SOC 51-7041 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood — Alabama
Alabama · 6 metro areas compared
The median wage for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood in Alabama is $37,520 per year, 12.3% below the national median of $42,770.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood in Alabama is $37,520 per year, 12.3% below the national median of $42,770. Pay ranges from under $29,950 at the tenth percentile to more than $51,620 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $35,360 to $44,650.
Employment stands at 1,880, or 0.9 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 46 states with published data for this occupation, Alabama ranks 36th by median wage. Huntsville leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $46,100. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 547th of 690 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $29,950 | −30.0% |
| 25th | $35,360 | −17.3% |
| Median (50th) | $37,520 | −12.3% |
| 75th | $44,650 | +4.4% |
| 90th | $51,620 | +20.7% |
| Mean | $39,670 | −7.2% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Alabama
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huntsville | $46,100 | 40 | |
| 2 | Decatur | $44,360 | 120 | |
| 3 | Daphne | $40,000 | 30 | |
| 4 | Birmingham | $38,080 | 180 | |
| 5 | Tuscaloosa | $37,440 | 280 | |
| 6 | Auburn | $37,060 | 40 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Alabama run 11.2% below the national average, so the median of $37,520 goes as far as $42,252 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 1.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$37,520as reported by BLSLocal price level
88.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$42,252US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $37,520 a year, 12.3% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $29,950 to $51,620 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 1,880 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 36th of 46 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Huntsville, at $46,100.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood in Alabama?
The median annual wage is $37,520, or $18.04 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $42,770, so pay in Alabama is 12.3% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Alabama earns more than $51,620 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $29,950 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Huntsville, at $46,100 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 1,880 jobs in this occupation in Alabama. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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