Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $69,820 or more. The middle half of sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in Chicago earn between $36,820 and $49,690.
- $31K10th
- $37K25th
- $40KMedian
- $50K75th
- $70K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $45,300 | $3,775 | $21.78 |
| Median | $39,510 | $3,292 | $19.00 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,820 | $3,068 | $17.70 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $49,690 | $4,141 | $23.89 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood pay in Chicago vs. Illinois and the U.S.
Sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood in Chicago earn 10% less than the Illinois average ($50,480) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($43,580). At the median the gap is -8% against the U.S. median of $42,770.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $45,300 | $39,510 | $31,200 | $69,820 | 180 |
| Illinois | $50,480 | $46,530 | $33,270 | $70,550 | 470 |
| United States | $43,580 | $42,770 | $30,890 | $58,170 | 40,850 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $45,300, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $36,477 a year, or $3,040 a month and $1,403 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $37,250 | $3,104 |
| Working in IL | $36,477 | $3,040 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $45,300 buys what about $43,728 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 7.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary in nearby metro areas
- Milwaukee, WI$44,140
- South Bend, IN$40,030
- Elkhart, IN$45,340
- Sheboygan, WI$42,960
- Grand Rapids, MI$43,470
- Fort Wayne, IN$41,570
Highest-paying cities for sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood
Baltimore, MD pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($70,870).
- Baltimore, MD$70,870
- Santa Cruz, CA$56,260
- Longview, WA$56,090
- Seattle, WA$55,770
- San Jose, CA$54,030
Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary by city
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Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood salary in Chicago: questions
How much do sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood make an hour in Chicago?
$21.78 an hour on average, and $19.00 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,820, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood take-home pay in Chicago?
About $36,477 a year ($3,040 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $45,300.
Do sawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, wood earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more than the U.S. average for this job ($43,580).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-7041; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.15, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.15).
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