51 Series · SOC 51-9012
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still 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).
- $51,610
- Median / year
- $79,750
- Top 10% earn
- -4.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 60,100
- US workers
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $51,610 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $51,610, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $36,200 (10th percentile) to $79,750 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 60,100 US workers. Wyoming pays the most ($108,900), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders earn a median of $51,610, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 37% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Production, it ranks #29 of 105 by median pay. Employment is projected to fall 4.3% by 2033.
- $51,610
- Median annual wage
- Top 63%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #29 of 105
- in Production
- 2.2×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Wyoming at $108,900. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (SOC 51-9012) pays a national median of $51,610 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $36,200 at the 10th percentile to $79,750 at the 90th, with a mean of $56,030 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 60,100 Americans work in this occupation across 51 reporting states and 276 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a -4.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as declining relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 5,400 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. Wyoming pays the highest state median at $108,900, which is +111% above the national figure. The top metro is Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area at $108,900 - 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
$51,610
per year
Median Hourly
$24.81/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$56,030
average
Employment
60,100
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$51,610 Bottom 37% higher than 37% 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 Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 23 51-series occupations with growth data, Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders sits on the slower-growing side at -4.3% growth and $51,610 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
-4.3%
Declining
Annual Openings
5,400
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 Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.
- ▸ Examine samples to verify qualities such as clarity, cleanliness, consistency, dryness, or texture.
- ▸ Start agitators, shakers, conveyors, pumps, or centrifuge machines.
- ▸ Inspect machines or equipment for hazards, operating efficiency, malfunctions, wear, or leaks.
- ▸ Measure or weigh materials to be refined, mixed, transferred, stored, or otherwise processed.
- ▸ Test samples to determine viscosity, acidity, specific gravity, or degree of concentration, using test equipment such as viscometers, pH meters, or hydrometers.
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
$36,200
25th Percentile
$44,410
Median
$51,610
75th Percentile
$63,930
90th Percentile
$79,750
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 51 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $108,900 | +111% above national |
| 2 | Nevada | $62,960 | +22% above national |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $60,340 | +17% above national |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $60,100 | +16% above national |
| 5 | Virginia | $59,480 | +15% above national |
| 6 | North Dakota | $59,390 | +15% above national |
| 7 | Kentucky | $58,770 | +14% above national |
| 8 | Louisiana | $58,640 | +14% above national |
| 9 | New Jersey | $58,140 | +13% above national |
| 10 | Arizona | $57,820 | +12% above national |
| 11 | Maine | $57,190 | +11% above national |
| 12 | Minnesota | $57,190 | +11% above national |
| 13 | Washington | $56,160 | +9% above national |
| 14 | New York | $55,990 | +8% above national |
| 15 | Maryland | $55,580 | +8% above national |
| 16 | Georgia | $55,500 | +8% above national |
| 17 | Indiana | $53,990 | +5% above national |
| 18 | Vermont | $53,570 | +4% above national |
| 19 | California | $52,910 | +3% above national |
| 20 | Iowa | $52,220 | +1% above national |
| 21 | Idaho | $52,160 | +1% above national |
| 22 | Hawaii | $51,070 | 1% below national |
| 23 | South Dakota | $50,780 | 2% below national |
| 24 | Tennessee | $50,470 | 2% below national |
| 25 | Connecticut | $50,370 | 2% below national |
| 26 | Oregon | $50,160 | 3% below national |
| 27 | Florida | $49,610 | 4% below national |
| 28 | Colorado | $49,590 | 4% below national |
| 29 | Michigan | $49,480 | 4% below national |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $49,440 | 4% below national |
| 31 | South Carolina | $49,320 | 4% below national |
| 32 | Missouri | $49,290 | 4% below national |
| 33 | North Carolina | $49,140 | 5% below national |
| 34 | Massachusetts | $48,970 | 5% below national |
| 35 | Kansas | $48,790 | 5% below national |
| 36 | Illinois | $48,440 | 6% below national |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | $48,390 | 6% below national |
| 38 | Alaska | $48,000 | 7% below national |
| 39 | Montana | $47,920 | 7% below national |
| 40 | Ohio | $47,640 | 8% below national |
| 41 | Delaware | $47,520 | 8% below national |
| 42 | Nebraska | $47,080 | 9% below national |
| 43 | Alabama | $46,970 | 9% below national |
