Shigoto Zukan
日本語

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders salarymedian $54,430 · percentiles · top pay · projected pay in 10 years

United States Manufacturing & Repair Confidence ★★★★★

Median annual pay
$54,430
25th–75th pct. $46,080–$62,810
Top pay (est.)
$96,800
Top 10% $74,470
Pay in 5 years
$62,300est.
2031
Pay in 10 years
$71,400est.
$61,400–$82,800
Outlook score
41/100
★★☆☆☆ Below average
AI replacement risk
38%
Low
Job growth (10 yr)
−2.9%
1,400 openings / yr

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders salary

The median annual wage for metal-refining furnace operators and tenders is $54,430 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $39,200 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $74,470. The mean annual wage is $55,490.

Median
$54,430
Mean
$55,490
10th percentile
$39,200
Entry level
25th percentile
$46,080
75th percentile
$62,810
90th percentile
$74,470
Top earners
Mean hourly wage
$26.00
3.6× the federal minimum ($7.25)
In Japanese yen
¥8.56M
≈ at 157.25 JPY/USD

The mean hourly wage of $26.00 is 3.6× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →

How does your pay compare with people your age?

Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).

Pay by percentile

Entry level (10th pct.)
$39,200
Early career (25th pct.)
$46,080
Mid career (median)
$54,430
Experienced (75th pct.)
$62,810
Top earners (90th pct.)
$74,470

Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.

How median, percentiles and the pay range are defined →

Projected pay for Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders (3, 5 and 10 years)est.

Today $54,430 → in 3 years $59,000 → in 5 years $62,300 → in 10 years $71,400 (10-year range $61,400–$82,800). The model assumes pay growth of +2.7% per year.

$54,430
Now
2026
$59,000
In 3 yrs
2029
$54,500–$64,200
$62,300
In 5 yrs
2031
$56,200–$69,400
$71,400
In 10 yrs
2036
$61,400–$82,800

What drives the annual growth rate

Base wage growth +3.0%Labor demand -0.35%AI impact +0.09%Total +2.7% / yr

Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →

The same job in Japan

Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
United States
鉄鋼製造オペレーター
Japan
Median / average pay$54,430¥5.88M
≈ $37,364
Pay in 10 years (est.)$71,400¥6.85M
Outlook score4141
AI replacement risk38% Low63% High
Workers17K—

Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.

Pay and employment figures are national statistics. Projected pay, outlook scores and AI replacement risk are estimates from the Shigoto Zukan model, not guarantees. To request a correction, use the contact form. How to read the data
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35; O*NET 31.0 Database by USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0), modified by Shigoto Zukan. Pay ranges, projections and scores are Shigoto Zukan estimates.