Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed
Operate or tend cooking equipment, such as steam cooking vats, deep fry cookers, pressure cookers, kettles, and boilers, to prepare food products.
Median pay: $41,590/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)
Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Job outlook: +0.6% projected growth, 2024–2034 — slower than average.
About 4,400 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.
• Clean, wash, and sterilize equipment and cooking area, using water hoses, cleaning or sterilizing solutions, or rinses.
• Read work orders, recipes, or formulas to determine cooking times and temperatures, and ingredient specifications.
• Observe gauges, dials, and product characteristics, and adjust controls to maintain appropriate temperature, pressure, and flow of ingredients.
• Measure or weigh ingredients, using scales or measuring containers.
• Tend or operate and control equipment, such as kettles, cookers, vats and tanks, and boilers, to cook ingredients or prepare products for further processing.
• Record production and test data, such as processing steps, temperature and steam readings, cooking time, batches processed, and test results.
• Set temperature, pressure, and time controls, and start conveyers, machines, or pumps.
• Remove cooked material or products from equipment.
What's the median pay for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders?
The median pay for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders is $41,590 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders?
Employment for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders is projected to change +0.6% from 2024 to 2034 - slower than average.
What education is typically required for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders?
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
How many job openings are there each year for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders?
About 4,400 openings per year, on average, over the decade.