Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders · Pennsylvania

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in Pennsylvania

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Pennsylvania earn a median annual wage of $42,710 —2.7% above the national median of $41,590. That ranks PA #18 of 41 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$42,710
Median hourly
$20.54
Entry level (P10)
$34,960
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$51,520
90th percentile
Employment
1,580
0.3 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+2.7%
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
$34,960
$37,160
$42,710
$47,050
$34,960$42,710$51,520
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $42,710.

Employment is 1.30× as concentrated as the national average, making Pennsylvania a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for food cooking machine operators and tenders

All 41 states ranked by median annual wage. Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Pennsylvania.

Frequently asked questions

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

The median annual wage for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Pennsylvania is $42,710, or $20.54 per hour. That is 2.7% above the national median of $41,590.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $34,960 per year ($16.81/hour). The 25th percentile is $37,160.

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

About 1,580 people work in this occupation in Pennsylvania, or 0.3 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

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

Pennsylvania ranks #18 of 41 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.30x as concentrated as the national average, making Pennsylvania a strong market for this occupation.

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