Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-9023

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Median pay sits 34% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Plant Operators, Model Makers, Metal and Plastic, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers, Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Power Plant Operators ($102K) , Model Makers, Metal and Plastic ($63K) , First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers ($74K) , Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic ($64K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-9023 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products to ensure conformance to requirements
  2. 2. Read work orders to determine production specifications or information
  3. 3. Observe production or monitor equipment to ensure safe and efficient operation
  4. 4. Mix or blend ingredients by starting machines and mixing for specified times
  5. 5. Stop mixing or blending machines when specified product qualities are obtained and open valves and start pumps to transfer mixtures
  6. 6. Compound or process ingredients or dyes, according to formulas
  7. 7. Examine materials, ingredients, or products visually or with hands to ensure conformance to established standards
  8. 8. Operate or tend machines to mix or blend any of a wide variety of materials, such as spices, dough batter, tobacco, fruit juices, chemica…
  9. 9. Dump or pour specified amounts of materials into machinery or equipment
  10. 10. Record operational or production data on specified forms
  11. 11. Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory testing
  12. 12. Unload mixtures into containers or onto conveyors for further processing

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-9023 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.6 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.6
  2. 2. Operation and Control 3.6
  3. 3. Reading Comprehension 3.1
  4. 4. Critical Thinking 3.1
  5. 5. Monitoring 3.1
  6. 6. Equipment Maintenance 3.1
  7. 7. Troubleshooting 3.1
  8. 8. Repairing 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 4.3
  2. 2. English Language 3.0
  3. 3. Mechanical 2.8
  4. 4. Public Safety and Security 2.7
  5. 5. Mathematics 2.6
  6. 6. Chemistry 2.6
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-34%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $48,990/yr
$49K
National median
↓ -7%
Growth 2024-2034
8,800
Annual openings
94,920
Estimated US jobs
Power Plant Operators
Highest-pay peer · $102K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

1. Maryland $53,480
2. Maine $55,540
3. Minnesota $59,270
4. Illinois $53,560
5. New Jersey $57,810
6. Massachusetts $60,790
7. Connecticut $53,830
8. Washington $53,800
9. Wyoming $58,320
10. New York $53,170

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,450
  2. 2. Model Makers, Metal and Plastic $63,340
  3. 3. Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic $63,870
  4. 4. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  5. 5. Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers $68,120
  6. 6. Aircraft Structure, Surfaces, Rigging, and Systems Assemblers $65,380

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits 34% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $48,990.

Employment Projections expect -7% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 8,800 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: Maryland at $53,480. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Plant Operators at $102,040. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay-rank #41 in Production Occupations

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits at pay-rank #41 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table 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.

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pays 34% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-9023

Maryland · top state for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$53K published median

Maine · #2 state pay

$56K · behind Maryland

Power Plant Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $102K

Model Makers, Metal and Plastic

Lower-pay peer beside Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $63K

Compare Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Against another occupation

Power Plant Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders mid-table among Production Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #41 of 105 detailed Production Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Forging Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($49K), Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($49K), Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic ($49K), Prepress Technicians and Workers ($49K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. Leading ones include: Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products to ensure conformance to requirements; Read work orders to determine production specifications or information; Observe production or monitor equipment to ensure safe and efficient operation; Mix or blend ingredients by starting machines and mixing for specified times. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders? ▼
For SOC 51-9023, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.6), Operation and Control (3.6), Reading Comprehension (3.1), Critical Thinking (3.1). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, English Language, Mechanical. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $48,990 as the national median for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. The published 10th-90th range is $36,790 to $70,200. Beside Power Plant Operators ($102,040), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is -7%. Projected annual openings: about 8,800. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
Maryland ($53,480), Maine ($55,540), Minnesota ($59,270) 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 Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-9023. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, 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