Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders salary by state
What Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenderss do
Typical education: High School Diploma
Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations.
Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions.
Set controls to regulate temperature and length of cycles, and start conveyors, pumps, agitators, and machines.
Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.
Operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber.
Top skills:Operation and ControlOperations MonitoringTime ManagementSpeakingMonitoringCritical Thinking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders pay by experience level
Entry level$35,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$38,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$45,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$51,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$60,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+3.6%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
1,600
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders salary by industry
Food Manufacturing
6,710 workers
$46,000
Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
2,120 workers
$42,500
Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing
1,610 workers
$46,000
Animal Slaughtering and Processing
1,510 workers
$42,500
Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing
1,280 workers
$45,000
Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities
1,120 workers
$41,500
Other Food Manufacturing
970 workers
$46,500
Administrative and Support Services
860 workers
$40,000
Employment Services
710 workers
$39,500
Chemical Manufacturing
650 workers
$49,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders pays 18% below the average across 112 roles in the Production job family (family average $56,000).
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders make?
The average base salary for a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders in the United States is $46,000 per year, or about $22.12 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $38,500 and $51,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Production roles?
The Production job family averages $56,000 across 112 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
