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Furnace operator salary
Average furnace operator salary
$35,972
Understanding Furnace Operator Salaries
A furnace operator typically oversees the operation of industrial furnaces, ensuring optimal performance and safety. The average annual salary for this position is $35,972, translating to around $17 per hour. However, salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and industry.
Salary Variations by State
States like California and Texas often report higher wages due to demand and cost of living. For instance, furnace operators in California may earn significantly more than the national average, reflecting local market conditions.
Opportunities for Advancement
As you gain experience, there are numerous avenues for career growth, including supervisory roles or specializations in different types of furnace operations. Additionally, industries such as metallurgy and glass manufacturing offer competitive salaries and job stability.
Conclusion
Furnace operation is a vital occupation with promising salary prospects and growth potential. By understanding the factors influencing pay and exploring opportunities in various states, you can make informed career decisions.
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Where can a Furnace Operator earn more?
Furnace operator salary estimates from across the web
Average furnace operator salary by state
The average furnace operator salary in New York, New Jersey, and Iowa are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average furnace operator salary states are Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for furnace operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $56,998 | $27.40 |
| 2 | Iowa | $54,148 | $26.03 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $42,131 | $20.26 |
| 4 | Alaska | $44,940 | $21.61 |
| 5 | Kansas | $51,748 | $24.88 |
| 6 | Indiana | $41,413 | $19.91 |
| 7 | Maine | $50,971 | $24.51 |
| 8 | Arkansas | $48,096 | $23.12 |
| 9 | New York | $57,107 | $27.46 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $42,004 | $20.19 |
| 11 | Idaho | $50,293 | $24.18 |
| 12 | Illinois | $41,087 | $19.75 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $40,656 | $19.55 |
| 14 | South Dakota | $40,576 | $19.51 |
| 15 | Nebraska | $39,869 | $19.17 |
| 16 | Oregon | $42,129 | $20.25 |
| 17 | Montana | $42,635 | $20.50 |
| 18 | Michigan | $39,856 | $19.16 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $40,912 | $19.67 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $38,062 | $18.30 |
| 21 | Washington | $41,813 | $20.10 |
| 22 | Nevada | $39,510 | $19.00 |
| 23 | Missouri | $38,745 | $18.63 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $39,573 | $19.03 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $40,381 | $19.41 |
| 26 | Vermont | $40,365 | $19.41 |
| 27 | Arizona | $38,835 | $18.67 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $38,715 | $18.61 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $38,816 | $18.66 |
| 30 | Utah | $37,282 | $17.92 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $37,247 | $17.91 |
| 32 | Maryland | $40,736 | $19.58 |
| 33 | Colorado | $40,028 | $19.24 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $36,746 | $17.67 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | $34,662 | $16.66 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $35,908 | $17.26 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $35,399 | $17.02 |
| 38 | Minnesota | $35,096 | $16.87 |
| 39 | Virginia | $39,203 | $18.85 |
| 40 | Ohio | $33,249 | $15.99 |
| 41 | California | $38,060 | $18.30 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $31,859 | $15.32 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | $33,333 | $16.03 |
| 44 | Georgia | $30,914 | $14.86 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $34,799 | $16.73 |
| 46 | Delaware | $33,937 | $16.32 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $33,814 | $16.26 |
| 48 | Texas | $31,151 | $14.98 |
| 49 | Alabama | $30,020 | $14.43 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $32,096 | $15.43 |
| 51 | Florida | $30,181 | $14.51 |
Highest paying cities for furnace operators
The highest-paying cities for furnace operators are Rochester, NY, Elkhart, IN, and Oshkosh, WI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rochester, NY | $56,991 | $27.40 |
| 2 | Elkhart, IN | $42,636 | $20.50 |
| 3 | Oshkosh, WI | $42,420 | $20.39 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $42,122 | $20.25 |
| 5 | New Bedford, MA | $42,107 | $20.24 |
| 6 | Kent, WA | $41,881 | $20.14 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $41,188 | $19.80 |
| 8 | Kingman, AZ | $40,123 | $19.29 |
| 9 | Warren, MI | $39,908 | $19.19 |
| 10 | Kansas City, MO | $38,976 | $18.74 |
| 11 | Charleston, SC | $36,992 | $17.78 |
| 12 | Monroe, NC | $36,331 | $17.47 |
| 13 | Erie, PA | $35,450 | $17.04 |
| 14 | Plymouth, MN | $35,086 | $16.87 |
| 15 | Euclid, OH | $34,128 | $16.41 |
| 16 | Tulsa, OK | $32,176 | $15.47 |
| 17 | Gallatin, TN | $32,141 | $15.45 |
| 18 | Houston, TX | $30,693 | $14.76 |
| 19 | Huntsville, AL | $30,560 | $14.69 |
| 20 | DeLand, FL | $30,289 | $14.56 |
Furnace operator salary details
A furnace operator's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $44,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a furnace operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| Average | $35,972 | $2,998 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying furnace operator jobs
The highest paying types of furnace operators are mill operator, grinder operator, and punch press operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machine Operator/Forklift Operator | $32,452 | $2,704 | $15.60 | 120,073 |
| Assembly Operator | $31,928 | $2,661 | $15.35 | 87,293 |
| Mill Operator | $39,045 | $3,254 | $18.77 | 64,574 |
| Production Operator | $35,185 | $2,932 | $16.92 | 117,254 |
| Molder Operator | $31,707 | $2,642 | $15.24 | 66,217 |
| Extrusion Operator | $36,571 | $3,048 | $17.58 | 58,622 |
Top companies hiring furnace operators now:
Which companies pay furnace operators the most?
