51 Series · SOC 51-9124

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, 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).

$48,250
Median / year
+1.4%
2024→2025
$74,730
Top 10% earn
+0.7%
Growth '24–'34
158,740
Estimated US jobs

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $48,250 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $48,250, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,260 (10th percentile) to $74,730 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 158,740 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Alaska ($69,910).

51 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $48,250, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 28% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #46 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 0.7% by 2034.

$48,250
Median annual wage
Top 72%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#46 of 105
in Production
2.1×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Alaska at $69,910. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders moved from $38,150 in May 2019 to $48,250 in May 2025 (+26.5%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits +2.0 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (SOC 51-9124) has a national median of $48,250 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $36,260 to $74,730, and the published mean is $52,620. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 158,740 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 51 state or territory areas and 457 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $47,590 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $48,250 in May 2025, a rise of $660 (+1.4%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +0.7% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as slower than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 15,800 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Production Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Alaska pays the highest state median at $69,910, which is +45% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT at $69,600. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 158,740 jobs Median $48,250/yr

Median Salary

$48,250

per year

Median Hourly

$23.20/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$52,620

average

Employment

158,740

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$48,250 Bottom 28% higher than 28% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

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.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$48,250 · 28th percentile of 825 US occupations

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 Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 22 51-series occupations with growth data, Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits on the slower-growing side at +0.7% growth and $48,250 median pay. Scatter plot of 22 data points. $30000$40000$50000$60000$70000$80000 -15%-10%-5%0%5%10% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Miscellaneous Assemb… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.1% · Median annual wage: $44650First-Line Superviso… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $74450Welders, Cutters, So… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 2.2% · Median annual wage: $53750Packaging and Fillin… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.5% · Median annual wage: $43220Production Workers, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.5% · Median annual wage: $40110Electrical, Electron… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.6% · Median annual wage: $45850Bakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.6% · Median annual wage: $37160Laundry and Dry-Clea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.4% · Median annual wage: $34890Food Batchmakers - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 6.9% · Median annual wage: $42290Cutting, Punching, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -12.1% · Median annual wage: $46330Computer Numerically… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.7% · Median annual wage: $50690Helpers--Production … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.9% · Median annual wage: $39070Coating, Painting, a… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $48250Molding, Coremaking,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.8% · Median annual wage: $44350Meat, Poultry, and F… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.5% · Median annual wage: $38300Printing Press Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -8.1% · Median annual wage: $45780Chemical Equipment O… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.3% · Median annual wage: $58040Butchers and Meat Cu… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1% · Median annual wage: $40140Water and Wastewater… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.5% · Median annual wage: $60020Multiple Machine Too… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -0.5% · Median annual wage: $47180Sewing Machine Opera… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -10.8% · Median annual wage: $36670Paper Goods Machine … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -6.3% · Median annual wage: $50270
Among 22 51-series occupations with growth data, Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits on the slower-growing side at +0.7% growth and $48,250 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Miscellaneous Assemb…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.1%, Median annual wage $44650
  • First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $74450
  • Welders, Cutters, So…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.2%, Median annual wage $53750
  • Packaging and Fillin…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $43220
  • Production Workers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.5%, Median annual wage $40110
  • Electrical, Electron…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.6%, Median annual wage $45850
  • Bakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.6%, Median annual wage $37160
  • Laundry and Dry-Clea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.4%, Median annual wage $34890
  • Food Batchmakers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.9%, Median annual wage $42290
  • Cutting, Punching, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -12.1%, Median annual wage $46330
  • Computer Numerically…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.7%, Median annual wage $50690
  • Helpers--Production …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.9%, Median annual wage $39070
  • Coating, Painting, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $48250
  • Molding, Coremaking,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.8%, Median annual wage $44350
  • Meat, Poultry, and F…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $38300
  • Printing Press Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -8.1%, Median annual wage $45780
  • Chemical Equipment O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $58040
  • Butchers and Meat Cu…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $40140
  • Water and Wastewater…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.5%, Median annual wage $60020
  • Multiple Machine Too…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.5%, Median annual wage $47180
  • Sewing Machine Opera…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -10.8%, Median annual wage $36670
  • Paper Goods Machine …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -6.3%, Median annual wage $50270

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+0.7%

Slower than average

Annual Openings

15,800

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+1,200

165,500 (2024) → 166,700 (2034)

