SOC 51-7042 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing — Wausau
Wausau, WI · 8 metro areas compared
At $43,640, median pay for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing in Wausau, WI tracks the national median of $43,380 closely.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to decline
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- -1.8%
- Openings per year
- 6,400
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Wausau, WI.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
At $43,640, median pay for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing in Wausau, WI tracks the national median of $43,380 closely. Pay ranges from under $35,160 at the tenth percentile to more than $52,360 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $39,060 to $47,660.
Employment stands at 250, or 3.5 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Eau Claire records the highest median at $48,710. Of the 268 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 213th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $35,160 | −18.9% |
| 25th | $39,060 | −10.0% |
| Median (50th) | $43,640 | +0.6% |
| 75th | $47,660 | +9.9% |
| 90th | $52,360 | +20.7% |
| Mean | $43,440 | +0.1% |
Other metro areas in Wisconsin
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Wausau run 7.3% below the national average, so the median of $43,640 goes as far as $47,077 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 8.5% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$43,640as reported by BLSLocal price level
92.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$47,077US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $43,640 a year, 0.6% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $35,160 to $52,360 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 250 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Eau Claire, at $48,710.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing in Wausau, WI?
The median annual wage is $43,640, or $20.98 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 $43,380, so pay in Wausau, WI is 0.6% higher. 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 Wausau, WI earns more than $52,360 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $35,160 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 Eau Claire, at $48,710 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 250 jobs in this occupation in Wausau, WI. 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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