Food Cooking Machine Operator and Tender Salary
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders earn a median $41,590 a year nationally. Production Occupations
U.S. median
$41,590
$20.00 per hour
Range
$31,680 – $54,410
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
31,250
across the U.S.
▲2.6%
Pay trend: The median for food cooking machine operators and tenders in the U.S. rose from $40,550 (May 2024) to $41,590 (May 2025). That roughly kept pace with inflation (2.4%).
What food cooking machine operators and tenders do
Operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- -0.3% (slower than average)
- Openings per year
- 3,700
Employment of food cooking machine operators and tenders is projected to shrink 0.3% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 3,700 openings are expected each year, on average, including jobs left by workers who retire or switch careers.
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Food Cooking Machine Operator and Tender take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$35,598
per year · effective tax rate 14.4%
$2,966Monthly
$1,483Twice a month
$1,369Every 2 weeks
$17.11Hourly
- Federal income tax$2,811
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,579
- Medicare (1.45%)$603
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$35,598
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,680 | $15.23 | $27,635 |
| 25th percentile | $36,190 | $17.40 | $31,259 |
| Median (50th) | $41,590 | $20.00 | $35,598 |
| 75th percentile | $47,380 | $22.78 | $40,250 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $54,410 | $26.16 | $45,898 |
Food Cooking Machine Operator and Tender salary by state
| State | Median | 1-yr change | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $51,100 | +6.4% | $43,239 | $41,060 – $60,660 | 310 |
| Utah | $48,620 | +29.3% | $40,024 | $31,850 – $52,830 | 390 |
| Massachusetts | $47,960 | +11.3% | $38,538 | $37,760 – $56,530 | 170 |
| Iowa | $47,900 | +4.3% | $39,499 | $43,410 – $52,020 | 850 |
| Michigan | $47,260 | −1.7% | $38,396 | $39,980 – $54,440 | 380 |
| Minnesota | $47,250 | −1.3% | $38,436 | $46,660 – $49,770 | 1,410 |
| Colorado | $46,900 | −5.9% | $38,509 | $40,100 – $62,620 | 300 |
| Kansas | $45,850 | +0.6% | $37,262 | $33,330 – $50,030 | 750 |
| New York | $45,680 | −1.5% | $37,014 | $36,300 – $60,250 | 1,300 |
| Tennessee | $45,620 | +1.3% | $38,836 | $35,100 – $62,560 | 1,820 |
| Nebraska | $45,420 | −9.2% | $37,488 | $34,910 – $57,390 | 670 |
| Idaho | $45,120 | −2.9% | $37,151 | $36,630 – $75,380 | 790 |
| California | $44,740 | +0.0% | $36,768 | $35,770 – $53,340 | 2,010 |
| Oregon | $44,530 | +4.9% | $34,893 | $36,450 – $55,770 | 570 |
| Louisiana | $44,440 | +18.3% | $36,941 | $18,680 – $61,360 | 550 |
| Arizona | $44,050 | +31.3% | $36,682 | $32,210 – $51,970 | 560 |
| Indiana | $43,350 | +4.2% | $35,762 | $38,820 – $51,730 | 540 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,710 | +10.7% | $35,186 | $34,960 – $51,520 | 1,580 |
| Illinois | $42,670 | −0.5% | $34,498 | $32,480 – $51,320 | 2,460 |
| Missouri | $42,160 | +17.3% | $35,011 | $28,810 – $57,020 | 620 |
| Kentucky | $41,800 | +5.1% | $34,421 | $36,360 – $52,990 | 300 |
| Ohio | $41,160 | +6.2% | $34,903 | $33,740 – $55,430 | 980 |
| Arkansas | $40,480 | +7.2% | $33,340 | $34,660 – $48,930 | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $40,440 | +14.7% | $34,674 | $34,100 – $50,170 | 110 |
| Wisconsin | $40,000 | −0.9% | $33,341 | $35,000 – $60,400 | 850 |
| South Dakota | $39,270 | +3.2% | $33,733 | $31,280 – $48,890 | 120 |
| North Carolina | $39,070 | +4.4% | $32,523 | $28,770 – $46,430 | 770 |
| Connecticut | $38,880 | −8.3% | $32,595 | $34,010 – $49,680 | 60 |
| Georgia | $38,440 | +0.5% | $31,694 | $31,500 – $49,280 | 690 |
| South Carolina | $38,220 | +3.7% | $31,754 | $36,520 – $46,370 | 520 |
| Maine | $37,500 | +2.2% | $30,928 | $35,990 – $53,150 | 170 |
| New Jersey | $37,180 | +3.0% | $31,470 | $32,220 – $45,170 | 430 |
| Maryland | $36,960 | −3.2% | $30,485 | $33,530 – $40,090 | — |
| Nevada | $36,610 | — | $31,596 | $31,270 – $47,510 | — |
| Florida | $36,450 | +9.5% | $31,468 | $29,800 – $47,550 | 970 |
| Oklahoma | $36,030 | — | $30,054 | $35,680 – $45,490 | 1,140 |
| Virginia | $35,140 | −4.7% | $29,209 | $31,480 – $48,800 | 510 |
| Texas | $33,980 | +2.5% | $29,483 | $25,480 – $45,460 | 3,180 |
| Delaware | $31,240 | — | $26,224 | $31,240 – $39,530 | — |
| Mississippi | $31,150 | −3.4% | $26,695 | $21,730 – $35,340 | 110 |
| Alabama | $27,080 | +3.4% | $22,821 | $23,000 – $45,200 | 250 |
Related jobs
| Job | Median salary | Education | Growth 2025–35 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food Batchmaker | $42,290 | High school diploma or equivalent | +6.5% |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $39,680 | No formal educational credential | +5.5% |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $44,810 | No formal educational credential | +0.4% |
| Butcher and Meat Cutter | $40,140 | No formal educational credential | +2.4% |
| Slaughterer and Meat Packer | $40,130 | No formal educational credential | +2.0% |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $38,300 | No formal educational credential | +5.7% |
| Baker | $37,160 | No formal educational credential | +5.5% |
| Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | $41,600 | No formal educational credential | +1.3% |
| Tailors, Dressmakers, and Custom Sewers | $41,640 | No formal educational credential | -8.8% |
| Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operator and Tender | $41,330 | High school diploma or equivalent | +5.9% |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food cooking machine operator and tender make?
The national median salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders is $41,590 a year ($20.00 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $31,680 and the top 10% earn over $54,410. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays food cooking machine operators and tenders the most?
Washington has the highest median pay at $51,100.
How many food cooking machine operators and tenders are there in the U.S.?
About 31,250 people work as food cooking machine operators and tenders nationwide.