Furnace operator salaries at BWX Technologies and Precision Castparts are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average furnace operator salary at companies like Kennametal and General Dynamics are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BWX Technologies | $61,823 | $29.72 |
| 2 | Precision Castparts | $43,329 | $20.83 |
| 3 | Kennametal | $43,261 | $20.80 |
| 4 | General Dynamics | $43,199 | $20.77 |
| 5 | Raytheon Technologies | $42,759 | $20.56 |
| 6 | Mars | $42,704 | $20.53 |
| 7 | Pall | $41,739 | $20.07 |
| 8 | Praxair | $41,738 | $20.07 |
| 9 | Eaton | $41,610 | $20.00 |
| 10 | ATI Physical Therapy | $41,202 | $19.81 |
| 11 | Grede | $41,153 | $19.79 |
| 12 | Wabtec Corporation | $40,798 | $19.61 |
| 13 | Columbus McKinnon | $40,637 | $19.54 |
| 14 | NOV | $39,821 | $19.14 |
| 15 | Stanley Black & Decker | $39,329 | $18.91 |
| 16 | Schaeffler | $39,124 | $18.81 |
| 17 | Klein Tools | $39,083 | $18.79 |
| 18 | Nuclear Fuel Services | $38,859 | $18.68 |
| 19 | Danaher | $38,766 | $18.64 |
| 20 | Danfoss | $38,721 | $18.62 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Furnace Operator salary by industry
The average furnace operator salary varies across industries:
- The average furnace operator salary in the technology industry is $40,376, the highest of any industry.
- The average furnace operator salary in the finance industry is $39,486.
- Furnace operators in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $37,935, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for furnace operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $40,376 | $19.41 |
| 2 | Automotive | $39,486 | $18.98 |
| 3 | Finance | $38,639 | $18.58 |
| 4 | Professional | $38,207 | $18.37 |
| 5 | Manufacturing | $37,935 | $18.24 |
High paying furnace operator jobs
Furnace operator salary trends
The average furnace operator salary has risen by $4,782 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average furnace operator earned $31,190 annually, but today, they earn $35,972 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for furnace operators over the last decade.
Compare furnace operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average furnace operator salary over time
Compare furnace operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Furnace operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,000 | $17.29 | +5.3% |
| 2024 | $34,100 | $16.38 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $33,200 | $15.98 | -0.2% |
| 2022 | $33,300 | $16.01 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | $33,100 | $15.91 | -2.9% |
Recently added furnace operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerotek | Heat Treat Operator | Agawam Town, MA | 06/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| Manpowergroup | Furnace Operator | Menominee, MI | 06/27/2025 | $40,070 |
| ATI Metals | Heat Treat Operator, Weekend Day Shift | Irvine, CA | 06/27/2025 | $52,175 |
| Bodycote | Furnace Operator 3Rd Shift | Rowe, MA | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Howmet Holdings Corporation | High Temp Furnace Operator Trainee | Branford, CT | 06/26/2025 | $44,349 |
| Parker-Hannifin, Corporation | Furnace Operator | Kent, WA | 06/26/2025 | $42,262 |
| Aalberts Surface Technologies | Furnace Operator-3Rd Shift | Wadsworth, OH | 06/26/2025 | $50,000 |
| Universal Alloy Corporation | Ball Ground Vertical Heat Treat Operator-3Rd Shift | Ball Ground, GA | 06/24/2025 | $45,914 |
| Collins Aerospace | Furnace Operator I (Onsite) | Spokane, WA | 06/21/2025 | $35,479 |
| Aerotek | Furnace Operator | Canton, OH | 06/21/2025 | $52,000 |
Furnace operator salary FAQs
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