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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2018

51-4051 Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders

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).


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

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


Industry profile for this occupation: Top

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


Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

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


About May 2018 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

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

May 2018 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 29, 2019