Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-3092

Food Batchmakers

Median pay sits 43% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic, Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators, Power Distributors and Dispatchers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Food Batchmakers: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic ($64K) , Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators ($79K) , Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Food Batchmakers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-3092 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Record production and test data for each food product batch, such as the ingredients used, temperature, test results, and time cycle
  2. 2. Clean and sterilize vats and factory processing areas
  3. 3. Test food product samples for moisture content, acidity level, specific gravity, or butter-fat content, and continue processing until des…
  4. 4. Set up, operate, and tend equipment that cooks, mixes, blends, or processes ingredients in the manufacturing of food products, according…
  5. 5. Mix or blend ingredients, according to recipes, using a paddle or an agitator, or by controlling vats that heat and mix ingredients
  6. 6. Inspect vats after cleaning to ensure that fermentable residue has been removed
  7. 7. Follow recipes to produce food products of specified flavor, texture, clarity, bouquet, or color
  8. 8. Give directions to other workers who are assisting in the batchmaking process
  9. 9. Select and measure or weigh ingredients, using English or metric measures and balance scales
  10. 10. Press switches and turn knobs to start, adjust, and regulate equipment, such as beaters, extruders, discharge pipes, and salt pumps
  11. 11. Fill processing or cooking containers, such as kettles, rotating cookers, pressure cookers, or vats, with ingredients, by opening valves…
  12. 12. Determine mixing sequences, based on knowledge of temperature effects and of the solubility of specific ingredients

Food Batchmakers: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-3092 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.3 ; lead knowledge Public Safety and Security. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.3
  2. 2. Reading Comprehension 3.1
  3. 3. Critical Thinking 3.1
  4. 4. Active Listening 3.0
  5. 5. Speaking 3.0
  6. 6. Coordination 3.0
  7. 7. Operation and Control 3.0
  8. 8. Writing 2.9

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Public Safety and Security 4.3
  2. 2. Food Production 4.3
  3. 3. Production and Processing 4.2
  4. 4. Education and Training 3.6
  5. 5. English Language 3.5
  6. 6. Administration and Management 3.1
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-43%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $42,290/yr
$42K
National median
↑ +7%
Growth 2024-2034
24,200
Annual openings
174,520
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Food Batchmakers

1. Wisconsin $48,360
2. Missouri $45,690
3. Illinois $48,130
4. Vermont $50,180
5. Iowa $48,300
6. Kentucky $46,900
7. Colorado $44,900
8. Georgia $46,490
9. Ohio $44,590
10. Idaho $49,570

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890
  2. 2. Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic $63,870
  3. 3. Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators $78,620
  4. 4. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  5. 5. Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers $96,710
  6. 6. Chemical Plant and System Operators $78,120

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Food Batchmakers sits 43% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $42,290.

Employment Projections expect +7% change between 2024 and 2034 (faster than average vs baseline 3.1%). About 24,200 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: Wisconsin at $48,360. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Food Batchmakers pay-rank #79 in Production Occupations

On the Production Occupations median table (105 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Food Batchmakers lands at #79, 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.

Food Batchmakers pays 43% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Food Batchmakers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-3092

Wisconsin · top state for Food Batchmakers

$48K published median

Missouri · #2 state pay

$46K · behind Wisconsin

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Food Batchmakers · $123K

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

Lower-pay peer beside Food Batchmakers · $64K

Compare Food Batchmakers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Food Batchmakers with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Food Batchmakers

Against another occupation

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Food Batchmakers land on the Production Occupations median table? ▼
Food Batchmakers is pay-rank #79 of 105 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Print Binding and Finishing Workers ($42K), Grinding and Polishing Workers, Hand ($43K), Sawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Wood ($43K), Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers ($42K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do food batchmakers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Food Batchmakers. Leading ones include: Record production and test data for each food product batch, such as the ingredients used, temperature, test results, and time cycle; Clean and sterilize vats and factory processing areas; Test food product samples for moisture content, acidity level, specific gravity, or butter-fat content, and continue processing until des…; Set up, operate, and tend equipment that cooks, mixes, blends, or processes ingredients in the manufacturing of food products, according…. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for food batchmakers? ▼
For SOC 51-3092, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.3), Reading Comprehension (3.1), Critical Thinking (3.1), Active Listening (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Public Safety and Security, Food Production, Production and Processing. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Food Batchmakers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $42,290 as the national median for Food Batchmakers. The published 10th-90th range is $31,990 to $58,940. Beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Food Batchmakers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Food Batchmakers is +7%. Projected annual openings: about 24,200. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Food Batchmakers? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Food Batchmakers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Food Batchmakers? ▼
Wisconsin ($48,360), Missouri ($45,690), Illinois ($48,130) 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 Food Batchmakers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-3092. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Food Batchmakers. 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