51 Series · SOC 51-9192
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $43,530
- Median / year
- $58,570
- Top 10% earn
- +3.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 14,760
- US workers
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders earn a median of $43,530 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $43,530, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $33,790 (10th percentile) to $58,570 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 14,760 US workers. Maine pays the most ($64,610), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders earn a median of $43,530, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 17% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #73 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.6% by 2033.
- $43,530
- Median annual wage
- Top 83%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #73 of 105
- in Production
- 1.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Maine at $64,610. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders (SOC 51-9192) pays a national median of $43,530 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $33,790 at the 10th percentile to $58,570 at the 90th, with a mean of $44,600 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 14,760 Americans work in this occupation across 40 reporting states and 93 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 1,600 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and moderate-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of B for this role, with a fatality rate of 3.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 3.2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Maine pays the highest state median at $64,610, which is +48% above the national figure. The top metro is Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI at $64,850 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$43,530
per year
Median Hourly
$20.93/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$44,600
average
Employment
14,760
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$43,530 Bottom 17% higher than 17% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 51-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders sits on the slower-growing side at +3.6% growth and $43,530 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+3.6%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
1,600
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
3.5/100K
Injury Rate
3.2/100
Danger Index
14.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations.
- ▸ Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions.
- ▸ Set controls to regulate temperature and length of cycles, and start conveyors, pumps, agitators, and machines.
- ▸ Draw samples for laboratory analysis, or test solutions for conformance to specifications, such as acidity or specific gravity.
- ▸ Adjust, clean, and lubricate mechanical parts of machines, using hand tools and grease guns.
- ▸ Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.
- ▸ Operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber.
- ▸ Record gauge readings, materials used, processing times, or test results in production logs.
- ▸ Examine and inspect machines to detect malfunctions.
- ▸ Load machines with objects to be processed and unload them after cleaning, placing them on conveyors or racks.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$33,790
25th Percentile
$37,310
Median
$43,530
75th Percentile
$49,320
90th Percentile
$58,570
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 40 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $64,610 | +48% above national |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $54,290 | +25% above national |
| 3 | Oregon | $49,130 | +13% above national |
| 4 | North Dakota | $48,240 | +11% above national |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $48,000 | +10% above national |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $47,510 | +9% above national |
| 7 | Iowa | $46,970 | +8% above national |
| 8 | New York | $46,290 | +6% above national |
| 9 | Nebraska | $45,690 | +5% above national |
| 10 | Washington | $45,600 | +5% above national |
| 11 | Ohio | $45,470 | +4% above national |
| 12 | Virginia | $45,330 | +4% above national |
| 13 | California | $45,150 | +4% above national |
| 14 | South Dakota | $44,770 | +3% above national |
| 15 | Michigan | $44,400 | +2% above national |
| 16 | Indiana | $43,820 | +1% above national |
| 17 | Illinois | $43,740 | same as national |
| 18 | New Jersey | $43,600 | same as national |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $43,210 | 1% below national |
| 20 | Minnesota | $42,600 | 2% below national |
| 21 | Tennessee | $41,110 | 6% below national |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $40,950 | 6% below national |
| 23 | Missouri | $40,510 | 7% below national |
| 24 | Utah | $39,970 | 8% below national |
| 25 | South Carolina | $39,240 | 10% below national |
| 26 | Connecticut | $39,140 | 10% below national |
| 27 | Georgia | $38,430 | 12% below national |
| 28 | Kansas | $38,340 | 12% below national |
| 29 | North Carolina | $38,340 | 12% below national |
| 30 | Arizona | $37,900 | 13% below national |
| 31 | Arkansas | $37,490 | 14% below national |
| 32 | Texas | $37,040 | 15% below national |
| 33 | Florida | $36,830 | 15% below national |
| 34 | Nevada | $36,490 | 16% below national |
| 35 | Kentucky | $35,850 | 18% below national |
| 36 | New Mexico | $35,600 | 18% below national |
| 37 | Alabama | $35,090 | 19% below national |
| 38 | Mississippi | $34,280 | 21% below national |
| 39 | Idaho | $33,660 | 23% below national |
| 40 | Puerto Rico | $22,620 | 48% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 93 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $64,850 | +49% above national |
| 2 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $64,610 | +48% above national |
| 3 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $56,100 | +29% above national |
| 4 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $54,330 | +25% above national |
| 5 | Traverse City, MI | $53,550 | +23% above national |
| 6 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $53,400 | +23% above national |
| 7 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $52,150 | +20% above national |
| 8 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $51,920 | +19% above national |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $51,070 | +17% above national |
| 10 | Napa, CA | $50,060 | +15% above national |
| 11 | Visalia, CA | $49,440 | +14% above national |
| 12 | Reading, PA | $49,140 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $48,930 | +12% above national |
| 14 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $48,860 | +12% above national |