| 44 | Texas | $46,910 | 9% below national |
| 45 | Rhode Island | $46,710 | 9% below national |
| 46 | Utah | $46,600 | 10% below national |
| 47 | Mississippi | $43,890 | 15% below national |
| 48 | Arkansas | $41,720 | 19% below national |
| 49 | New Mexico | $41,370 | 20% below national |
| 50 | West Virginia | $35,870 | 30% below national |
| 51 | Puerto Rico | $32,000 | 38% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 276 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $108,900 | +111% above national |
| 2 | Syracuse, NY | $82,530 | +60% above national |
| 3 | Vallejo, CA | $82,440 | +60% above national |
| 4 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $82,210 | +59% above national |
| 5 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $80,140 | +55% above national |
| 6 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $76,350 | +48% above national |
| 7 | South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $75,280 | +46% above national |
| 8 | Modesto, CA | $73,690 | +43% above national |
| 9 | Northwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $70,200 | +36% above national |
| 10 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $66,310 | +28% above national |
| 11 | Napa, CA | $64,000 | +24% above national |
| 12 | Owensboro, KY | $63,700 | +23% above national |
| 13 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $62,320 | +21% above national |
| 14 | Merced, CA | $61,920 | +20% above national |
| 15 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $61,550 | +19% above national |
| 16 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $61,300 | +19% above national |
| 17 | East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $60,820 | +18% above national |
| 18 | Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area | $60,790 | +18% above national |
| 19 | Savannah, GA | $60,710 | +18% above national |
| 20 | Oklahoma City, OK | $60,480 | +17% above national |
| 21 | Fargo, ND-MN | $60,320 | +17% above national |
| 22 | Rochester, MN | $59,970 | +16% above national |
| 23 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $59,690 | +16% above national |
| 24 | Greeley, CO | $59,670 | +16% above national |
| 25 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $59,610 | +16% above national |
| 26 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $59,600 | +15% above national |
| 27 | East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $59,390 | +15% above national |
| 28 | Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $59,310 | +15% above national |
| 29 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $59,220 | +15% above national |
| 30 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $59,100 | +15% above national |
| 31 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $59,080 | +14% above national |
| 32 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $59,020 | +14% above national |
| 33 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $58,970 | +14% above national |
| 34 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $58,580 | +14% above national |
| 35 | Visalia, CA | $58,490 | +13% above national |
| 36 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $58,430 | +13% above national |
| 37 | Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area | $58,210 | +13% above national |
| 38 | Joplin, MO-KS | $58,170 | +13% above national |
| 39 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $57,980 | +12% above national |
| 40 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $57,900 | +12% above national |
| 41 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $57,890 | +12% above national |
| 42 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $57,700 | +12% above national |
| 43 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $57,690 | +12% above national |
| 44 | Northern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $57,690 | +12% above national |
| 45 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $57,500 | +11% above national |
| 46 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $57,400 | +11% above national |
| 47 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $57,060 | +11% above national |
| 48 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $56,910 | +10% above national |
| 49 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $56,900 | +10% above national |
| 50 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $56,850 | +10% above national |
| 51 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $56,790 | +10% above national |
| 52 | Bozeman, MT | $56,560 | +10% above national |
| 53 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $56,490 | +9% above national |
| 54 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $56,370 | +9% above national |
| 55 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $56,280 | +9% above national |
| 56 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $56,080 | +9% above national |
| 57 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $56,050 | +9% above national |
| 58 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $55,990 | +8% above national |
| 59 | Charlottesville, VA | $55,970 | +8% above national |
| 60 | Richmond, VA | $55,960 | +8% above national |
| 61 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $55,920 | +8% above national |
| 62 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $55,910 | +8% above national |
| 63 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $55,800 | +8% above national |
| 64 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $55,680 | +8% above national |
