Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Salary
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders in Chattanooga, TN-GA make a median of $43,920 a year, or about $21.12 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers.
So what does $44K get you in Chattanooga?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Chattanooga’s Regional Price Parity (91.5). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
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What this looks like in Chattanooga
Furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders pay in Chattanooga tracks closely to the national median, $44K locally vs. $48K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,390/month, which is 44.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.5 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders in metros near Chattanooga, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $49K | , |
| Clarksville | $45K | , |
| Knoxville | $46K | , |
| Memphis | $46K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Chattanooga, TN-GA
Entry-level furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | $77K | +61% | 100 |
| Kentucky | $76K | +57% | 240 |
| Illinois | $63K | +31% | 230 |
| Kansas | $62K | +30% | 210 |
| Wyoming | $62K | +29% | 50 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +25% | 70 |
| Washington | $59K | +22% | 430 |
| Idaho | $58K | +20% | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $56K | +17% | 210 |
| Colorado | $56K | +16% | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $53K | +11% | 120 |
| Montana | $53K | +11% | 100 |
| Vermont | $53K | +9% | 50 |
| New Jersey | $52K | +9% | 300 |
| Oregon | $51K | +6% | 540 |
| Georgia | $51K | +6% | 870 |
| Alabama | $51K | +5% | 1,090 |
| Virginia | $50K | +3% | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $50K | +3% | 410 |
| Missouri | $49K | +3% | 270 |
| New York | $49K | +3% | 490 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +3% | 60 |
| Indiana | $49K | +2% | 650 |
| South Dakota | $48K | +0% | 40 |
| South Carolina | $48K | +0% | 300 |
| Maine | $48K | +0% | 70 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -0% | 120 |
| Michigan | $47K | -1% | 420 |
| Minnesota | $47K | -2% | 100 |
| Ohio | $46K | -4% | 1,580 |
| Iowa | $46K | -4% | 100 |
| West Virginia | $46K | -5% | 80 |
| Utah | $46K | -5% | 130 |
| California | $45K | -6% | 900 |
| Texas | $45K | -6% | 780 |
| Tennessee | $45K | -7% | 640 |
| Arizona | $45K | -7% | 140 |
| Mississippi | $44K | -8% | 370 |
| Arkansas | $44K | -9% | 150 |
| Oklahoma | $43K | -11% | 370 |
| Florida | $42K | -12% | 350 |
| Nebraska | $42K | -13% | 100 |
| North Carolina | $39K | -18% | 530 |
Showing 1–10 of 43 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Chattanooga numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Chattanooga?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 44.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,390/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders in Chattanooga?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,901/month. At HUD’s $1,390/month FMR, rent would take 73% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tender a high-paying job in Chattanooga?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $44K locally vs. $48K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Chattanooga compare to the national average for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders?
Chattanooga pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.5), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — below the national median.
How much do furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders make in Chattanooga, TN-GA?
The median is $43,920 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,680, and experienced furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders can clear $48,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in Chattanooga?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,111/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,390/month, which eats 44.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders salary go in Chattanooga?
Chattanooga has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders salary is worth about $48,000 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.