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 →
Group

Production Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

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 Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Operations Monitoring 3.6
Monitoring 3.1
Operation and Control 3.1
Quality Control Analysis 3.1
Equipment Maintenance 3.0
Repairing 3.0
Coordination 2.9
Complex Problem Solving 2.9
Equipment Selection 2.9
Troubleshooting 2.9

Knowledge Areas

Mechanical 3.0
English Language 2.6
Production and Processing 2.6
Education and Training 2.2
Chemistry 2.1
Customer and Personal Service 2.0
Public Safety and Security 2.0
Computers and Electronics 1.9
Engineering and Technology 1.9
Administration and Management 1.9

Key Tasks

  • Dispose of hazardous waste in an appropriate manner.
  • Hold or position spray guns to direct spray onto articles.
  • Spray prepared surfaces with specified amounts of primers and decorative or finish coatings.
  • Monitor painting operations to identify flaws, such as blisters or streaks, and correct their causes.
  • Disassemble, clean, and reassemble sprayers or power equipment, using solvents, wire brushes, and cloths.
  • Fill hoppers, reservoirs, troughs, or pans with material used to coat, paint, or spray, using conveyors or pails.
  • Clean equipment and work areas.
  • Thread or feed items or products through or around machine rollers and dryers.
  • Weigh or measure chemicals, coatings, or paints before adding them to machines.
  • Apply rust-resistant undercoats and caulk and seal seams.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$36,260
25th$40,590
Median$48,250
75th$59,680
90th$74,730

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$17.43
25th$19.52
Median$23.20
75th$28.69
90th$35.93

Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay history, 2019–2025

Published national median across 7 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$35,000$40,000$45,000$50,000 2019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2019: $38,150National median - 2020: $39,060National median - 2021: $39,130National median - 2022: $43,960National median - 2023: $45,560National median - 2024: $47,590National median - 2025: $48,250$48,250
National median annual wage for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, May 2019 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2019 $38,150
2020 $39,060
2021 $39,130
2022 $43,960
2023 $45,560
2024 $47,590
2025 $48,250

2019 median

$38,150

2025 median

$48,250

2019–2025 change

+$10,100 (+26.5%)

Avg/year

+4%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2019 $38,150 First banked release 146,350
May 2020 $39,060 +2.4% 137,510
May 2021 $39,130 +0.2% 145,410
May 2022 $43,960 +12.3% 152,120
May 2023 $45,560 +3.6% 155,880
May 2024 $47,590 +4.5% 159,500
May 2025 $48,250 +1.4% 158,740

Across the 7 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $38,150 in May 2019 to $48,250 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +4% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 146,350 in May 2019 to 158,740 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in.