| 15 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $47,900 | +10% above national |
| 16 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $47,800 | +10% above national |
| 17 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $47,570 | +9% above national |
| 18 | Merced, CA | $47,540 | +9% above national |
| 19 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $47,510 | +9% above national |
| 20 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,360 | +9% above national |
| 21 | Gainesville, GA | $47,110 | +8% above national |
| 22 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $46,980 | +8% above national |
| 23 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $46,840 | +8% above national |
| 24 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $46,770 | +7% above national |
| 25 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,390 | +7% above national |
| 26 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $46,370 | +7% above national |
| 27 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $46,160 | +6% above national |
| 28 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $46,130 | +6% above national |
| 29 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $45,980 | +6% above national |
| 30 | Evansville, IN | $45,750 | +5% above national |
| 31 | East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $45,570 | +5% above national |
| 32 | Rochester, NY | $45,380 | +4% above national |
| 33 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $45,340 | +4% above national |
| 34 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $45,310 | +4% above national |
| 35 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $45,150 | +4% above national |
| 36 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $45,110 | +4% above national |
| 37 | Cleveland, OH | $45,100 | +4% above national |
| 38 | Columbus, OH | $45,100 | +4% above national |
| 39 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $45,060 | +4% above national |
| 40 | Tulsa, OK | $45,040 | +3% above national |
| 41 | Fresno, CA | $44,910 | +3% above national |
| 42 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $44,520 | +2% above national |
| 43 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $44,420 | +2% above national |
| 44 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $44,310 | +2% above national |
| 45 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $44,240 | +2% above national |
| 46 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $44,230 | +2% above national |
| 47 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $43,680 | same as national |
| 48 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $43,350 | same as national |
| 49 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $42,980 | 1% below national |
| 50 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $42,700 | 2% below national |
| 51 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $42,330 | 3% below national |
| 52 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $42,000 | 4% below national |
| 53 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $41,850 | 4% below national |
| 54 | Syracuse, NY | $41,560 | 5% below national |
| 55 | Modesto, CA | $41,420 | 5% below national |
| 56 | Toledo, OH | $41,280 | 5% below national |
| 57 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $41,270 | 5% below national |
| 58 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $41,240 | 5% below national |
| 59 | New Haven, CT | $41,190 | 5% below national |
| 60 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $40,580 | 7% below national |
| 61 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $40,560 | 7% below national |
| 62 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $40,560 | 7% below national |
| 63 | Springfield, MA | $40,500 | 7% below national |
| 64 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $39,970 | 8% below national |
| 65 | Akron, OH | $39,420 | 9% below national |
| 66 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $39,420 | 9% below national |
| 67 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $39,150 | 10% below national |
| 68 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $39,070 | 10% below national |
| 69 | Salinas, CA | $38,690 | 11% below national |
| 70 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $38,430 | 12% below national |
| 71 | Oklahoma City, OK | $37,890 | 13% below national |
| 72 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $37,670 | 13% below national |
| 73 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $37,610 | 14% below national |
| 74 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $37,500 | 14% below national |
| 75 | Omaha, NE-IA | $37,300 | 14% below national |
| 76 | Sandusky, OH | $37,220 | 14% below national |
| 77 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $36,190 | 17% below national |
| 78 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $36,190 | 17% below national |
| 79 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $35,850 | 18% below national |
| 80 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $35,810 | 18% below national |
| 81 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $35,740 | 18% below national |
| 82 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $35,360 | 19% below national |
| 83 | Albuquerque, NM | $34,890 | 20% below national |
| 84 | Columbia, SC | $34,140 | 22% below national |
| 85 | Midland, TX | $33,790 | 22% below national |
| 86 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $33,010 | 24% below national |
| 87 | Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $32,370 | 26% below national |
| 88 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $32,210 | 26% below national |
| 89 | Puerto Rico nonmetropolitan area | $31,800 | 27% below national |
| 90 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $31,770 | 27% below national |
| 91 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $28,780 | 34% below national |
| 92 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $28,630 | 34% below national |
| 93 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $22,490 | 48% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 51 (production) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders make? ▼
What state pays Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders? ▼
How dangerous is being a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders? ▼
Is Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders a good career? ▼
How does Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $49,320/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Maine leads at $64,610/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.