Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in Alabama
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Alabama earn a median of $27,080 a year ($13.02 an hour), based on BLS data for 250 workers.
Pay ranges from $23,000 for the lowest-paid 10% to $45,200 for the top 10%. That is 35% lower than the national median of $41,590. Alabama ranks 41st of 41 states for food cooking machine operators and tenders pay. There are 0.12 food cooking machine operators and tenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.59). The average (mean) salary is $31,310, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Alabama
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $23,000 | $11.06 |
| 25th percentile | $27,080 | $13.02 |
| Median | $27,080 | $13.02 |
| 75th percentile | $36,190 | $17.40 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $45,200 | $21.73 |
| Average (mean) | $31,310 | $15.05 |
Half of food cooking machine operators and tenders earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,256.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,128.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,041.54 |
| Weekly | $520.77 |
| Hourly | $13.02 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $27,080 salary, see how much house you can afford in Alabama at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Highest-paying states for food cooking machine operators and tenders
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $51,100 |
| Utah | $48,620 |
| Massachusetts | $47,960 |
| Iowa | $47,900 |
| Michigan | $47,260 |
| Minnesota | $47,250 |
| Colorado | $46,900 |
| Kansas | $45,850 |
| New York | $45,680 |
| Tennessee | $45,620 |
See Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders pay in every state.
Related jobs in Alabama
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $31,080 | $14.94 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $36,500 | $17.55 |
| Baker | $34,030 | $16.36 |
| Food Batchmaker | $36,980 | $17.78 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $37,510 | $18.04 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $36,360 | $17.48 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $42,700 | $20.53 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $73,060 | $35.13 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $40,010 | $19.24 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $48,490 | $23.31 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $35,910 | $17.26 |
| Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $43,830 | $21.07 |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $39,010 | $18.76 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $44,250 | $21.27 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-3093. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a food cooking machine operators and tenders make in Alabama?
The median salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Alabama is $27,080 a year, or $13.02 an hour. Pay ranges from $23,000 for the lowest-paid 10% to $45,200 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid food cooking machine operators and tenders make in Alabama?
The top 10% of food cooking machine operators and tenders in Alabama earn at least $45,200 a year. The top 25% earn $36,190 or more.
What is the starting pay for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Alabama?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $23,000 a year, and a quarter of food cooking machine operators and tenders earn $27,080 or less.
How many food cooking machine operators and tenders work in Alabama?
About 250 food cooking machine operators and tenders are employed in Alabama, not counting the self-employed.