Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-9193

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

Median pay sits 44% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers, Plant and System Operators, All Other, Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic, Chemical Plant and System Operators).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($97K) , Plant and System Operators, All Other ($62K) , Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic ($64K) , Chemical Plant and System Operators ($78K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-9193 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Record temperatures, amounts of materials processed, or test results on report forms
  2. 2. Monitor pressure gauges, ammeters, flowmeters, thermometers, or products, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions, such as f…
  3. 3. Read dials and gauges on panel control boards to ascertain temperatures, alkalinities, and densities of mixtures, and turn valves to obta…
  4. 4. Measure or weigh specified amounts of ingredients or materials, and load them into tanks, vats, hoppers, or other equipment
  5. 5. Adjust machine or freezer speed and air intake to obtain desired consistency and amount of product
  6. 6. Start machinery, such as pumps, feeders, or conveyors, and turn valves to heat, admit, or transfer products, refrigerants, or mixes
  7. 7. Weigh packages and adjust freezer air valves or switches on filler heads to obtain specified amounts of product in each container
  8. 8. Correct machinery malfunctions by performing actions such as removing jams, and inform supervisors of malfunctions as necessary
  9. 9. Inspect and flush lines with solutions or steam, and spray equipment with sterilizing solutions
  10. 10. Load and position wrapping paper, sticks, bags, or cartons into dispensing machines
  11. 11. Sample and test product characteristics such as specific gravity, acidity, and sugar content, using hydrometers, pH meters, or refractome…
  12. 12. Start agitators to blend contents, or start beater, scraper, and expeller blades to mix contents with air and prevent sticking

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-9193 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.9 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.9
  2. 2. Operation and Control 3.8
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.6
  4. 4. Monitoring 3.5
  5. 5. Complex Problem Solving 3.5
  6. 6. Speaking 3.1
  7. 7. Equipment Maintenance 3.1
  8. 8. Troubleshooting 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.9
  2. 2. Mechanical 3.4
  3. 3. English Language 3.4
  4. 4. Food Production 3.3
  5. 5. Administration and Management 3.3
  6. 6. Mathematics 3.1
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-44%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $41,330/yr
$41K
National median
↑ +7%
Growth 2024-2034
800
Annual openings
6,900
Estimated US jobs
Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers
Highest-pay peer · $97K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

1. Iowa $62,520
2. Washington $50,870
3. Indiana $55,730
4. Ohio $48,160
5. Illinois $49,200
6. Nebraska $68,170
7. Wisconsin $47,060
8. Missouri $53,940
9. New Jersey $51,460
10. Idaho $48,360

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic $63,870
  2. 2. Chemical Plant and System Operators $78,120
  3. 3. Plant and System Operators, All Other $62,470
  4. 4. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380
  5. 5. Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers $62,750
  6. 6. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $96,710

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders sits 44% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $41,330.

Employment Projections expect +7% change between 2024 and 2034 (faster than average vs baseline 3.1%). About 800 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Iowa at $62,520. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers at $96,710. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders pay-rank #84 in Production Occupations

On the Production Occupations median table (105 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders lands at #84, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders pays 44% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-9193

Iowa · top state for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

$63K published median

Washington · #2 state pay

$51K · behind Iowa

Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers

Highest-pay peer vs Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders · $97K

Plant and System Operators, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders · $62K

Compare Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

Against another occupation

Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders land on the Production Occupations median table? ▼
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders is pay-rank #84 of 105 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders ($42K), Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers ($42K), Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers ($42K), Photographic Process Workers and Processing Machine Operators ($41K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders. Leading ones include: Record temperatures, amounts of materials processed, or test results on report forms; Monitor pressure gauges, ammeters, flowmeters, thermometers, or products, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions, such as f…; Read dials and gauges on panel control boards to ascertain temperatures, alkalinities, and densities of mixtures, and turn valves to obta…; Measure or weigh specified amounts of ingredients or materials, and load them into tanks, vats, hoppers, or other equipment. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders? ▼
For SOC 51-9193, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.9), Operation and Control (3.8), Critical Thinking (3.6), Monitoring (3.5). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Mechanical, English Language. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $41,330 as the national median for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders. The published 10th-90th range is $33,430 to $62,340. Beside Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers ($96,710), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders is +7%. Projected annual openings: about 800. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders? ▼
Iowa ($62,520), Washington ($50,870), Indiana ($55,730) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-9193. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics