51 Series · SOC 51-3093
Food Cooking Machine 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).
- $41,590
- Median / year
- $54,410
- Top 10% earn
- +0.6%
- Growth '23–'33
- 31,250
- US workers
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders earn a median of $41,590 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $41,590, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $31,680 (10th percentile) to $54,410 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 31,250 US workers. Washington pays the most ($51,100), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders earn a median of $41,590, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 14% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #83 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 0.6% by 2033.
- $41,590
- Median annual wage
- Top 86%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #83 of 105
- in Production
- 1.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Washington at $51,100. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders (SOC 51-3093) pays a national median of $41,590 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $31,680 at the 10th percentile to $54,410 at the 90th, with a mean of $42,570 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 31,250 Americans work in this occupation across 42 reporting states and 118 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +0.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 4,400 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. Washington pays the highest state median at $51,100, which is +23% above the national figure. The top metro is Cedar Rapids, IA at $63,690 - 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
$41,590
per year
Median Hourly
$20.00/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$42,570
average
Employment
31,250
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$41,590 Bottom 14% higher than 14% 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 Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders sits on the slower-growing side at +0.6% growth and $41,590 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+0.6%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
4,400
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 Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Clean, wash, and sterilize equipment and cooking area, using water hoses, cleaning or sterilizing solutions, or rinses.
- ▸ Read work orders, recipes, or formulas to determine cooking times and temperatures, and ingredient specifications.
- ▸ Observe gauges, dials, and product characteristics, and adjust controls to maintain appropriate temperature, pressure, and flow of ingredients.
- ▸ Measure or weigh ingredients, using scales or measuring containers.
- ▸ Tend or operate and control equipment, such as kettles, cookers, vats and tanks, and boilers, to cook ingredients or prepare products for further processing.
- ▸ Record production and test data, such as processing steps, temperature and steam readings, cooking time, batches processed, and test results.
- ▸ Set temperature, pressure, and time controls, and start conveyers, machines, or pumps.
- ▸ Activate agitators and paddles to mix or stir ingredients, stopping machines when ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- ▸ Remove cooked material or products from equipment.
- ▸ Collect and examine product samples during production to test them for quality, color, content, consistency, viscosity, acidity, or specific gravity.
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
$31,680
25th Percentile
$36,190
Median
$41,590
75th Percentile
$47,380
90th Percentile
$54,410
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 42 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $51,100 | +23% above national |
| 2 | Utah | $48,620 | +17% above national |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $47,960 | +15% above national |
| 4 | Iowa | $47,900 | +15% above national |
| 5 | Michigan | $47,260 | +14% above national |
| 6 | Minnesota | $47,250 | +14% above national |
| 7 | Colorado | $46,900 | +13% above national |
| 8 | Kansas | $45,850 | +10% above national |
| 9 | New York | $45,680 | +10% above national |
| 10 | Tennessee | $45,620 | +10% above national |
| 11 | Nebraska | $45,420 | +9% above national |
| 12 | Idaho | $45,120 | +8% above national |
| 13 | California | $44,740 | +8% above national |
| 14 | Oregon | $44,530 | +7% above national |
| 15 | Louisiana | $44,440 | +7% above national |
| 16 | Arizona | $44,050 | +6% above national |
| 17 | Indiana | $43,350 | +4% above national |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $42,710 | +3% above national |
| 19 | Illinois | $42,670 | +3% above national |
| 20 | Missouri | $42,160 | +1% above national |
| 21 | Kentucky | $41,800 | +1% above national |
| 22 | Ohio | $41,160 | 1% below national |
| 23 | Arkansas | $40,480 | 3% below national |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $40,440 | 3% below national |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $40,000 | 4% below national |
| 26 | South Dakota | $39,270 | 6% below national |
| 27 | North Carolina | $39,070 | 6% below national |
| 28 | Connecticut | $38,880 | 7% below national |
| 29 | Georgia | $38,440 | 8% below national |
| 30 | South Carolina | $38,220 | 8% below national |
| 31 | Maine | $37,500 | 10% below national |
| 32 | New Jersey | $37,180 | 11% below national |
| 33 | Maryland | $36,960 | 11% below national |
| 34 | Nevada | $36,610 | 12% below national |
| 35 | Florida | $36,450 | 12% below national |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $36,030 | 13% below national |
| 37 | Virginia | $35,140 | 16% below national |
| 38 | Texas | $33,980 | 18% below national |
| 39 | Delaware | $31,240 | 25% below national |
| 40 | Mississippi | $31,150 | 25% below national |
| 41 | Alabama | $27,080 | 35% below national |
| 42 | Puerto Rico | $25,480 | 39% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 118 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $63,690 | +53% above national |
| 2 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $60,250 | +45% above national |
| 3 | Modesto, CA | $59,010 | +42% above national |
| 4 | Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $58,480 | +41% above national |
| 5 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $57,680 | +39% above national |
| 6 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $57,490 | +38% above national |
| 7 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $56,190 | +35% above national |
| 8 | Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $55,770 | +34% above national |
| 9 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $55,270 | +33% above national |
| 10 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $51,660 | +24% above national |
| 11 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $51,600 | +24% above national |
| 12 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $51,560 | +24% above national |
| 13 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $50,330 | +21% above national |
| 14 | Dubuque, IA | $50,140 | +21% above national |
| 15 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $49,960 | +20% above national |
| 16 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $49,740 | +20% above national |
| 17 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $49,560 | +19% above national |
| 18 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $49,390 | +19% above national |
| 19 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $49,220 | +18% above national |
| 20 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $48,980 | +18% above national |
| 21 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $48,460 | +17% above national |
| 22 | Omaha, NE-IA | $48,420 | +16% above national |
| 23 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $48,290 | +16% above national |
| 24 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $48,230 | +16% above national |
| 25 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $48,010 | +15% above national |
| 26 | Appleton, WI | $47,920 | +15% above national |
| 27 | Rochester, NY | $47,760 | +15% above national |
| 28 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $47,390 | +14% above national |
| 29 | St. Cloud, MN | $47,380 | +14% above national |
| 30 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $47,260 | +14% above national |
| 31 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $47,250 | +14% above national |
| 32 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $47,220 | +14% above national |
| 33 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $47,150 | +13% above national |
| 34 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $47,130 | +13% above national |
| 35 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $47,050 | +13% above national |
| 36 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $46,880 | +13% above national |
| 37 | Syracuse, NY | $46,780 | +12% above national |
| 38 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $46,410 | +12% above national |
| 39 | York-Hanover, PA | $46,350 | +11% above national |
| 40 | Twin Falls, ID | $46,010 | +11% above national |
| 41 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $45,950 | +10% above national |
| 42 | Visalia, CA | $45,880 | +10% above national |
| 43 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $45,580 | +10% above national |
| 44 | Reading, PA | $45,470 | +9% above national |
| 45 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $45,340 | +9% above national |
| 46 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $45,260 | +9% above national |
| 47 | Boise City, ID | $45,120 | +8% above national |
| 48 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $44,280 | +6% above national |
| 49 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $44,240 | +6% above national |
| 50 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $43,880 | +6% above national |
| 51 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $43,560 | +5% above national |
| 52 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $43,480 | +5% above national |
| 53 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $43,310 | +4% above national |
| 54 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $43,000 | +3% above national |
| 55 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $42,950 | +3% above national |
| 56 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $42,910 | +3% above national |
| 57 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $42,860 | +3% above national |
| 58 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $42,760 | +3% above national |
| 59 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $42,710 | +3% above national |
| 60 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $41,860 | +1% above national |
| 61 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $41,800 | +1% above national |
| 62 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $41,590 | same as national |
| 63 | Knoxville, TN | $41,200 | 1% below national |
| 64 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $41,160 | 1% below national |
| 65 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $41,070 | 1% below national |
| 66 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $41,030 | 1% below national |
| 67 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $40,740 | 2% below national |
| 68 | Columbus, OH | $40,650 | 2% below national |
| 69 | Green Bay, WI | $40,200 | 3% below national |
| 70 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $40,190 | 3% below national |
| 71 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $40,170 | 3% below national |
| 72 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $40,150 | 3% below national |
| 73 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $39,960 | 4% below national |
| 74 | Salem, OR | $39,920 | 4% below national |
| 75 | Pittsburgh, PA | $39,880 | 4% below national |
| 76 | Fond du Lac, WI | $39,830 | 4% below national |
| 77 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $39,790 | 4% below national |
| 78 | Cleveland, OH | $39,650 | 5% below national |
| 79 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $39,470 | 5% below national |
| 80 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $39,410 | 5% below national |
| 81 | Fayetteville, NC | $39,230 | 6% below national |
| 82 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $38,890 | 6% below national |
| 83 | Tulsa, OK | $38,750 | 7% below national |
| 84 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $38,690 | 7% below national |
| 85 | Vallejo, CA | $38,640 | 7% below national |
| 86 | Oklahoma City, OK | $38,480 | 7% below national |
| 87 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $38,450 | 8% below national |
| 88 | Fresno, CA | $38,430 | 8% below national |
| 89 | Florence, SC | $38,220 | 8% below national |
| 90 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $38,060 | 8% below national |
| 91 | Richmond, VA | $38,030 | 9% below national |
| 92 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $37,710 | 9% below national |
| 93 | Altoona, PA | $37,530 | 10% below national |
| 94 | Springfield, MO | $37,400 | 10% below national |
| 95 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $37,400 | 10% below national |
| 96 | Joplin, MO-KS | $37,190 | 11% below national |
| 97 | Jacksonville, FL | $36,890 | 11% below national |
| 98 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $36,790 | 12% below national |
| 99 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $36,740 | 12% below national |
| 100 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $36,610 | 12% below national |
| 101 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $36,520 | 12% below national |
| 102 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $36,450 | 12% below national |
| 103 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $36,190 | 13% below national |
| 104 | El Paso, TX | $36,120 | 13% below national |
| 105 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $35,890 | 14% below national |
| 106 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $35,350 | 15% below national |
| 107 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $35,240 | 15% below national |
| 108 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $34,800 | 16% below national |
| 109 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $34,200 | 18% below national |
| 110 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $33,280 | 20% below national |
| 111 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $33,120 | 20% below national |
| 112 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $32,770 | 21% below national |
| 113 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $32,740 | 21% below national |
| 114 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $32,180 | 23% below national |
| 115 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $30,340 | 27% below national |
| 116 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $26,950 | 35% below national |
| 117 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $25,480 | 39% below national |
| 118 | Baton Rouge, LA | $23,600 | 43% 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 Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders make? ▼
What state pays Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders? ▼
How dangerous is being a Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders? ▼
Is Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders a good career? ▼
How does Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $47,380/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: Washington leads at $51,100/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.