How much do wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators earn in Sweden?

Wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators. 7,100 people employed in Sweden.

37,400SEK

per month is the median salary for wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators in Sweden in 2025. That is 2% lower than the median across all jobs in the country, 38,300 SEK.

≈ €3,300 / $3,850 at September 2026 exchange rates, before tax.

That is roughly 29,849 SEK after tax in an average municipality, without the church fee.

The average salary for wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators in Sweden is 38,300 SEK per month (2025). The median salary is 37,400 SEK. The lowest-paid 10% earn under 32,400 SEK and the highest-paid 10% over 45,800 SEK.

Figures are gross monthly salary before tax, converted to full time. Income tax in Sweden is roughly 30–34% for most earners, plus a national surtax on income above about 51,000 SEK a month.

Average pay: 38,300 SEK; Mean gross monthly salary
Lowest 10%: 32,400 SEK; Earn less than this
Highest 10%: 45,800 SEK; Earn more than this
People employed: 7,100; In this job in Sweden

The pay range

How monthly salaries are distributed among wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators in Sweden. The same scale is used in the tables further down.

32,400 SEKLowest 10%37,400 SEKMedian45,800 SEKHighest 10%

Light band: the middle 80 per cent. Dark band: the middle half, earning 34,600–41,200 SEK. The red line is the median salary across all jobs in Sweden.

Pay in the private and public sector

What wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators earn depends a great deal on who the employer is.

Monthly salary by sector and gender
Sector	Average pay	Median pay	Men	Women
All sectors	38,300 SEK	37,400 SEK	37,600 SEK	36,300 SEK
Private sector	38,300 SEK	37,400 SEK	37,600 SEK	36,300 SEK

Salary after tax

What wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators actually take home depends on which municipality they live in. Between the cheapest and the most expensive one the difference is several hundred kronor a month.

That is roughly 29,849 SEK after tax in an average municipality, without the church fee.

The youngest in the job, aged 18–24 years, earn 36,600 SEK before tax — roughly 29,245 SEK after.
The best paid 10% earn more than 45,800 SEK, which is roughly 35,703 SEK after tax.

Calculate the salary after tax for wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators

The figures assume an average municipality, no church fee and an age under 66. The calculator takes your own municipality into account.

And if the job goes? Work out unemployment benefit for wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators

Pay for men and women

Median salary for men and women
Gender	35,000 45,000	Median pay	Number
Men		37,600 SEK	6,200
Women		36,300 SEK	980

Women's average salary is 95% of men's average salary in this job.

Statistics Sweden calculates the ratio on average monthly salary, while the table above shows median salaries, so the two do not line up exactly. The figure is also unadjusted: it does not account for differences in age, sector or position.

Pay by age

Pay for wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators normally rises with years in the job.

Monthly salary by age
Age	Average pay	Men	Women	Number
18–24 years	36,600 SEK	37,000 SEK	35,600 SEK	840
25–34 years	38,400 SEK	38,600 SEK	37,300 SEK	1,700
35–44 years	38,100 SEK	38,400 SEK	36,600 SEK	1,600
45–54 years	38,700 SEK	38,900 SEK	–	1,300
55–64 years	39,000 SEK	39,200 SEK	–	1,600

Pay by level of education

Monthly salary by level of education
Level of education	Average pay	Men	Women	Number
Primary and secondary education 9-10 years (ISCED97 2)	38,200 SEK	38,200 SEK	–	1,100
Upper secondary education, 2 years or less (ISCED97 3C)	39,100 SEK	39,200 SEK	–	1,800
Upper secondary education 3 years (ISCED97 3A)	38,200 SEK	38,500 SEK	36,700 SEK	3,600
Post-secondary education, less than 3 years (ISCED97 4+5B)	38,100 SEK	38,400 SEK	–	–

Pay by region

Statistics Sweden reports pay by job at the level of national areas (NUTS 2), not by county.

Monthly salary by region
Region	Average pay	Men	Women	Number
East-Central Sweden	40,400 SEK	40,700 SEK	–	–
Småland and islands	37,600 SEK	38,000 SEK	36,100 SEK	1,300
West Sweden	37,600 SEK	37,700 SEK	–	–
North-Central Sweden	37,300 SEK	37,600 SEK	–	–
Central Norrland	38,700 SEK	38,900 SEK	–	–
Upper Norrland	38,600 SEK	38,900 SEK	37,200 SEK	–

Pay growth 2014–2025

Median salary per year. Years with no reported median are skipped. The dashed line marks the break between the older and the newer series at Statistics Sweden; comparisons across it should be made with care.

