% from 2024 to 2034 - declining.
What education is typically required for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood?
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
How many job openings are there each year for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood?
About 4,800 openings per year, on average, over the decade.