How much does a food machine operator make?
a year · about $20 an hour
A typical food machine operator in the United States makes $41,590 a year, about $20 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They read a recipe or work order, weigh ingredients, and load a kettle, fryer, or steamer. Then they watch gauges and food samples, adjust the heat and pressure, record each batch, and clean the equipment.
Did you know? Some operators make potato chips on frying equipment, while others set up commercial steamers used to make dumplings.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $31,680 and $54,410How do you become one?
Many U.S. employers ask for a high school diploma or GED, though some jobs require less. New operators usually learn the equipment and safety rules from experienced coworkers on the job, often over a few weeks to a few months.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experience, useful training or certificates, special machine skills, and extra responsibility can affect pay. Pay also varies by employer, food industry, and location; hours and shift premiums may matter too.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Iowa ($47,900), lowest in Texas ($33,980).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $31,680 | $41,590 | $54,410 | about 31,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $47,900 | about 850 |
| Minnesota | $47,250 | about 1,000 |
| Kansas | $45,850 | about 750 |
| New York | $45,680 | about 1,000 |
| Tennessee | $45,620 | about 2,000 |
Official definition: 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).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/51-3093.00
- www.bls.gov/ooh/production/food-and-tobacco-processing-workers.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes513093.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY