Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders · Washington

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in Washington

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Washington earn a median annual wage of $51,100 —22.9% above the national median of $41,590. That ranks WA #1 of 41 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$51,100
Median hourly
$24.57
Entry level (P10)
$41,060
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$60,660
90th percentile
Employment
310
0.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
+22.9%
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
$41,060
$47,580
$51,100
$56,850
$41,060$51,100$60,660
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $51,100.

Employment is only 0.43× as concentrated as the national average — this occupation is relatively scarce in Washington.

Highest-paying states for food cooking machine operators and tenders

All 41 states ranked by median annual wage. Washington 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 Washington

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Washington.

Frequently asked questions

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

The median annual wage for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Washington is $51,100, or $24.57 per hour. That is 22.9% above the national median of $41,590.

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

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $41,060 per year ($19.74/hour). The 25th percentile is $47,580.

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

About 310 people work in this occupation in Washington, or 0.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

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

Washington ranks #1 of 41 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is only 0.43x as concentrated as the national average, so this occupation is relatively scarce in Washington.

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