The tally book, the lumber stack, and the running count combine in the lumber tallier's work — at sawmills, lumber yards, or building-materials operations, talliers maintain piece counts as lumber moves through the operation.
The tally book and the stack of lumber are where the working day happens — pieces counted as they're sorted, dimensions noted, the totals updated as the day progresses. You're often at the green chain, the trim deck, or the yard with running counts ticking forward. Counts captured accurately and stack documentation matching anchor the visible measures.
Where it gets demanding is the focus required for steady piece-by-piece counting — drift in concentration shows up as variance, and the operation depends on the tallier's running counts. Variance across employers is real: at major lumber operations talliers work within structured production tracking; at smaller mills the role combines tallying with broader sawmill work.
It fits people who are focused, methodical, and physically up for yard or mill work. The trade-off is the standing-shift physical demand and the outdoor or sawmill-environment exposure. Industry credentials anchor advancement.
Your job belongs to your employer.
Your career belongs to you.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Turn your career record
into a springboard for growth.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Admin & Office roles →The tally book, the lumber stack, and the running count combine in the lumber tallier's work — at sawmills, lumber yards, or building-materials operations, talliers maintain piece counts as lumber moves through the operation.
Median pay for a Lumber Tallier is about $46K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $35K to $60K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Monitoring, and Social Perceptiveness.
Most people in this role hold a high school diploma.
Employment in this field is projected to decline about 4.8% through 2034, with roughly 49,720 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Unit Control Worker, Juice Scaleman, and Balance Weigher.
Do one small thing to grow in your career this week. Pick one of these; each comes with the words to use.
More career advice
We believe careers grow through small steps taken often, more than big leaps. So we’ve collected hundreds of them for you to try.
Browse career adviceIt's your career.
Take the wheel.