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Operate or tend furnaces, such as gas, oil, coal, electric-arc or electric induction, open-hearth, or oxygen furnaces, to melt and refine metal before casting or to produce specified types of steel. Excludes "Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic" (51-4191).
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
---|---|---|---|---|
17,670 | 4.1 % | $20.10 | $41,810 | 1.7 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hourly Wage | $12.13 | $15.30 | $19.82 | $24.36 | $29.24 |
Annual Wage (2) | $25,240 | $31,820 | $41,220 | $50,670 | $60,820 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 4,090 | 4.98 | $19.73 | $41,040 |
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 4,070 | 6.76 | $21.97 | $45,700 |
Foundries | 3,320 | 2.82 | $18.59 | $38,660 |
Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 2,410 | 4.22 | $20.53 | $42,710 |
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 640 | 0.13 | $18.88 | $39,270 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 4,070 | 6.76 | $21.97 | $45,700 |
Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 4,090 | 4.98 | $19.73 | $41,040 |
Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 2,410 | 4.22 | $20.53 | $42,710 |
Foundries | 3,320 | 2.82 | $18.59 | $38,660 |
Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 520 | 0.92 | $22.54 | $46,870 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Steel Product Manufacturing from Purchased Steel | 520 | 0.92 | $22.54 | $46,870 |
Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 4,070 | 6.76 | $21.97 | $45,700 |
Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | 60 | 0.03 | $21.26 | $44,220 |
Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | (8) | (8) | $20.60 | $42,850 |
Alumina and Aluminum Production and Processing | 2,410 | 4.22 | $20.53 | $42,710 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pennsylvania | 1,790 | 0.31 | 2.51 | $22.33 | $46,440 |
Alabama | 1,650 | 0.85 | 6.93 | $17.82 | $37,070 |
Ohio | 1,470 | 0.27 | 2.22 | $18.16 | $37,780 |
Indiana | 1,320 | 0.43 | 3.55 | $19.82 | $41,230 |
West Virginia | 1,040 | 1.49 | 12.17 | $11.73 | $24,390 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
West Virginia | 1,040 | 1.49 | 12.17 | $11.73 | $24,390 |
Alabama | 1,650 | 0.85 | 6.93 | $17.82 | $37,070 |
Indiana | 1,320 | 0.43 | 3.55 | $19.82 | $41,230 |
Utah | 480 | 0.33 | 2.68 | $26.05 | $54,190 |
Rhode Island | 150 | 0.32 | 2.58 | $18.81 | $39,130 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oregon | 380 | 0.20 | 1.63 | $27.01 | $56,170 |
Utah | 480 | 0.33 | 2.68 | $26.05 | $54,190 |
North Carolina | 630 | 0.14 | 1.18 | $24.84 | $51,670 |
Virginia | 220 | 0.06 | 0.46 | $24.39 | $50,720 |
Nevada | 190 | 0.14 | 1.16 | $24.36 | $50,670 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 980 | 0.21 | 1.73 | $21.04 | $43,760 |
Reading, PA | 460 | 2.59 | 21.25 | $24.38 | $50,700 |
Salt Lake City, UT | 450 | 0.63 | 5.20 | $26.21 | $54,510 |
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 450 | 3.41 | 27.93 | $12.74 | $26,490 |
St. Louis, MO-IL | 420 | 0.30 | 2.49 | $21.93 | $45,610 |
Cleveland-Elyria, OH | 380 | 0.37 | 3.00 | $15.74 | $32,740 |
Pittsburgh, PA | 360 | 0.31 | 2.56 | $22.31 | $46,400 |
Mobile, AL | 310 | 1.76 | 14.43 | $25.84 | $53,750 |
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 290 | 0.24 | 1.96 | $25.76 | $53,580 |
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 290 | 0.15 | 1.22 | $21.19 | $44,070 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 450 | 3.41 | 27.93 | $12.74 | $26,490 |
Albany, OR | 150 | 3.30 | 27.00 | $27.53 | $57,250 |
Reading, PA | 460 | 2.59 | 21.25 | $24.38 | $50,700 |
Mobile, AL | 310 | 1.76 | 14.43 | $25.84 | $53,750 |
Pueblo, CO | 90 | 1.55 | 12.66 | $22.39 | $46,570 |
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | 270 | 1.24 | 10.15 | $19.22 | $39,980 |
Muskegon, MI | 60 | 0.95 | 7.81 | $22.58 | $46,970 |
Anniston-Oxford-Jacksonville, AL | 40 | 0.92 | 7.57 | $15.06 | $31,330 |
Battle Creek, MI | 40 | 0.70 | 5.70 | $16.08 | $33,450 |
Salt Lake City, UT | 450 | 0.63 | 5.20 | $26.21 | $54,510 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 200 | 0.17 | 1.37 | $27.76 | $57,730 |
Albany, OR | 150 | 3.30 | 27.00 | $27.53 | $57,250 |
Columbus, OH | (8) | (8) | (8) | $26.93 | $56,010 |
Salt Lake City, UT | 450 | 0.63 | 5.20 | $26.21 | $54,510 |
Mobile, AL | 310 | 1.76 | 14.43 | $25.84 | $53,750 |
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 290 | 0.24 | 1.96 | $25.76 | $53,580 |
Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 60 | 0.08 | 0.63 | $25.02 | $52,050 |
Peoria, IL | 80 | 0.46 | 3.75 | $24.74 | $51,460 |
Reading, PA | 460 | 2.59 | 21.25 | $24.38 | $50,700 |
Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, NY | (8) | (8) | (8) | $23.88 | $49,670 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 1.07 | 8.75 | $18.43 | $38,340 |
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 1.55 | 12.67 | $16.96 | $35,270 |
North Northeastern Ohio non-metropolitan area (non-contiguous) | 200 | 0.59 | 4.83 | $20.34 | $42,310 |
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 180 | 0.77 | 6.33 | $21.14 | $43,970 |
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | 170 | 2.46 | 20.12 | $17.92 | $37,270 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | 170 | 2.46 | 20.12 | $17.92 | $37,270 |
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 1.55 | 12.67 | $16.96 | $35,270 |
Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 1.07 | 8.75 | $18.43 | $38,340 |
West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | 130 | 1.02 | 8.39 | $19.12 | $39,760 |
Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 120 | 0.81 | 6.67 | $24.60 | $51,160 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 110 | 0.56 | 4.60 | $25.14 | $52,280 |
Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 120 | 0.81 | 6.67 | $24.60 | $51,160 |
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | (8) | (8) | (8) | $21.32 | $44,340 |
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 180 | 0.77 | 6.33 | $21.14 | $43,970 |
Northern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 90 | 0.57 | 4.69 | $20.59 | $42,820 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2018 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2018 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019