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.
Typical education: Less than a High School Diploma
Inform supervisors of equipment malfunctions that need to be addressed.
Observe conveyor operations and monitor lights, dials, and gauges to maintain specified operating levels and to detect equipment malfunctions.
Record production data such as weights, types, quantities, and storage locations of materials, as well as equipment performance problems and downtime.
Load, unload, or adjust materials or products on conveyors by hand, by using lifts, hoists, and scoops, or by opening gates, chutes, or hoppers.
Stop equipment or machinery and clear jams, using poles, bars, and hand tools, or remove damaged materials from conveyors.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringOperation and ControlMonitoringActive ListeningSpeakingCritical Thinking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Conveyor Operators and Tenders pay by experience level
Entry level$37,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$39,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$44,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$50,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$61,500
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
-3.4%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
2,600
projected openings per year
Declining
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Conveyor Operators and Tenders salary by industry
Couriers and Messengers
9,450 workers
$42,000
Couriers and Express Delivery Services
9,450 workers
$42,000
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods
4,190 workers
$45,000
Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers
3,320 workers
$45,000
Food Manufacturing
2,500 workers
$52,000
Mining (except Oil and Gas)
1,270 workers
$68,000
Warehousing and Storage
1,100 workers
$44,500
Warehousing and Storage
1,100 workers
$44,500
Coal Mining
720 workers
$69,000
Dairy Product Manufacturing
570 workers
$58,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Conveyor Operators and Tenders pays 33% below the average across 53 roles in the Transportation and Material Moving job family (family average $69,000).
Similar-paying roles in Transportation and Material Moving
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