Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in Massachusetts
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Massachusetts earn a median of $47,960 a year ($23.06 an hour), based on BLS data for 170 workers.
Pay ranges from $37,760 for the lowest-paid 10% to $56,530 for the top 10%. That is 15% higher than the national median of $41,590. Massachusetts ranks 3rd of 41 states for food cooking machine operators and tenders pay, one of the best-paying states for this job. There are 0.05 food cooking machine operators and tenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.24). The average (mean) salary is $46,640, close to the median.
Pay range for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Massachusetts
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,760 | $18.16 |
| 25th percentile | $41,030 | $19.73 |
| Median | $47,960 | $23.06 |
| 75th percentile | $50,250 | $24.16 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $56,530 | $27.18 |
| Average (mean) | $46,640 | $22.42 |
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 | $3,996.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,998.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,844.62 |
| Weekly | $922.31 |
| Hourly | $23.06 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $47,960 salary, see how much house you can afford in Massachusetts at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in cities in Massachusetts
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $41,030 | 190 |
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 Massachusetts
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Baker | $38,130 | $18.33 |
| Food Batchmaker | $36,880 | $17.73 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $36,570 | $17.58 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $48,430 | $23.29 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $43,200 | $20.77 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $45,400 | $21.83 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $37,780 | $18.16 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $79,920 | $38.42 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $46,720 | $22.46 |
| Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $47,130 | $22.66 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $52,270 | $25.13 |
| Machinist | $67,270 | $32.34 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $40,360 | $19.40 |
| Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $42,570 | $20.47 |
More: Production Occupations · all salaries in Massachusetts
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 Massachusetts?
The median salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Massachusetts is $47,960 a year, or $23.06 an hour. Pay ranges from $37,760 for the lowest-paid 10% to $56,530 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid food cooking machine operators and tenders make in Massachusetts?
The top 10% of food cooking machine operators and tenders in Massachusetts earn at least $56,530 a year. The top 25% earn $50,250 or more.
What is the starting pay for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Massachusetts?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $37,760 a year, and a quarter of food cooking machine operators and tenders earn $41,030 or less.
How many food cooking machine operators and tenders work in Massachusetts?
About 170 food cooking machine operators and tenders are employed in Massachusetts, not counting the self-employed.