Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
High school diploma or equivalent
None
Moderate-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Food cooking machine operators and tenders work in a specialized segment of food production, focusing on operating and monitoring equipment that cooks food products on a large scale. With national employment of about 30,000 workers, this is a moderately sized occupation offering entry with a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education requirement. The national median annual salary of $40,550 provides a clear benchmark for planning and comparison across locations. Projected employment growth of 0.6% suggests a generally steady outlook rather than rapid expansion or contraction. The field also generates an estimated 4,000 annual openings, which can come from both new positions and turnover. For people interested in hands-on, production-focused work that combines physical activity with attention to machinery, this role can provide a practical career path and a foundation for longer-term advancement within industrial or production environments that use similar machine-based processes.
The national median annual salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders is $40,550, giving a baseline for evaluating compensation in different regions. Several states listed stand above this national median, including California at $44,740, New York at $45,680, Colorado at $46,900, Massachusetts at $47,960, and Washington at $51,100. Among these, Washington has the highest state-level median salary in this group. Metro-level data show further variation: the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro reports a median salary of $56,190, the highest among the featured metro areas, followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont at $47,220. Other highlighted metros such as New York-Newark-Jersey City, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria have median salaries that are closer to the national figure. Together, these numbers show that earnings can differ significantly by location and that certain states and metros offer notably higher pay.
Food cooking machine operators and tenders have national employment of about 30,000, indicating a solid presence in the labor market. Projected employment growth of 0.6% points to a relatively stable outlook over the projection period, without a major decline or large expansion implied by the data. The occupation is expected to generate about 4,000 annual openings. These openings can reflect a combination of workforce turnover and incremental changes in demand. The consistent 0.6% growth figure also appears in multiple highlighted states and metro areas, suggesting that, at least in these locations, the projected trend is similar to the national pattern. For job seekers, this means opportunities are likely to continue emerging, though growth is measured rather than dramatic. Workers already in the field can use this information to plan for gradual, steady demand rather than expecting rapid shifts in job availability.
Location plays a meaningful role in both compensation and opportunity for food cooking machine operators and tenders. Among the top states by CareerGPS opportunity score, California leads with an opportunity score of 67.38, followed closely by Massachusetts and New York, both above 65. These states also offer median salaries ranging from $44,740 in California to $47,960 in Massachusetts and $45,680 in New York. Washington stands out with the highest listed state median salary of $51,100 and an opportunity score of 56.29, while Colorado offers $46,900 and a score of 56.97. At the metro level, the New York-Newark-Jersey City area has the highest opportunity score at 77.27, though its median salary of $41,590 is closer to the national median. By contrast, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue shows a higher median salary of $56,190 with an opportunity score of 61.92. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton also combine solid salaries with strong opportunity scores.
Food cooking machine operators and tenders typically enter the field with a high school diploma or equivalent. This makes the occupation accessible to individuals who are ready to work soon after completing secondary education. Success in this role is supported by a combination of practical and cognitive skills. Fine motor skills, physical strength and stamina, and mechanical skills are important for working with equipment and handling materials. Being detail oriented, strong in problem solving and decision making, and comfortable with writing and reading supports accurate and safe operation. Skills in science and computers and information technology add to a worker’s ability to understand processes and interact with modern systems. Project management and adaptability help individuals manage tasks, adjust to changing production needs, and contribute to organized workflows. Together, these skills form a profile that blends hands-on ability with careful attention and the capacity to learn and adjust on the job.
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