| 65 | Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $55,620 | +8% above national |
| 66 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $55,560 | +8% above national |
| 67 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $55,510 | +8% above national |
| 68 | Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area | $55,460 | +7% above national |
| 69 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $55,440 | +7% above national |
| 70 | Salem, OR | $55,100 | +7% above national |
| 71 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $54,990 | +7% above national |
| 72 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $54,830 | +6% above national |
| 73 | Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $54,660 | +6% above national |
| 74 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $54,500 | +6% above national |
| 75 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $54,190 | +5% above national |
| 76 | Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $54,160 | +5% above national |
| 77 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $54,130 | +5% above national |
| 78 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $53,940 | +5% above national |
| 79 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $53,920 | +4% above national |
| 80 | West Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $53,920 | +4% above national |
| 81 | Reading, PA | $53,890 | +4% above national |
| 82 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $53,690 | +4% above national |
| 83 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $53,570 | +4% above national |
| 84 | Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $53,510 | +4% above national |
| 85 | Wichita, KS | $53,410 | +3% above national |
| 86 | Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $53,410 | +3% above national |
| 87 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $53,360 | +3% above national |
| 88 | Boulder, CO | $53,340 | +3% above national |
| 89 | Birmingham, AL | $53,330 | +3% above national |
| 90 | Rochester, NY | $52,800 | +2% above national |
| 91 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $52,790 | +2% above national |
| 92 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $52,470 | +2% above national |
| 93 | Salinas, CA | $52,320 | +1% above national |
| 94 | Chambersburg, PA | $52,300 | +1% above national |
| 95 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $52,170 | +1% above national |
| 96 | Twin Falls, ID | $52,160 | +1% above national |
| 97 | Bend, OR | $52,000 | +1% above national |
| 98 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $52,000 | +1% above national |
| 99 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $52,000 | +1% above national |
| 100 | West South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $52,000 | +1% above national |
| 101 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $51,960 | +1% above national |
| 102 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $51,800 | same as national |
| 103 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $51,600 | same as national |
| 104 | Bellingham, WA | $51,580 | same as national |
| 105 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $51,550 | same as national |
| 106 | Walla Walla, WA | $51,540 | same as national |
| 107 | Lynchburg, VA | $51,520 | same as national |
| 108 | Reno, NV | $51,340 | 1% below national |
| 109 | Utica-Rome, NY | $51,320 | 1% below national |
| 110 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $51,300 | 1% below national |
| 111 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $51,180 | 1% below national |
| 112 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $51,170 | 1% below national |
| 113 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $51,150 | 1% below national |
| 114 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $51,070 | 1% below national |
| 115 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $51,060 | 1% below national |
| 116 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $51,050 | 1% below national |
| 117 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $51,030 | 1% below national |
| 118 | New Haven, CT | $50,930 | 1% below national |
| 119 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $50,900 | 1% below national |
| 120 | Green Bay, WI | $50,840 | 1% below national |
| 121 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $50,780 | 2% below national |
| 122 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $50,740 | 2% below national |
| 123 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $50,590 | 2% below national |
| 124 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $50,580 | 2% below national |
| 125 | Spartanburg, SC | $50,540 | 2% below national |
| 126 | Kingston, NY | $50,530 | 2% below national |
| 127 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $50,510 | 2% below national |
| 128 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $50,470 | 2% below national |
| 129 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $50,470 | 2% below national |
| 130 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $50,440 | 2% below national |
| 131 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $50,380 | 2% below national |
| 132 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $50,360 | 2% below national |
| 133 | Albany, OR | $50,340 | 2% below national |
| 134 | Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $50,320 | 2% below national |
| 135 | Asheville, NC | $50,310 | 3% below national |
