Production · SOC 51-4051
Metal-refining furnace operators and tenders
BLS projects 16,800 jobs in 2025 to become 16,300 by 2035 — -2.9%, against +3.5% across all occupations.
-2.9%
projected change to 2035
About 500 fewer jobs
1,400
openings a year
8.3% of the occupation a year, counting people who retire or move on
$54,430
median annual pay
Usually entered with: high school diploma or equivalent
2025 to 2035
Employment at the start and end of the projection, in jobs.
- 2025 employment16,800
- 2035 projected16,300
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program, 2025–2035 projections.
Other production occupations
The largest occupations in the same group, by projected change to 2035.
- Miscellaneous assemblers and fabricators1,403,500+1.1%
- First-line supervisors of production and operating workers679,900+1.8%
- Inspectors, testers, sorters, samplers, and weighers602,000+2.5%
- Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers437,700+2.4%
- Packaging and filling machine operators and tenders377,700+4.1%
- Machinists288,300+1.0%
- Production workers, all other275,700+0.8%
- Bakers262,400+5.5%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program.