From 26,700 SEK in 2014 to 37,400 SEK in 2025, +40% in total. Nominal figures, not adjusted for inflation. The lighter part of the line, the years before 2023, comes from an older set of statistics at Statistics Sweden and is not fully comparable with the later years.

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Swedish job titles in this occupation

Statistics Sweden files the following Swedish job titles under SSYK 8173, “operatörer inom sågverk, hyvleri och plywood m.m.”. These are the titles you will actually meet in Swedish job ads.

Avsynare, sågverk
Avsynare, träfiberindustri
Bandsågare, sågverk
Bandsågare, träfiberskivor
Barkmaskinskötare, sågverk
Barkpressare
Brädgårdsarbetare
Brädgårdsfaktor
Buntverksskötare
Cirkelsågare
Defibratorskötare
Fackverksskötare, timmer
Faktor, sågverk
Fanerarbetare, fanertillverkning
Fanerfogare
Fanerpressare, fanertillverkning
Fanerskivarbetare
Fanersvarvare
Fiberskivehärdare
Fiberskivetorkare
Flisberedare
Fogare, faner
Formatsågare, fiberskivor
Formpressare, skiktträ
Hyvelmästare
Hyveloperatör
Hyveloperatör, sågverk
Hyvlare, sågverk
Justersågare
Kantsågare
Kapare, trä
Kapsågare
Klampare
Klyvsågare
Limberedare, träfiberindustri
Limmare, fiberskivtillverkning
Maskinbarkare, sågverk
Maskinförare, träfiberskivor
Maskinoperatör, pellets
Paketläggare, virkeshantering
Parkettarbetare
Plywoodarbetare
Postare, såg- och hyvelverk
Pressare, spånskivor
Pressare, träfiber
Processoperatör, träfiberindustri
Ramsågare, sågverk
Rundvirkesintagare
Skiktträarbetare
Slipare, träsliperi
Sorterare, träfiberindustri
Stansare, skiktträ
Strömaskinskötare
Sågare, sågverk
Sågfaktor
Sågmästare, sågverk
Sågoperatör
Sågverksarbetare
Sågverksoperatör
Timmermottagare
Timmerräknare
Torkhusoperatör
Torkoperatör
Torkskötare, fiberskivor
Torkskötare, trä
Torktekniker
Träarbetare, sågverk
Träfiberskivearbetare
Träindustriarbetare, träfiber
Tummare, sågverk
Virkesbuntare
Virkesimpregnerare
Virkesintagare
Virkesjusterare
Virkesmärkare
Virkessorterare
Virkestorkare
Virkesutlämnare, brädgård

Frequently asked questions

What is the median salary for wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators in Sweden?

The median salary for wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators in Sweden is 37,400 SEK per month before tax (2025). That means half earn less and half earn more. The median across all jobs in Sweden is 38,300 SEK, so wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators sit 2% lower than the typical job.

How much do wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators earn after tax?

The median salary for wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators is 37,400 SEK a month before tax. In an average Swedish municipality, without the church fee and for someone under 66, that works out at roughly 29,849 SEK after tax. The exact figure depends on which municipality you live in — our salary-after-tax calculator works it out.

What is the difference between average and median pay for wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators?

The average (38,300 SEK) is the mean of every salary and is pulled upwards by the highest earners. The median (37,400 SEK) is the salary in the middle of the scale and usually gives a better picture of what wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators typically earn.

What is the starting salary for wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators in Sweden?

Statistics Sweden does not publish starting salaries as such. The closest figure is the youngest people in the job: wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators aged 18–24 years earn 36,600 SEK per month on average. The lowest-paid 10% in the job earn less than 32,400 SEK.

How high can the salary go for wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators?

The highest-paid 10% in the job earn more than 45,800 SEK per month. Pay is shaped by sector, experience, level of education and where in the country you work.

Is there a gender pay gap among wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators in Sweden?

Women's average salary is 95% of men's in this job. The median salary is 37,600 SEK for men and 36,300 SEK for women. The figure is not adjusted for differences in age, sector or working hours.

Where in Sweden do wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators earn the most?

Pay is highest in East-Central Sweden, where wood processing, sawmill and plywood plant operators earn 40,400 SEK per month on average.

Jobs with similar pay

Teaching professionals not elsewhere classified 37,400 SEK
Safety and quality inspectors 37,400 SEK
Ships deck crews and related workers 37,400 SEK
Actors 37,500 SEK
Social work professions not elsewhere classified 37,500 SEK
Finance assistant 37,500 SEK

Other jobs in wood processing and papermaking plant operators

Papermaking plant operators 42,400 SEK
Paper pulp plant operators 44,700 SEK
Machine operators, wood treaters 34,200 SEK

See the whole occupational group Wood processing and papermaking plant operators or mechanical manufacturing and transport workers, etc.