Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing Salary in Chicago, IL-IN

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN

Median annual salary $45,350 +12.1% vs national
Median hourly $21.80
10th percentile $35,750
90th percentile $58,900
Employed locally 790
National median $40,440

Compare Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Chicago, IL-IN stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing
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Chicago, IL-IN
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $35,750
    25th
    $38,480
    50th (median)
    $45,350
    75th
    $50,960
    90th
    $58,900

    Chicago economic context

    Unemployment rate 5.10% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $88,850 2023 • Census ACS
    Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary vs area income 51% Median Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary is 49% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Longview-Kelso, WA $57,770
    Savannah, GA $53,080
    Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area $52,700
    Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $52,540
    Western Washington nonmetropolitan area $52,290
    Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $51,740

    Nearby metros — Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $47,270
    Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $46,280
    Springfield, IL $46,090
    South Illinois nonmetropolitan area $45,170
    Illinois $44,620
    Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $44,270

    Related occupations in Chicago, IL-IN

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $40,560
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $72,760
    Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $42,110
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $47,330
    Machinists $57,470
    Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers $39,530

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing make per hour in Chicago?

    The median hourly wage for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing in Chicago, IL-IN is $21.80, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $27.59 or more per hour.

    Is Chicago above or below average for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salaries?

    The median Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing salary in Chicago, IL-IN is 12.1% above the national median of $40,440. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing in Chicago?

    Entry-level Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing (10th percentile) earn around $35,750 per year in Chicago, IL-IN. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $38,480.