SOC 51-9051.00

    Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders

    Operate or tend heating equipment other than basic metal, plastic, or food processing equipment.

    Median pay
    $48,040
    Growth
    +2.6%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    1,800
    Typical education
    High school diploma

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

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    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $35,960
    Median
    $48,040
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $69,800
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    14,280 people work in this occupation.

    What furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders do

    Job Zone 2: Some preparation

    Operate or tend heating equipment other than basic metal, plastic, or food processing equipment. Includes activities such as annealing glass, drying lumber, curing rubber, removing moisture from materials, or boiling soap.

    Usually a high school diploma; some on-the-job training or experience.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    97 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    18 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    0 / 100
    Social (S)
    5 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    3 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    56 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCI. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Controlling Machines and Processes
    84
    Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
    82
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    82
    Handling and Moving Objects
    80
    Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
    79
    Getting Information
    78
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    77
    Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    77
    Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
    73
    Performing General Physical Activities
    72
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Operations Monitoring
    • Active Listening
    • Critical Thinking
    • Monitoring
    • Operation and Control
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Quality Control Analysis
    • Writing
    • Coordination

    Knowledge

    • Mechanical
    • Production and Processing
    • Public Safety and Security
    • Computers and Electronics
    • English Language
    • Education and Training
    • Mathematics
    • Administration and Management
    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Chemistry

    Abilities

    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Control Precision
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Written Comprehension
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Near Vision
    • Speech Recognition
    • Information Ordering
    • Oral Expression
    • Reaction Time

    Work styles

    • Cautiousness
    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Self-Control
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Achievement Orientation
    • Integrity
    • Perseverance
    • Cooperation
    • Self-Confidence

    Also called

    Ager Operator · Annealer · Annealing Operator · Autoclave Operator · Automated Process Operator · Back Tender · Backing-in Machine Tender · Ballman · Base Draw Operator · Batch and Furnace Operator

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Licenses by state

    1 state lists a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

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    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.