Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-9012

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Median pay sits 31% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Power Distributors and Dispatchers, Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters, Power Plant Operators, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($107K) , Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters ($63K) , Power Plant Operators ($102K) , First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers ($74K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-9012 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Dump, pour, or load specified amounts of refined or unrefined materials into equipment or containers for further processing or storage
  2. 2. Operate machines to process materials in compliance with applicable safety, energy, or environmental regulations
  3. 3. Monitor material flow or instruments, such as temperature or pressure gauges, indicators, or meters, to ensure optimal processing conditions
  4. 4. Turn valves or move controls to admit, drain, separate, filter, clarify, mix, or transfer materials
  5. 5. Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure
  6. 6. Examine samples to verify qualities such as clarity, cleanliness, consistency, dryness, or texture
  7. 7. Start agitators, shakers, conveyors, pumps, or centrifuge machines
  8. 8. Inspect machines or equipment for hazards, operating efficiency, malfunctions, wear, or leaks
  9. 9. Measure or weigh materials to be refined, mixed, transferred, stored, or otherwise processed
  10. 10. Test samples to determine viscosity, acidity, specific gravity, or degree of concentration, using test equipment such as viscometers, pH…
  11. 11. Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory analysis
  12. 12. Communicate processing instructions to other workers

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: O*NET ranks Operations Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-9012 - lead skill Operations Monitoring at 3.8 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Operations Monitoring 3.8
  2. 2. Critical Thinking 3.1
  3. 3. Monitoring 3.1
  4. 4. Operation and Control 3.1
  5. 5. Quality Control Analysis 3.1
  6. 6. Reading Comprehension 3.0
  7. 7. Active Listening 3.0
  8. 8. Judgment and Decision Making 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.8
  2. 2. Mechanical 3.3
  3. 3. English Language 3.1
  4. 4. Public Safety and Security 2.9
  5. 5. Mathematics 2.8
  6. 6. Education and Training 2.8
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-31%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $51,610/yr
$52K
National median
↓ -4%
Growth 2024-2034
5,400
Annual openings
60,100
Estimated US jobs
Power Distributors and Dispatchers
Highest-pay peer · $107K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

1. Nevada $62,960
2. North Dakota $59,390
3. Virginia $59,480
4. Wyoming $108,900
5. New Hampshire $60,340
6. Arizona $57,820
7. Wisconsin $60,100
8. New Jersey $58,140
9. Kentucky $58,770
10. Louisiana $58,640

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  2. 2. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,450
  3. 3. Power Distributors and Dispatchers $106,730
  4. 4. Tool and Die Makers $64,050
  5. 5. Chemical Plant and System Operators $78,120
  6. 6. Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters $62,620

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits 31% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $51,610.

Employment Projections expect -4% change between 2024 and 2034 (declining vs baseline 3.1%). About 5,400 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: Nevada at $62,960. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Power Distributors and Dispatchers at $106,730. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay-rank #29 in Production Occupations

Among 105 detailed Production Occupations with a published OEWS median, Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is pay-rank #29, the upper third of that major group. The order is ROW_NUMBER on national median (title as tiebreak), not a worker-level percentile.

Other upper-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.

SOC 51-9012 · national median $51,610 · upper third of Production Occupations (#29/105). Open the full OEWS map or a named state before treating the card median as a local ask.

Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-9012

Nevada · top state for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

$63K published median

North Dakota · #2 state pay

$59K · behind Nevada

Power Distributors and Dispatchers

Highest-pay peer vs Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $107K

Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters

Lower-pay peer beside Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders · $63K

Compare Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Against another occupation

Power Distributors and Dispatchers card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Production Occupations titles sit near Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders at the top of the pay table? ▼
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is pay-rank #29 of 105 detailed Production Occupations with an OEWS median, upper third. Nearest upper-third titles: Semiconductor Processing Technicians ($51K), Pourers and Casters, Metal ($52K), Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters ($51K), Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators ($51K). Rank is ROW_NUMBER on national median.
What do separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. Leading ones include: Dump, pour, or load specified amounts of refined or unrefined materials into equipment or containers for further processing or storage; Operate machines to process materials in compliance with applicable safety, energy, or environmental regulations; Monitor material flow or instruments, such as temperature or pressure gauges, indicators, or meters, to ensure optimal processing conditions; Turn valves or move controls to admit, drain, separate, filter, clarify, mix, or transfer materials. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders? ▼
For SOC 51-9012, O*NET importance scores lead with Operations Monitoring (3.8), Critical Thinking (3.1), Monitoring (3.1), Operation and Control (3.1). 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 Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $51,610 as the national median for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. The published 10th-90th range is $36,200 to $79,750. Beside Power Distributors and Dispatchers ($106,730), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is -4%. Projected annual openings: about 5,400. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: declining.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still 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 Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders? ▼
Nevada ($62,960), North Dakota ($59,390), Virginia ($59,480) 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 Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-9012. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still 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