Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
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Overview
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. Workers who primarily program or operate CNC equipment are classified in "Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators and Programmers" (51-9160).
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Responsibilities and activities

Woodworkers typically do the following:

  • Understand detailed architectural drawings, schematics, shop drawings, and blueprints
  • Prepare and set up machines and tooling for woodwork manufacturing
  • Lift wood pieces onto machines, either by hand or with hoists
  • Operate woodworking machines, including saws and milling and sanding machines
  • Listen for unusual sounds or detect excessive vibration in machinery
  • Ensure that products meet industry standards and project specifications, making adjustments as necessary
  • Select and adjust the proper cutting, milling, boring, and sanding tools for completing a job
  • Use hand tools to trim pieces or assemble products

Despite the abundance of plastics, metals, and other materials, wood products continue to be an important part of our daily lives. Woodworkers make wood products from lumber and synthetic wood materials. Many of these products, including most furniture, kitchen cabinets, and musical instruments, are mass produced. Other products are custom made from architectural designs and drawings.

Although the term “woodworker” may evoke the image of a craftsman who uses hand tools to build ornate furniture, the modern woodworking trade is highly technical and relies on advanced equipment and highly skilled operators. Workers use automated machinery, such as computerized numerical control (CNC) machines, to do much of the work with great accuracy.

Even specialized artisans generally use CNC machines and a variety of power tools in their work. Much of the work is done in a high-production assembly line facility, but there is also some work that is customized and does not lend itself to being performed on an assembly line.

Woodworkers set up, operate, and tend all types of woodworking machines, such as saws, milling machines, drill presses, lathes, shapers, routers, sanders, planers, and wood-fastening machines. Operators set up the equipment, cut and shape wooden parts, and verify dimensions, using a template, caliper, and rule. After the parts are machined, woodworkers add fasteners and adhesives and connect the parts to form an assembled unit. They also install hardware, such as pulls and drawer slides, and fit specialty products for glass, metal trims, electrical components, and stone. Finally, workers sand, stain, and, if necessary, coat the wood product with a sealer or topcoats, such as a lacquer or varnish.

Many of these tasks are handled by different workers with specialized training.

The following are examples of types of woodworkers:

Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters cut, shape, assemble, and make parts for wood products. They often design and create sets of cabinets that are customized for particular spaces. In some cases, their duties begin with designing a set of cabinets to specifications and end with installing the cabinets.

Furniture finishers shape, finish, and refinish damaged and worn furniture. They may work with antiques and must judge how to preserve and repair them. They also do the staining, sealing, and top coating at the end of the process of making wooden products.

Wood sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders specialize in operating specific pieces of woodworking machinery. They may operate CNC machines.

Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders, except sawing, operate woodworking machines, such as drill presses, lathes, routers, sanders, and planers. They may operate CNC machines.

Salary
Median salary: $32,160 annually
Half of those employed in this career earn between $26,840 and $39,130.
$32K$0$10K$20K$30K$40K$50K
Context: Median Salary
How do salaries for this career compare to other jobs' salaries?
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Salary growth for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders
Is this job likely to reward you for sticking with it through pay raises and promotions? The higher a job’s “experience quotient,” the more you are likely to get as you stay there.
Experience quotient percentile
Take a minute to look at how much you might expect your salary to increase with each five years' experience, as well as how the numbers working at each age change. Does this seem to be a job for the young or the old, or could it be a career offering steady salary growth for many years?
Salary distribution
$31K$26K$21K$32K$31K$29K$26K$31K$0$20K$40K$60K$80K20-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-64
Number employed
01K2K3K20-2425-2930-3435-3940-4445-4950-5455-5960-64
About Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
How do benefits for this career compare to other jobs? The availability of health care, especially employer provided health care, and pension plans can add significantly to the value of compensation you receive in a career. These charts compare how this career compares to other careers with regard to health care and pension plans.
Employee has health insurance
Employer is providing health insurance
Worker concerns
Some jobs are more stressful than others, and some are just plain dangerous. The following list gives the percentages of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders who report hazardous or difficult situations typically occurring at least once a week.
  • Exposed to Contaminants (100%)
  • Hazardous Equipment (86%)
  • Time Pressure (70%)
  • Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites (62%)
  • Responsible for Others' Health (45%)
  • Hazardous Conditions (39%)
  • Consequence of Error (36%)
SOURCES:
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Personality and skills
Can you see yourself in the ranks of Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? Here are the skills and traits that could lead to success.
Detail oriented
Woodworkers must pay attention to details in order to meet specifications and to keep themselves safe.
Dexterity
Woodworkers must make precise cuts with a variety of hand tools and power tools, so they need a steady hand and good hand-eye coordination.
Math skills
Knowledge of basic math and computer skills are important, particularly for those who work in manufacturing, in which technology continues to advance. Woodworkers need to understand basic geometry in order to visualize how a three-dimensional wooden object, such as a cabinet or piece of furniture, will fit together.
Mechanical skills
The use of hand tools, such as screwdrivers and wrenches, is required to set up, adjust, and calibrate machines. Modern technology systems require woodworkers to be able to use computers and other programmable devices.
Physical stamina
The ability to endure long periods of standing and repetitive movements is crucial for woodworkers, who often stand all day performing many of the same functions.
Physical strength
Woodworkers must be strong enough to lift bulky and heavy pieces of wood.
Technical skills
Woodworkers must understand and interpret design drawings and technical manuals for a range of products and machines.
Injury and Illness
About 112 woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders become injured or ill for every 10,000 workers, making this job more dangerous than 84% of other careers. The most common specific illnesses or injuries are detailed following.
All cuts, lacerations, punctures
Fractures
Sprains, strains, tears
Education pathways to this career
Education attained by woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders typically hold a high school diploma or equivalent.
Sometimes the typical education identified by the BLS differs a bit from the reality of the how much education current workers actually have. The donut shows the education level held by people currently working as woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders as reported in responses to the American Community Survey.
Details: Education and training recommended for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders

