SOC 519193

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

Operate or tend equipment such as cooling and freezing units, refrigerators, batch freezers, and freezing tunnels, to cool or freeze products, food, blood plasma, and chemicals.

National Median

$40,160

per year

National Salary Overview

Median Annual

$40,160

Entry Level (10th pct)

$33,710

Experienced (90th pct)

$62,760

Total Employed

6,590

Salary Distribution

Salary percentiles show the range from entry-level (10th) to top earners (90th)

Salary by Experience Level

Experience Level	Estimated Salary Range
Entry Level0-2 years experience	$33,710 - $36,150
Mid Career2-8 years experience	$36,150 - $49,150
Senior / Expert8+ years experience	$49,150 - $62,760

Highest Paying Locations for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders

Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area

$80,070

+99.4% vs national

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX

$63,780

+58.8% vs national

Illinois

$58,200

+44.9% vs national

Michigan

$54,360

+35.4% vs national

Lancaster, PA

$52,660

+31.1% vs national

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary by Location

Compare salaries across 50 metropolitan areas

Metropolitan Area	Median Salary	Employed
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area	$80,070	90
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$63,780	40
Illinois	$58,200	60
Michigan	$54,360	210
Lancaster, PA	$52,660	50
Kansas nonmetropolitan area	$51,640	130
Kansas	$51,640	140
Florida	$50,960	90
New Jersey	$50,790	50
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$49,880	N/A
St. Louis, MO-IL	$49,010	100
Iowa	$48,880	250
Northeast Alabama nonmetropolitan area	$48,570	60
Washington	$47,950	60
Maryland	$47,940	80
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$47,940	60
Missouri	$47,780	340
Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area	$47,450	30
Colorado	$47,440	60
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD	$47,020	70
Nebraska	$46,810	70
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$45,760	170
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area	$44,610	60
New York	$44,490	170
South Dakota	$44,090	60
Georgia	$43,720	460
Minnesota	$43,520	40
Indiana	$42,800	60
Ohio	$42,470	200
Nevada	$42,390	30
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$42,390	30
Modesto, CA	$41,740	50
Massachusetts	$41,560	40
Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area	$41,500	60
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area	$41,460	70
California	$40,590	550
Connecticut	$40,290	90
Kansas City, MO-KS	$40,130	90
Kentucky	$39,550	70
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area	$39,550	50
Oklahoma	$39,060	130
Oregon	$38,770	180
South Carolina	$38,740	100
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$38,480	130
Virginia	$38,460	140
Hawaii	$37,820	N/A
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area	$37,730	50
North Carolina	$37,660	390
Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area	$37,660	160
Oklahoma City, OK	$37,370	50

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders?

The national median annual salary for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders is $40,160, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This means half of workers in this occupation earn more, and half earn less.

Where do Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenderss earn the most?

The highest-paying metro area for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenderss is Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area, with a median salary of $80,070.

How much can an experienced Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders make?

Top-earning Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenderss (90th percentile) make $62,760 or more annually. This typically reflects workers with significant experience, specialized skills, or positions in high-paying regions.