Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in Colorado
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Colorado earn a median of $46,900 a year ($22.55 an hour), based on BLS data for 300 workers.
Pay ranges from $40,100 for the lowest-paid 10% to $62,620 for the top 10%. That is 13% higher than the national median of $41,590. Colorado ranks 7th of 41 states for food cooking machine operators and tenders pay. There are 0.10 food cooking machine operators and tenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.51). The average (mean) salary is $48,680, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Colorado
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,100 | $19.28 |
| 25th percentile | $44,050 | $21.18 |
| Median | $46,900 | $22.55 |
| 75th percentile | $51,440 | $24.73 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $62,620 | $30.10 |
| Average (mean) | $48,680 | $23.41 |
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 | $3,908.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,954.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,803.85 |
| Weekly | $901.92 |
| Hourly | $22.55 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $46,900 salary, see how much house you can afford in Colorado at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in cities in Colorado
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $48,980 | 160 |
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 Colorado
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Baker | $40,650 | $19.55 |
| Food Batchmaker | $44,900 | $21.59 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $50,390 | $24.23 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $47,490 | $22.83 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $50,480 | $24.27 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $46,930 | $22.56 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $59,590 | $28.65 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $78,890 | $37.93 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $46,150 | $22.19 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $58,350 | $28.06 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $58,590 | $28.17 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $46,010 | $22.12 |
| Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $47,660 | $22.91 |
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $37,680 | $18.11 |
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 Colorado?
The median salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Colorado is $46,900 a year, or $22.55 an hour. Pay ranges from $40,100 for the lowest-paid 10% to $62,620 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid food cooking machine operators and tenders make in Colorado?
The top 10% of food cooking machine operators and tenders in Colorado earn at least $62,620 a year. The top 25% earn $51,440 or more.
What is the starting pay for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Colorado?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $40,100 a year, and a quarter of food cooking machine operators and tenders earn $44,050 or less.
How many food cooking machine operators and tenders work in Colorado?
About 300 food cooking machine operators and tenders are employed in Colorado, not counting the self-employed.