SOC 513093

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products. Excludes "Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders" (51-3091).

National Median

$40,550

per year

National Salary Overview

Median Annual

$40,550

Entry Level (10th pct)

$30,540

Experienced (90th pct)

$54,170

Total Employed

27,660

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	$30,540 - $35,310
Mid Career2-8 years experience	$35,310 - $47,420
Senior / Expert8+ years experience	$47,420 - $54,170

Highest Paying Locations for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

Modesto, CA

$80,310

+98.1% vs national

Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area

$62,910

+55.1% vs national

Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area

$59,140

+45.8% vs national

Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY

$55,870

+37.8% vs national

Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

$55,630

+37.2% vs national

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Salary by Location

Compare salaries across 50 metropolitan areas

Metropolitan Area	Median Salary	Employed
Modesto, CA	$80,310	150
Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area	$62,910	30
Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area	$59,140	90
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	$55,870	90
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	$55,630	100
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area	$53,970	90
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$52,850	70
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	$51,490	200
Ogden, UT	$50,980	80
Appleton, WI	$50,860	60
Nebraska	$50,020	400
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD	$50,020	190
Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area	$49,970	50
York-Hanover, PA	$49,940	230
Colorado	$49,830	240
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area	$49,060	60
Twin Falls, ID	$48,830	140
Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area	$48,750	50
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area	$48,440	40
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$48,190	280
Michigan	$48,070	720
Evansville, IN	$48,070	50
Washington	$48,020	320
Minnesota	$47,890	380
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	$47,540	130
New Orleans-Metairie, LA	$47,420	N/A
Rochester, NY	$47,350	110
Syracuse, NY	$47,280	50
New Mexico	$47,250	290
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$46,790	220
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$46,750	90
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	$46,690	80
Merced, CA	$46,530	40
Idaho	$46,470	780
Fresno, CA	$46,430	130
New York	$46,360	960
Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area	$46,330	110
Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area	$45,910	N/A
Iowa	$45,910	1,000
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area	$45,780	50
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$45,730	350
Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area	$45,700	70
Kansas	$45,580	710
Kansas nonmetropolitan area	$45,580	560
Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$45,500	220
Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area	$45,200	110
Stockton-Lodi, CA	$45,190	100
Tennessee	$45,040	1,730
California	$44,720	2,340
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area	$44,590	70

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average salary for a Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders?

The national median annual salary for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders is $40,550, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This means half of workers in this occupation earn more, and half earn less.

Where do Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenderss earn the most?

The highest-paying metro area for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenderss is Modesto, CA, with a median salary of $80,310.

How much can an experienced Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders make?

Top-earning Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenderss (90th percentile) make $54,170 or more annually. This typically reflects workers with significant experience, specialized skills, or positions in high-paying regions.