Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders Salary
Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders in Wichita, KS make a median of $57,650 a year, or about $27.72 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers.
So what does $58K get you in Wichita?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Wichita’s Regional Price Parity (88.9). 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 Wichita
Wichita sits well above the national pay line for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $48K. Rent runs $1,099/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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 Wichita, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Tulsa | $44K | , |
| Oklahoma City | $35K | , |
| St. Louis | $52K | , |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $62K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wichita, KS
Entry-level furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $33K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wichita?
Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 28.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,099/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders in Wichita?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,188/month. At HUD’s $1,099/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Wichita?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $58K here vs. $48K nationally.
How does Wichita compare to the national average for furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders?
Wichita pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $48K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $65K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders make in Wichita, KS?
The median is $57,650 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,470, and experienced furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders can clear $69,740. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Wichita?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,811/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,099/month, which eats 28.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a furnace, kiln, oven, drier, and kettle operators and tenders salary go in Wichita?
Wichita 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 $64,848 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.