Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Salary
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders in Oklahoma City, OK make a median of $34,640 a year, or about $16.65 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $52K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.41), which stretches that salary to about $38,314 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,244/month, about 52.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $35K get you in Oklahoma City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Oklahoma City’s Regional Price Parity (90.41). 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 Oklahoma City
Pay for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders in Oklahoma City runs about 28% below the U.S. median of $48K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,244/month, which is 52% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.41 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenderss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders in metros near Oklahoma City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Tulsa | $44K | $50K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $45K | $44K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $44K | $44K |
| St. Louis | $52K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oklahoma City, OK
Entry-level furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $52K or more, a $24K 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 with published data
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 Oklahoma City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oklahoma City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 52% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,244/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/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 Oklahoma City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,732/month. At HUD’s $1,244/month FMR, rent would take 72% 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 Oklahoma City?
Local pay runs 28% below the national median — $35K here vs. $48K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Oklahoma City compare to the national average for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders?
Oklahoma City pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s -28%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.41), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — below the national median.
How much do furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders make in Oklahoma City, OK?
The median is $34,640 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,860, and experienced furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders can clear $52,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in Oklahoma City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,393/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,244/month, which eats 52% 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 Oklahoma City?
Oklahoma City has a Regional Price Parity of 90.41 (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 $38,314 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.