| 136 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $50,310 | 3% below national |
| 137 | East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area | $50,310 | 3% below national |
| 138 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $50,260 | 3% below national |
| 139 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $50,250 | 3% below national |
| 140 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $50,180 | 3% below national |
| 141 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $50,150 | 3% below national |
| 142 | Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area | $50,090 | 3% below national |
| 143 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $50,000 | 3% below national |
| 144 | Tucson, AZ | $49,980 | 3% below national |
| 145 | Anchorage, AK | $49,960 | 3% below national |
| 146 | Columbus, OH | $49,920 | 3% below national |
| 147 | Missoula, MT | $49,920 | 3% below national |
| 148 | Boise City, ID | $49,850 | 3% below national |
| 149 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $49,830 | 3% below national |
| 150 | Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area | $49,810 | 3% below national |
| 151 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $49,620 | 4% below national |
| 152 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $49,570 | 4% below national |
| 153 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $49,510 | 4% below national |
| 154 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $49,480 | 4% below national |
| 155 | Baton Rouge, LA | $49,460 | 4% below national |
| 156 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $49,440 | 4% below national |
| 157 | Altoona, PA | $49,350 | 4% below national |
| 158 | Columbia, SC | $49,320 | 4% below national |
| 159 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $49,290 | 4% below national |
| 160 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $49,250 | 5% below national |
| 161 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $49,210 | 5% below national |
| 162 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $49,180 | 5% below national |
| 163 | Ann Arbor, MI | $49,070 | 5% below national |
| 164 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $49,040 | 5% below national |
| 165 | Fort Wayne, IN | $48,930 | 5% below national |
| 166 | Worcester, MA | $48,890 | 5% below national |
| 167 | Glens Falls, NY | $48,860 | 5% below national |
| 168 | Springfield, MO | $48,780 | 5% below national |
| 169 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $48,710 | 6% below national |
| 170 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $48,660 | 6% below national |
| 171 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $48,630 | 6% below national |
| 172 | Duluth, MN-WI | $48,620 | 6% below national |
| 173 | Roanoke, VA | $48,610 | 6% below national |
| 174 | Pittsburgh, PA | $48,590 | 6% below national |
| 175 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $48,570 | 6% below national |
| 176 | York-Hanover, PA | $48,390 | 6% below national |
| 177 | Northeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $48,340 | 6% below national |
| 178 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $48,340 | 6% below national |
| 179 | Niles, MI | $48,250 | 7% below national |
| 180 | Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area | $48,190 | 7% below national |
| 181 | Winston-Salem, NC | $48,100 | 7% below national |
| 182 | Eastern and Southern Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $48,100 | 7% below national |
| 183 | Madison, WI | $48,000 | 7% below national |
| 184 | South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $47,980 | 7% below national |
| 185 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,950 | 7% below national |
| 186 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $47,820 | 7% below national |
| 187 | Chico, CA | $47,680 | 8% below national |
| 188 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $47,550 | 8% below national |
| 189 | Sussex Delaware nonmetropolitan area | $47,520 | 8% below national |
| 190 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $47,510 | 8% below national |
| 191 | Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $47,500 | 8% below national |
| 192 | Fresno, CA | $47,440 | 8% below national |
| 193 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $47,440 | 8% below national |
| 194 | Yakima, WA | $47,330 | 8% below national |
| 195 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $47,240 | 8% below national |
| 196 | Cleveland, OH | $47,100 | 9% below national |
| 197 | Lincoln, NE | $47,080 | 9% below national |
| 198 | St. Cloud, MN | $47,070 | 9% below national |
| 199 | Topeka, KS | $47,040 | 9% below national |
| 200 | Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area | $47,040 | 9% below national |
| 201 | Omaha, NE-IA | $47,030 | 9% below national |
| 202 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $47,030 | 9% below national |
| 203 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $46,960 | 9% below national |
| 204 | Amarillo, TX | $46,910 | 9% below national |
| 205 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $46,900 | 9% below national |
| 206 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $46,870 | 9% below national |
| 207 | Traverse City, MI | $46,870 | 9% below national |
| 208 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $46,790 | 9% below national |
| 209 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $46,750 | 9% below national |