Salary by State

View all 51 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Alaska $69,910 +45% above national
2 Washington $59,980 +24% above national
3 New Jersey $58,240 +21% above national
4 Maine $56,200 +16% above national
5 Maryland $55,510 +15% above national
6 Colorado $53,590 +11% above national
7 Mississippi $53,170 +10% above national
8 California $52,950 +10% above national
9 Connecticut $52,900 +10% above national
10 Minnesota $52,210 +8% above national
11 Hawaii $51,990 +8% above national
12 Massachusetts $51,150 +6% above national
13 North Dakota $51,020 +6% above national
14 Wyoming $50,220 +4% above national
15 Virginia $49,880 +3% above national
16 Rhode Island $49,850 +3% above national
17 Oregon $49,400 +2% above national
18 Vermont $49,360 +2% above national
19 Nebraska $49,340 +2% above national
20 Iowa $49,330 +2% above national
21 Wisconsin $49,170 +2% above national
22 Ohio $48,550 +1% above national
23 New Hampshire $48,410 same as national
24 Pennsylvania $48,340 same as national
25 South Carolina $48,220 same as national
26 Illinois $48,000 1% below national
27 New York $48,000 1% below national
28 South Dakota $47,980 1% below national
29 Louisiana $47,950 1% below national
30 Utah $47,880 1% below national
31 Arizona $47,860 1% below national
32 Florida $47,860 1% below national
33 Missouri $47,580 1% below national
34 Montana $47,380 2% below national
35 Indiana $47,320 2% below national
36 Tennessee $47,210 2% below national
37 Kentucky $47,170 2% below national
38 Kansas $47,120 2% below national
39 Texas $46,750 3% below national
40 North Carolina $46,730 3% below national
41 Georgia $46,450 4% below national
42 Arkansas $46,380 4% below national
43 Delaware $46,120 4% below national
44 Idaho $45,810 5% below national
45 Oklahoma $45,780 5% below national
46 Nevada $45,750 5% below national
47 New Mexico $45,730 5% below national
48 Michigan $44,670 7% below national
49 Alabama $44,250 8% below national
50 West Virginia $42,950 11% below national
51 Puerto Rico $29,850 38% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 337 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $69,600 +44% above national
2 Ames, IA $69,090 +43% above national
3 Springfield, OH $67,070 +39% above national
4 Lexington Park, MD $66,570 +38% above national
5 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $63,360 +31% above national
6 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $63,180 +31% above national
7 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $63,030 +31% above national
8 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $62,280 +29% above national
9 Fayetteville, NC $62,120 +29% above national
10 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL $61,730 +28% above national
11 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $61,260 +27% above national
12 Grand Forks, ND-MN $61,220 +27% above national
13 Grand Junction, CO $61,130 +27% above national
14 Grand Island, NE $61,110 +27% above national
15 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $60,820 +26% above national
16 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $59,970 +24% above national
17 Vallejo, CA $59,930 +24% above national
18 Elizabethtown, KY $59,800 +24% above national
19 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI $59,430 +23% above national
20 Portland-South Portland, ME $59,420 +23% above national
21 Bismarck, ND $59,250 +23% above national
22 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $58,910 +22% above national
23 Longview-Kelso, WA $58,790 +22% above national
24 Wichita, KS $58,770 +22% above national
25 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $58,520 +21% above national
26 Savannah, GA $58,410 +21% above national
27 Salinas, CA $58,390 +21% above national
28 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $58,390 +21% above national
29 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $58,240 +21% above national
30 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $58,240 +21% above national
31 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $57,960 +20% above national
32 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $57,780 +20% above national
33 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $57,660 +20% above national
34 Springfield, IL $57,200 +19% above national
35 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI $56,960 +18% above national
36 St. Cloud, MN $56,380 +17% above national
37 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $56,160 +16% above national
38 Warner Robins, GA $55,980 +16% above national
39 Duluth, MN-WI $55,830 +16% above national
40 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA $55,810 +16% above national
41 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $55,540 +15% above national
42 Casper, WY $55,470 +15% above national
43 St. Joseph, MO-KS $55,190 +14% above national
44 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $55,100 +14% above national
45 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $54,870 +14% above national
46 Boulder, CO $54,760 +13% above national
47 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $54,560 +13% above national
48 Rochester, MN $54,390 +13% above national
49 Lincoln, NE $54,150 +12% above national
50 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $54,120 +12% above national
51 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $53,890 +12% above national
52 Kennewick-Richland, WA $53,830 +12% above national
53 Bellingham, WA $53,690 +11% above national
54 Appleton, WI $53,390 +11% above national
55 Columbia, MO $53,370 +11% above national
56 Redding, CA $53,330 +11% above national
57 Pueblo, CO $53,080 +10% above national
58 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $52,640 +9% above national
59 Baton Rouge, LA $52,190 +8% above national
60 Colorado Springs, CO $52,180 +8% above national
