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Salary comparison

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders vs. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators: Who Earns More?

Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators out-earn Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders by $3K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders land at $41,330 and Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators at $44,650. The education gap is real: cooling and freezing equipment operators and tender programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while miscellaneous assemblers and fabricator programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders is Nebraska ($68,170); for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators it's District of Columbia ($50,330).

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
Median salary
$41,330
$44,650
Hourly rate
$19.87/hr
$21.47/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$33,430
$33,280
Senior level (90th %)
$62,340
$64,880
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
6,900
1,405,030
Job growth (10-year)
7.2%
-0.1%
Category
Production & Manufacturing
Production & Manufacturing
Top-paying state
Nebraska
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders median pay.

State
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
Nebraska
$68,170
$45,470
Iowa
$62,520
$48,920
Indiana
$55,730
$45,550
Missouri
$53,940
$46,480
Washington
$50,870
$48,260
Ohio
$48,160
$45,720
Wisconsin
$47,060
$45,670
Minnesota
$46,910
$46,920
Massachusetts
$46,800
$46,720
Colorado
$46,160
$46,150
California
$42,100
$47,720
Kentucky
$40,840
$47,950
Oregon
$40,030
$46,910
South Carolina
$39,640
$45,500
Hawaii
$37,990
$49,630

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators?

Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators earn more nationally. The median is $41,330 for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders versus $44,650 for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators, a difference of $3K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators?

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders has the better 10-year outlook at 7.2% projected growth, compared to -0.1% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators?

Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders get paid the most?

Nebraska is the top-paying state for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders at $68,170/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders vs. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Nebraska, Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders earn $68,170 vs. $45,470 for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders salary breakdownView →Full Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators salary breakdownView →Best cities for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators by take-home payExplore →How to become a cooling and freezing equipment operators and tendersGuide →How to become a miscellaneous assemblers and fabricatorsGuide →