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Salary comparison

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders vs. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators: Who Earns More?

Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators out-earn Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders by $3K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders land at $41,590 and Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators at $44,650. The education gap is real: food cooking machine 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 Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders is Washington ($51,100); for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators it's District of Columbia ($50,330).

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
Median salary
$41,590
$44,650
Hourly rate
$20/hr
$21.47/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$31,680
$33,280
Senior level (90th %)
$54,410
$64,880
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
31,250
1,405,030
Job growth (10-year)
0.6%
-0.1%
Category
Production & Manufacturing
Production & Manufacturing
Top-paying state
Washington
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders median pay.

State
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators
Washington
$51,100
$48,260
Massachusetts
$47,960
$46,720
Iowa
$47,900
$48,920
Minnesota
$47,250
$46,920
Colorado
$46,900
$46,150
California
$44,740
$47,720
Oregon
$44,530
$46,910
Indiana
$43,350
$45,550
Missouri
$42,160
$46,480
Kentucky
$41,800
$47,950
Ohio
$41,160
$45,720
New Hampshire
$40,440
$46,940
Wisconsin
$40,000
$45,670
Maine
$37,500
$45,970
Nevada
$36,610
$49,050

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

Common questions

Who earns more, Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators?

Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators earn more nationally. The median is $41,590 for Food Cooking Machine 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, Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators?

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders has the better 10-year outlook at 0.6% projected growth, compared to -0.1% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders or Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators?

Food Cooking Machine 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 Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders get paid the most?

Washington is the top-paying state for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders at $51,100/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders vs. Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Washington, Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders earn $51,100 vs. $48,260 for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary breakdownView →Full Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators salary breakdownView →Best cities for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators by take-home payExplore →How to become a food cooking machine operators and tendersGuide →How to become a miscellaneous assemblers and fabricatorsGuide →