Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders · North Carolina

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in North Carolina

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in North Carolina earn a median annual wage of $39,070 —6.1% below the national median of $41,590. That ranks NC #27 of 41 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$39,070
Median hourly
$18.79
Entry level (P10)
$28,770
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$46,430
90th percentile
Employment
770
0.2 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-6.1%
U.S. $41,590

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$28,770
$30,150
$39,070
$44,250
$28,770$39,070$46,430
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $39,070.

Employment is only 0.78× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in North Carolina.

Highest-paying states for food cooking machine operators and tenders

All 41 states ranked by median annual wage. North Carolina is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Washington$51,100$24.573100.43
2Utah$48,620$23.373901.12
3Massachusetts$47,960$23.061700.24
4Iowa$47,900$23.038502.72
5Michigan$47,260$22.723800.43
6Minnesota$47,250$22.721,4102.38
7Colorado$46,900$22.553000.51
8Kansas$45,850$22.047502.58
9New York$45,680$21.961,3000.67
10Tennessee$45,620$21.931,8202.76

Related occupations in North Carolina

Occupations in the same job family, compared within North Carolina.

Frequently asked questions

How much do food cooking machine operators and tenders make in North Carolina?

The median annual wage for food cooking machine operators and tenders in North Carolina is $39,070, or $18.79 per hour. That is 6.1% below the national median of $41,590.

What is the entry-level food cooking machine operators and tenders salary in North Carolina?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $28,770 per year ($13.83/hour). The 25th percentile is $30,150.

How many people work as food cooking machine operators and tenders in North Carolina?

About 770 people work in this occupation in North Carolina, or 0.2 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is North Carolina a good state for food cooking machine operators and tenders?

North Carolina ranks #27 of 41 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.78x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in North Carolina.

Which state pays food cooking machine operators and tenders the most?

Washington has the highest median wage at $51,100 per year, followed by Utah ($48,620) and Massachusetts ($47,960).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes