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.
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders salary by state
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders is a professional role in the Production job family, focused on Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders work. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.
What Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenderss do
Typical education: High School Diploma
Observe, feel, taste, or otherwise examine products during and after processing to ensure conformance to standards.
Set temperature and time controls, light ovens, burners, driers, or roasters, and start equipment, such as conveyors, cylinders, blowers, driers, or pumps.
Observe temperature, humidity, pressure gauges, and product samples and adjust controls, such as thermostats and valves, to maintain prescribed operating conditions for specific stages.
Observe flow of materials and listen for machine malfunctions, such as jamming or spillage, and notify supervisors if corrective actions fail.
Record production data, such as weight and amount of product processed, type of product, and time and temperature of processing.
Top skills:Operations MonitoringMonitoringReading ComprehensionQuality Control AnalysisOperation and ControlCritical Thinking
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders pay by experience level
Entry level$34,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$39,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$46,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$52,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$65,000
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
+0.6%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
2,400
projected openings per year
Growing slower than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders salary by industry
Food Manufacturing
15,030 workers
$47,000
Other Food Manufacturing
4,740 workers
$48,000
Animal Slaughtering and Processing
3,420 workers
$45,000
Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing
2,560 workers
$45,500
Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing
1,930 workers
$41,000
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods
1,330 workers
$47,500
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only)
1,270 workers
$48,000
Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing
960 workers
$63,500
Tobacco Manufacturing
910 workers
$63,500
Dairy Product Manufacturing
890 workers
$52,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders pays 15% 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 Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders make?
The average base salary for a Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders in the United States is $47,500 per year, or about $22.84 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $39,000 and $52,500 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.
