Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Salary
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO make a median of $48,980 a year, or about $23.55 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $63K for experienced workers.
So what does $49K get you in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
About food cooking machine operators and tenders
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for food cooking machine operators and tenders in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $49K | $48K |
| Omaha | $48K | $53K |
| Tulsa | $39K | $43K |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $38K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level food cooking machine operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $63K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $51K | +23% | 310 |
| Utah | $49K | +17% | 390 |
| Massachusetts | $48K | +15% | 170 |
| Iowa | $48K | +15% | 850 |
| Michigan | $47K | +14% | 380 |
| Minnesota | $47K | +14% | 1,410 |
| Colorado | $47K | +13% | 300 |
| Kansas | $46K | +10% | 750 |
| New York | $46K | +10% | 1,300 |
| Tennessee | $46K | +10% | 1,820 |
| Nebraska | $45K | +9% | 670 |
| Idaho | $45K | +8% | 790 |
| California | $45K | +8% | 2,010 |
| Oregon | $45K | +7% | 570 |
| Louisiana | $44K | +7% | 550 |
| Arizona | $44K | +6% | 560 |
| Indiana | $43K | +4% | 540 |
| Pennsylvania | $43K | +3% | 1,580 |
| Illinois | $43K | +3% | 2,460 |
| Missouri | $42K | +1% | 620 |
| Kentucky | $42K | +1% | 300 |
| Ohio | $41K | -1% | 980 |
| Arkansas | $40K | -3% | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $40K | -3% | 110 |
| Wisconsin | $40K | -4% | 850 |
| South Dakota | $39K | -6% | 120 |
| North Carolina | $39K | -6% | 770 |
| Connecticut | $39K | -7% | 60 |
| Georgia | $38K | -8% | 690 |
| South Carolina | $38K | -8% | 520 |
| Maine | $38K | -10% | 170 |
| New Jersey | $37K | -11% | 430 |
| Maryland | $37K | -11% | N/A |
| Nevada | $37K | -12% | N/A |
| Florida | $36K | -12% | 970 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -13% | 1,140 |
| Virginia | $35K | -16% | 510 |
| Texas | $34K | -18% | 3,180 |
| Delaware | $31K | -25% | N/A |
| Mississippi | $31K | -25% | 110 |
| Alabama | $27K | -35% | 250 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track food cooking machine operators and tenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a food cooking machine operators and tender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 36.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,187/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new food cooking machine operators and tenders typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,813/month.
Is food cooking machine operators and tender a high-paying job in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Local pay is 18% above the national median — $49K here vs. $42K nationally.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for food cooking machine operators and tenders?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $42K — that’s +18%.
How much do food cooking machine operators and tenders make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $48,980 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,890, and experienced food cooking machine operators and tenders can clear $62,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,270/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,187/month, which eats 36.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a food cooking machine operators and tenders salary go in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food cooking machine operators and tenders salary is worth about $48,980 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do food cooking machine operators and tenders get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.