61 Chico, CA $52,000 +8% above national
62 Urban Honolulu, HI $52,000 +8% above national
63 Kenosha, WI $51,970 +8% above national
64 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $51,800 +7% above national
65 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $51,700 +7% above national
66 Greenville, NC $51,310 +6% above national
67 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $51,270 +6% above national
68 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $51,250 +6% above national
69 Lewiston, ID-WA $51,230 +6% above national
70 Bozeman, MT $51,110 +6% above national
71 Modesto, CA $51,020 +6% above national
72 Stockton-Lodi, CA $51,020 +6% above national
73 Greeley, CO $50,960 +6% above national
74 Glens Falls, NY $50,920 +6% above national
75 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $50,900 +5% above national
76 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $50,860 +5% above national
77 Battle Creek, MI $50,740 +5% above national
78 Decatur, IL $50,650 +5% above national
79 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $50,600 +5% above national
80 Johnstown, PA $50,480 +5% above national
81 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $50,450 +5% above national
82 Iowa City, IA $50,430 +5% above national
83 Anniston-Oxford, AL $50,410 +4% above national
84 Vineland, NJ $50,320 +4% above national
85 Cleveland, OH $50,210 +4% above national
86 Jonesboro, AR $49,960 +4% above national
87 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $49,940 +4% above national
88 Omaha, NE-IA $49,920 +3% above national
89 Chattanooga, TN-GA $49,850 +3% above national
90 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $49,820 +3% above national
91 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $49,780 +3% above national
92 Jefferson City, MO $49,730 +3% above national
93 Altoona, PA $49,690 +3% above national
94 Jackson, MS $49,580 +3% above national
95 York-Hanover, PA $49,580 +3% above national
96 Janesville-Beloit, WI $49,570 +3% above national
97 Sheboygan, WI $49,570 +3% above national
98 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $49,520 +3% above national
99 New Haven, CT $49,490 +3% above national
100 Charlottesville, VA $49,420 +2% above national
101 Bend, OR $49,390 +2% above national
102 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $49,390 +2% above national
103 Ann Arbor, MI $49,360 +2% above national
104 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $49,350 +2% above national
105 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA $49,330 +2% above national
106 Winchester, VA-WV $49,330 +2% above national
107 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $49,260 +2% above national
108 Springfield, MA $49,260 +2% above national
109 Kansas City, MO-KS $49,180 +2% above national
110 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $49,020 +2% above national
111 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL $49,020 +2% above national
112 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $48,910 +1% above national
113 Green Bay, WI $48,910 +1% above national
114 Akron, OH $48,900 +1% above national
115 Charleston, WV $48,890 +1% above national
116 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $48,890 +1% above national
117 Merced, CA $48,890 +1% above national
118 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $48,870 +1% above national
119 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI $48,860 +1% above national
120 Bowling Green, KY $48,840 +1% above national
121 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $48,830 +1% above national
122 Port St. Lucie, FL $48,800 +1% above national
123 Pittsburgh, PA $48,760 +1% above national
124 Fond du Lac, WI $48,740 +1% above national
125 Medford, OR $48,720 +1% above national
126 Lawrence, KS $48,700 +1% above national
127 Naples-Marco Island, FL $48,700 +1% above national
128 Fresno, CA $48,660 +1% above national
129 Madison, WI $48,570 +1% above national
130 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $48,560 +1% above national
131 Waterbury-Shelton, CT $48,540 +1% above national
132 Toledo, OH $48,530 +1% above national
133 Clarksville, TN-KY $48,510 +1% above national
134 Chambersburg, PA $48,500 +1% above national
135 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $48,500 +1% above national
136 Bangor, ME $48,480 same as national
137 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $48,480 same as national
138 Columbus, OH $48,460 same as national
139 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $48,430 same as national
140 Worcester, MA $48,380 same as national
141 Spartanburg, SC $48,370 same as national
142 Lancaster, PA $48,340 same as national
143 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $48,340 same as national
144 Yuba City, CA $48,340 same as national
145 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $48,320 same as national
146 Richmond, VA $48,310 same as national
147 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $48,240 same as national
148 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $48,230 same as national
149 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $48,230 same as national
150 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $48,220 same as national
151 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $48,210 same as national
152 Manchester-Nashua, NH $48,170 same as national
153 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $48,170 same as national
154 Winston-Salem, NC $48,090 same as national
155 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $48,070 same as national
156 Lima, OH $48,040 same as national
157 Syracuse, NY $48,020 same as national
158 Bakersfield-Delano, CA $48,010 same as national
159 Lebanon, PA $47,950 1% below national
160 Ogden, UT $47,910 1% below national
161 Gettysburg, PA $47,890 1% below national
