Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Hourly Pay

As of May 2025, the median hourly wage for food cooking machine operators and tenders in the United States was $20.00, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES survey.

Hourly Wage Percentiles

PercentileHourly Wage
10th$15.23
25th$17.40
Median$20.00
75th$22.78
90th$26.16

Data source: BLS OES national file · U.S. BLS OES survey, May 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do food cooking machine operators and tenders make an hour?

The median hourly wage is $20.00; the mean hourly wage is $20.47.

What is the entry-level hourly pay for food cooking machine operators and tenders?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn about $15.23 per hour — a common proxy for entry-level pay.

What is the top hourly pay for food cooking machine operators and tenders?

Workers at the 90th percentile earn about $26.16 per hour.