Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Salary in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX make a median of $41,820 a year, or about $20.11 an hour. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.63), that's roughly $42,401 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,573/month — about 52.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands’s Regional Price Parity (98.63). 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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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Entry-level furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $40K 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
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $75K | +60% | 260 |
| Maryland | $75K | +60% | 120 |
| Wyoming | $75K | +59% | 40 |
| Nevada | $67K | +42% | 40 |
| Virginia | $65K | +37% | 280 |
| Minnesota | $60K | +28% | 80 |
| Massachusetts | $60K | +27% | 130 |
| New Jersey | $59K | +24% | 480 |
| Illinois | $57K | +22% | 470 |
| Idaho | $57K | +20% | 150 |
| Iowa | $56K | +19% | 200 |
| Washington | $54K | +15% | 600 |
| Missouri | $54K | +14% | 270 |
| New York | $54K | +14% | 670 |
| West Virginia | $53K | +12% | 130 |
| Indiana | $52K | +11% | 720 |
| New Hampshire | $51K | +9% | 60 |
| North Dakota | $51K | +9% | 110 |
| Oregon | $51K | +8% | 470 |
| Wisconsin | $50K | +7% | 430 |
| Nebraska | $49K | +5% | 120 |
| Alabama | $49K | +4% | 1,100 |
| Maine | $49K | +3% | 40 |
| Pennsylvania | $48K | +2% | 450 |
| Georgia | $47K | +0% | 730 |
| Kansas | $47K | -1% | 260 |
| South Carolina | $46K | -1% | 420 |
| Louisiana | $46K | -1% | 180 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -3% | 310 |
| California | $44K | -6% | 1,100 |
| Tennessee | $44K | -7% | 530 |
| Mississippi | $44K | -7% | 370 |
| Connecticut | $43K | -8% | 30 |
| Oklahoma | $43K | -8% | 340 |
| Texas | $43K | -8% | 920 |
| South Dakota | $43K | -9% | 60 |
| Michigan | $42K | -10% | 520 |
| Vermont | $41K | -12% | 30 |
| North Carolina | $41K | -12% | 770 |
| Arizona | $40K | -14% | 230 |
| Ohio | $40K | -15% | 1,210 |
| Florida | $38K | -18% | 360 |
| Utah | $37K | -21% | 160 |
| Montana | $29K | -38% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 44 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders make in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX?
The median is $41,820 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $26,770, and experienced furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders can clear $66,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,970/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 53% 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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands has a Regional Price Parity of 98.63 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders salary is worth about $42,401 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.