Occupation overview

Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in the United States

The median annual wage for food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders is $44,810, or $21.54 per hour. About 20,370 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $77,300 in North Dakota to $35,340 in Florida.

Median annual
$44,810
Median hourly
$21.54
Entry level (P10)
$33,250
Top 10% (P90)
$62,680
Employment
20,370
States covered
44

Wage distribution nationwide

Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.

10th percentile90th percentile
$33,250
$37,540
$44,810
$50,680
$33,250$44,810$62,680
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $44,810.

Salary by state

All 44 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmployment Location quotient
1North Dakota$77,300$37.16300.54
2Maryland$60,170$28.932000.55
3Colorado$59,590$28.655001.34
4Virginia$59,260$28.492700.49
5Alaska$55,280$26.58300.76
6Nevada$54,950$26.421300.63
7Washington$50,590$24.327201.54
8Minnesota$50,340$24.201,1202.91
9Maine$50,220$24.141001.24
10Pennsylvania$49,660$23.875400.69
11New York$49,020$23.571,3701.08
12Wisconsin$48,560$23.345401.39
13Kentucky$48,540$23.343401.30
14Idaho$48,250$23.204303.82
15Michigan$48,240$23.197001.22
16Iowa$47,960$23.066603.24
17Utah$47,940$23.051300.56
18Oregon$46,250$22.245001.94
19California$45,600$21.931,6300.68
20Massachusetts$45,400$21.831900.39
21Hawaii$45,390$21.82901.06
22Arkansas$45,080$21.675803.43
23South Dakota$45,040$21.661202.05
24Kansas$44,550$21.422201.17
25Ohio$44,190$21.259101.25
26Missouri$43,460$20.891,0302.67
27Nebraska$43,410$20.874403.27
28Indiana$43,370$20.852600.63
29Arizona$43,010$20.68900.21
30Oklahoma$42,390$20.383701.67
31Connecticut$41,720$20.06600.25
32Vermont$40,990$19.71802.08
33South Carolina$40,000$19.231400.47
34Tennessee$39,130$18.813500.83
35Louisiana$38,440$18.48800.33
36Illinois$38,230$18.384400.55
37Georgia$37,390$17.972900.45
38Texas$37,140$17.861,8000.98
39New Jersey$37,140$17.866301.12
40Mississippi$37,030$17.80600.41
41North Carolina$35,980$17.301,5102.33
42New Mexico$35,480$17.06700.58
43Montana$35,360$17.001301.91
44Florida$35,340$16.993600.27

Related occupations

Same job family, ranked by national employment.

Frequently asked questions

How much do food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders make?

The median annual wage for food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders in the United States is $44,810, or $21.54 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $33,250, and the top 10% earn $62,680.

How many food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders are employed in the U.S.?

About 20,370 people work as food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders nationwide.

Which state pays food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders the most?

North Dakota pays the most at a median of $77,300, followed by Maryland ($60,170) and Colorado ($59,590).

Which state pays food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders the least?

Florida has the lowest median at $35,340.

Where are food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders jobs most concentrated?

The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Idaho at 3.82×.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-26. bls.gov/oes