Because of the growing sophistication of machinery, many employers are seeking applicants who have a high school diploma or equivalent. People seeking woodworking jobs can enhance their employment prospects by getting training in computer applications and math.

Some woodworkers obtain their skills by taking courses at technical schools or community colleges. Others attend universities that offer training in wood technology, furniture manufacturing, wood engineering, and production management. These programs prepare students for jobs in production, supervision, engineering, and management, and are becoming increasingly important as woodworking technology advances.

Details: Licensing and certification recommended for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders

Although not required, becoming certified can demonstrate competence and professionalism. It also may help a candidate advance in the profession. The Woodwork Career Alliance of North America offers a national certificate program, with five progressive credentials, which adds a level of credibility to the work of woodworkers.

Education level of Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Only 4% of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders have a bachelor's degree or higher.
Education attained by woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders
None
High School
Some College
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Master's Degree
Professional Degree
Doctorate
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Programs recommended by the Department of Education
The Department of Education recommends the following college degree programs as preparation for this career. You can click a program row to learn more about the program and explore a list of schools that offer the program.
Number of degrees awarded in 2018
Education
Education level of awarded degrees
Assoc./Cert.
Bachelor's
Graduate
Gender
Gender of graduates
Men
Women
Race/Origin
Race/origin of graduates
White
Minority
International
Where are the jobs
State-by-state employment numbers
Some careers tend to be centered in specific parts of the country. For example, most jobs in fashion are in New York or California. Let's see if your dream job is easy to find in your dream location! We have a few choices for viewing the data that can help you get a full employment picture.
Select a state to see local area details
Number of Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders per 1,000 workers (ACS)
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORUTWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICANVCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFLPR
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Job density versus job count
Which states hire the most woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders? We wonder if that's a fair question since states come in all sizes, so instead let's start with the question of which states have the highest density of people working as woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders. You can choose to view the number of jobs per state if you prefer.
Salaries by state
Let's get a feel for where woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders earn the highest salaries. There are several choices for which data we consider and how we view that data, and each can lead to different conclusions, so please read on...
Median salary versus state ratio
We use two methods to compare salaries across states:
  • In-state comparisons: the ratio of median (middle) salaries for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders compared to the median salary for all people working in each state, or
  • Median salary: the unaltered median salaries for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders.
We hope the ratio allows perspective about how salaries may compare to the regional cost-of-living.
The darkest shading corresponds to states in which woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders earn the highest salary when compared to other jobs in the state. We think this figure might be a better indicator than the actual salary for your buying power as a state resident.
Select a state to see local area details
Location-adjusted median salary for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (ACS)
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORUTWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICANVCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFLPR
Employment
8% of Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders are working part time.
We’ve found that some jobs have a huge number of part-time workers, and typically that is because they are unable to find full-time work or the job itself can’t provide full-time hours. With 8% part-time workers, this occupation has a lower percentage of part-time workers than 64% of careers.
8%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Employer types
This donut shares the break-down of workers by employer type, giving us a picture of what employers most typically hire for this career.
Employers of undefined (ACS)
Private for-profit
Private not-for-profit
Local government
State government
Federal government
Self-employed incorporated
Self-employed not incorporated
Working without pay
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Distribution: Salaries of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders by type of employer
Here are the salary distributions based on employer type.
$27K$27K$0$20,000$40,000$60,000Private for-profitAll
Gender
Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders and gender
With 19% women, this occupation has a lower percentage of women than 67% of careers.
Gender of Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders
Men (81%)
Women (19%)
Distribution: salaries by gender
Does gender greatly influence your salary in this career? The closer the bars are, the less discrepancy there is.
$22K$29K$0$100K$200K$300KWomenMen
We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.
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Context: Women in the workforce
How does this career compare to other careers with regard to the percentage of women in the career.
19%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Context: Salary inequity
The median (middle) salary for all full-time male workers in the US exceeds the full-time median salary for women by 19%, and the difference for woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders tops that, with the median salary for men 34% higher than the median salary for women.
34%0%20%40%60%80%100%
Race/Origin
Race and origin of Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders
This donut shows the distribution of race and origin among those employed as Woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders.
Race/origin of woodworking machine setters, operators, and tenders
White (79% )
Black (8% )
Other (7% )
American Indian (2% )
Multiracial (1% )
Asian (1% )
Hispanic (1% )
Pacific Islander (0% )
Distribution: salaries by race/origin
Some careers might have a pay disparity based on race or origin, the closer the below bars are the less of a discrepancy is present.
$25K$27K$0$20K$40K$60KOtherWhite
We only include salary data when the survey error is less than 20%, so you may see only partial information for some categories.