162 Harrisonburg, VA $47,870 1% below national
163 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI $47,870 1% below national
164 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA $47,820 1% below national
165 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $47,810 1% below national
166 Fort Smith, AR-OK $47,800 1% below national
167 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $47,640 1% below national
168 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX $47,630 1% below national
169 Reading, PA $47,620 1% below national
170 Fargo, ND-MN $47,610 1% below national
171 Jacksonville, FL $47,590 1% below national
172 Mobile, AL $47,580 1% below national
173 Paducah, KY-IL $47,580 1% below national
174 Eau Claire, WI $47,560 1% below national
175 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $47,560 1% below national
176 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $47,520 2% below national
177 Roanoke, VA $47,520 2% below national
178 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $47,490 2% below national
179 St. George, UT $47,380 2% below national
180 Wausau, WI $47,370 2% below national
181 Gainesville, FL $47,360 2% below national
182 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $47,360 2% below national
183 Odessa, TX $47,340 2% below national
184 Elkhart-Goshen, IN $47,320 2% below national
185 Tulsa, OK $47,310 2% below national
186 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $47,290 2% below national
187 Salem, OR $47,290 2% below national
188 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $47,280 2% below national
189 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $47,280 2% below national
190 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA $47,280 2% below national
191 Abilene, TX $47,250 2% below national
192 Billings, MT $47,240 2% below national
193 St. Louis, MO-IL $47,240 2% below national
194 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $47,230 2% below national
195 Mankato, MN $47,220 2% below national
196 Bloomington, IL $47,150 2% below national
197 Oklahoma City, OK $47,130 2% below national
198 Canton-Massillon, OH $47,110 2% below national
199 Eugene-Springfield, OR $47,070 2% below national
200 Greensboro-High Point, NC $47,070 2% below national
201 Raleigh-Cary, NC $47,070 2% below national
202 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD $47,060 2% below national
203 Youngstown-Warren, OH $47,060 2% below national
204 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $47,010 3% below national
205 Rochester, NY $46,990 3% below national
206 Tallahassee, FL $46,990 3% below national
207 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $46,950 3% below national
208 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $46,930 3% below national
209 Sandusky, OH $46,930 3% below national
210 Coeur d'Alene, ID $46,920 3% below national
211 Williamsport, PA $46,910 3% below national
212 Springfield, MO $46,860 3% below national
213 Dubuque, IA $46,770 3% below national
214 Cedar Rapids, IA $46,750 3% below national
215 Albuquerque, NM $46,670 3% below national
216 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $46,670 3% below national
217 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $46,640 3% below national
218 Visalia, CA $46,630 3% below national
219 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $46,600 3% below national
220 Boise City, ID $46,590 3% below national
221 Sioux Falls, SD-MN $46,590 3% below national
222 Grants Pass, OR $46,580 3% below national
223 Peoria, IL $46,540 4% below national
224 Burlington, NC $46,530 4% below national
225 San Angelo, TX $46,530 4% below national
226 Midland, TX $46,490 4% below national
227 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA $46,450 4% below national
228 Anchorage, AK $46,430 4% below national
229 Idaho Falls, ID $46,420 4% below national
230 Wichita Falls, TX $46,380 4% below national
231 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN $46,350 4% below national
232 Michigan City-La Porte, IN $46,300 4% below national
233 Tucson, AZ $46,290 4% below national
234 Fort Wayne, IN $46,250 4% below national
235 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC $46,170 4% below national
236 Kankakee, IL $46,130 4% below national
237 Montgomery, AL $46,130 4% below national
238 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY $46,120 4% below national
239 Jackson, TN $46,110 4% below national
240 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL $46,090 4% below national
241 Rapid City, SD $46,090 4% below national
242 Yakima, WA $46,050 5% below national
243 Waco, TX $46,010 5% below national
244 Birmingham, AL $45,990 5% below national
245 Elmira, NY $45,960 5% below national
246 Asheville, NC $45,940 5% below national
247 Pocatello, ID $45,930 5% below national
248 Missoula, MT $45,900 5% below national
249 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL $45,870 5% below national
250 Lafayette, LA $45,820 5% below national
251 Reno, NV $45,820 5% below national
252 Logan, UT-ID $45,740 5% below national
253 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $45,720 5% below national
254 Rockford, IL $45,690 5% below national
255 Terre Haute, IN $45,630 5% below national
256 Hot Springs, AR $45,610 5% below national
257 Saginaw, MI $45,600 5% below national
258 Binghamton, NY $45,560 6% below national
259 Cleveland, TN $45,560 6% below national
260 Albany, OR $45,520 6% below national
261 Lexington-Fayette, KY $45,470 6% below national
262 Evansville, IN $45,450 6% below national
263 Knoxville, TN $45,450 6% below national
264 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $45,440 6% below national
265 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $45,440 6% below national
266 Victoria, TX $45,420 6% below national
267 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $45,400 6% below national
