Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in Fort Wayne, IN
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Fort Wayne, IN make a median of $39,350 a year, or about $18.92 an hour. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $42,508 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,113/month — about 40.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $39K get you in Fort Wayne?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Wayne’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About food cooking machine operators and tenders
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Wayne, IN
Entry-level food cooking machine operators and tenders (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $39K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $54K 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
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $50K | +23% | 400 |
| Michigan | $48K | +19% | 720 |
| Washington | $48K | +18% | 320 |
| Minnesota | $48K | +18% | 380 |
| New Mexico | $47K | +17% | 290 |
| Idaho | $46K | +15% | 780 |
| New York | $46K | +14% | 960 |
| Iowa | $46K | +13% | 1,000 |
| Kansas | $46K | +12% | 710 |
| Tennessee | $45K | +11% | 1,730 |
| California | $45K | +10% | 2,340 |
| Massachusetts | $43K | +6% | 450 |
| Illinois | $43K | +6% | 920 |
| Oregon | $42K | +5% | 600 |
| Connecticut | $42K | +5% | 80 |
| Indiana | $42K | +3% | 690 |
| Wisconsin | $40K | -0% | 1,050 |
| Kentucky | $40K | -2% | 340 |
| Ohio | $39K | -4% | 1,330 |
| Pennsylvania | $39K | -5% | 1,350 |
| Georgia | $38K | -6% | 440 |
| Maryland | $38K | -6% | 260 |
| South Dakota | $38K | -6% | 110 |
| Arkansas | $38K | -7% | 260 |
| Utah | $38K | -7% | 520 |
| Louisiana | $38K | -7% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $37K | -8% | 580 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -9% | 560 |
| Virginia | $37K | -9% | 730 |
| Maine | $37K | -9% | 250 |
| New Jersey | $36K | -11% | 650 |
| Missouri | $36K | -11% | 700 |
| New Hampshire | $35K | -13% | 30 |
| Arizona | $34K | -17% | 700 |
| Florida | $33K | -18% | 880 |
| Texas | $33K | -18% | 2,390 |
| Mississippi | $32K | -20% | 140 |
| Alabama | $26K | -35% | 320 |
Showing 1–10 of 38 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 Fort Wayne numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do food cooking machine operators and tenders make in Fort Wayne, IN?
The median is $39,350 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,970, and experienced food cooking machine operators and tenders can clear $83,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $39K enough to live in Fort Wayne?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,705/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 41.1% 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 Fort Wayne?
Fort Wayne has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median food cooking machine operators and tenders salary is worth about $42,508 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.