| 210 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $46,740 | 9% below national |
| 211 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $46,720 | 9% below national |
| 212 | Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $46,720 | 9% below national |
| 213 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $46,540 | 10% below national |
| 214 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $46,520 | 10% below national |
| 215 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $46,510 | 10% below national |
| 216 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $46,430 | 10% below national |
| 217 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $46,400 | 10% below national |
| 218 | Jackson, MI | $46,380 | 10% below national |
| 219 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $46,380 | 10% below national |
| 220 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $46,380 | 10% below national |
| 221 | Wilmington, NC | $46,320 | 10% below national |
| 222 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $46,260 | 10% below national |
| 223 | Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $46,260 | 10% below national |
| 224 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $45,990 | 11% below national |
| 225 | Medford, OR | $45,950 | 11% below national |
| 226 | Lafayette, LA | $45,910 | 11% below national |
| 227 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $45,880 | 11% below national |
| 228 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $45,750 | 11% below national |
| 229 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $45,700 | 11% below national |
| 230 | Billings, MT | $45,590 | 12% below national |
| 231 | Tulsa, OK | $45,570 | 12% below national |
| 232 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $45,490 | 12% below national |
| 233 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $45,380 | 12% below national |
| 234 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $45,270 | 12% below national |
| 235 | North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $45,230 | 12% below national |
| 236 | Lancaster, PA | $45,190 | 12% below national |
| 237 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $45,160 | 12% below national |
| 238 | Pueblo, CO | $45,100 | 13% below national |
| 239 | El Paso, TX | $45,060 | 13% below national |
| 240 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $44,910 | 13% below national |
| 241 | El Centro, CA | $44,790 | 13% below national |
| 242 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $44,730 | 13% below national |
| 243 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $44,650 | 13% below national |
| 244 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $44,570 | 14% below national |
| 245 | Colorado Springs, CO | $44,450 | 14% below national |
| 246 | Southwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $44,450 | 14% below national |
| 247 | Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area | $44,290 | 14% below national |
| 248 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $44,240 | 14% below national |
| 249 | Valdosta, GA | $43,990 | 15% below national |
| 250 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $43,950 | 15% below national |
| 251 | West Montana nonmetropolitan area | $43,550 | 16% below national |
| 252 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $43,350 | 16% below national |
| 253 | Jonesboro, AR | $43,160 | 16% below national |
| 254 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $42,920 | 17% below national |
| 255 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $42,240 | 18% below national |
| 256 | Columbia, MO | $42,050 | 19% below national |
| 257 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $41,970 | 19% below national |
| 258 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $41,730 | 19% below national |
| 259 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $41,600 | 19% below national |
| 260 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $41,450 | 20% below national |
| 261 | Grand Junction, CO | $41,420 | 20% below national |
| 262 | Knoxville, TN | $40,970 | 21% below national |
| 263 | Ogden, UT | $40,590 | 21% below national |
| 264 | Southwestern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $40,320 | 22% below national |
| 265 | North Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $40,240 | 22% below national |
| 266 | Toledo, OH | $39,630 | 23% below national |
| 267 | Albuquerque, NM | $39,070 | 24% below national |
| 268 | Vineland, NJ | $38,970 | 24% below national |
| 269 | Central Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $36,930 | 28% below national |
| 270 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $36,770 | 29% below national |
| 271 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $36,680 | 29% below national |
| 272 | Grand Island, NE | $36,310 | 30% below national |
| 273 | Erie, PA | $35,530 | 31% below national |
| 274 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $34,340 | 33% below national |
| 275 | Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $33,290 | 35% below national |
| 276 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $28,330 | 45% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make? ▼
What state pays Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders the most? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $63,930/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: Wyoming leads at $108,900/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.