268 Gainesville, GA $45,350 6% below national
269 Sherman-Denison, TX $45,320 6% below national
270 Wilmington, NC $45,320 6% below national
271 Longview, TX $45,310 6% below national
272 Corpus Christi, TX $45,260 6% below national
273 Decatur, AL $45,210 6% below national
274 Traverse City, MI $45,190 6% below national
275 State College, PA $45,130 6% below national
276 Killeen-Temple, TX $45,110 7% below national
277 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL $45,100 7% below national
278 Champaign-Urbana, IL $45,090 7% below national
279 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $44,920 7% below national
280 Yuma, AZ $44,910 7% below national
281 Muncie, IN $44,830 7% below national
282 Columbia, SC $44,810 7% below national
283 Morristown, TN $44,780 7% below national
284 Dalton, GA $44,740 7% below national
285 Johnson City, TN $44,600 8% below national
286 Hattiesburg, MS $44,500 8% below national
287 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL $44,460 8% below national
288 College Station-Bryan, TX $44,350 8% below national
289 Monroe, MI $44,340 8% below national
290 Owensboro, KY $44,340 8% below national
291 Lynchburg, VA $44,300 8% below national
292 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ $44,260 8% below national
293 Macon-Bibb County, GA $44,230 8% below national
294 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $44,220 8% below national
295 Huntsville, AL $44,210 8% below national
296 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $44,180 8% below national
297 Twin Falls, ID $44,070 9% below national
298 Topeka, KS $44,060 9% below national
299 Erie, PA $43,690 9% below national
300 Jackson, MI $43,680 9% below national
301 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA $43,680 9% below national
302 Mansfield, OH $43,440 10% below national
303 Utica-Rome, NY $43,390 10% below national
304 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $43,140 11% below national
305 Tuscaloosa, AL $42,950 11% below national
306 Rocky Mount, NC $42,770 11% below national
307 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $42,730 11% below national
308 Joplin, MO-KS $42,430 12% below national
309 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI $42,410 12% below national
310 Tyler, TX $42,380 12% below national
311 Lubbock, TX $42,240 12% below national
312 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH $41,790 13% below national
313 Ocala, FL $40,890 15% below national
314 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $40,590 16% below national
315 Texarkana, TX-AR $39,940 17% below national
316 Rome, GA $39,760 18% below national
317 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL $39,740 18% below national
318 Albany, GA $39,590 18% below national
319 Columbus, GA-AL $39,520 18% below national
320 Florence, SC $39,520 18% below national
321 Columbus, IN $39,300 19% below national
322 Niles, MI $39,200 19% below national
323 Dothan, AL $39,030 19% below national
324 Farmington, NM $38,860 19% below national
325 Laredo, TX $38,450 20% below national
326 El Paso, TX $38,320 21% below national
327 Valdosta, GA $38,320 21% below national
328 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $38,120 21% below national
329 Amarillo, TX $37,530 22% below national
330 Athens-Clarke County, GA $37,530 22% below national
331 Sumter, SC $37,470 22% below national
332 Gadsden, AL $37,360 23% below national
333 Auburn-Opelika, AL $36,870 24% below national
334 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $36,670 24% below national
335 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $36,520 24% below national
336 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $32,150 33% below national
337 Flint, MI $30,150 38% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 51 (Production Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 104 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Production Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($48,250 here) and reported employment (158,740 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?
The median annual salary for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $48,250 ($23.20/hour). The salary range spans from $36,260 at the 10th percentile to $74,730 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $48,250, Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay is higher than 28% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders the most?
Alaska pays the highest median salary for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders at $69,910/year, which is +45% above the national median.
What education do Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders need?
BLS assigns Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders to High school diploma or equivalent for typical education needed for entry. Typical on-the-job training assignment: Moderate-term on-the-job training.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in this release. WageDex shows the Production Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders a good career?
Employment for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is projected to grow 0.7% from 2024 to 2034, which is slower than average. About 15,800 openings are projected each year.
How does Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay vary by state?
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Alaska at $69,910/year, while Puerto Rico pays the least at $29,850/year. BLS data covers 51 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT at $69,600/year. BLS reports a median for 337 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $59,680/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Alaska leads at $69,910/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.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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.