Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area earn a median of $55,270 a year ($26.57 an hour), based on BLS data for 190 workers.
Pay ranges from $27,920 for the lowest-paid 10% to $58,070 for the top 10%. That is 33% higher than the national median of $41,590. Pay here is 21% higher than the Tennessee statewide median of $45,620. There are 0.31 food cooking machine operators and tenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.6× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $47,990, close to the median.
Pay range for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Memphis, TN-MS-AR
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,920 | $13.42 |
| 25th percentile | $38,240 | $18.38 |
| Median | $55,270 | $26.57 |
| 75th percentile | $55,270 | $26.57 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $58,070 | $27.92 |
| Average (mean) | $47,990 | $23.07 |
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 | $4,605.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,302.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,125.77 |
| Weekly | $1,062.88 |
| Hourly | $26.57 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $55,270 salary, see how much house you can afford in Tennessee at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $45,340 | 150 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $44,240 | 30 |
| Knoxville, TN | $41,200 | 210 |
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 or the Tennessee statewide figures.
Related jobs in Memphis, TN-MS-AR
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Baker | $33,400 | $16.06 |
| Food Batchmaker | $38,010 | $18.28 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $37,260 | $17.91 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $30,190 | $14.51 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $38,170 | $18.35 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $38,530 | $18.52 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $44,910 | $21.59 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $65,990 | $31.73 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $38,350 | $18.44 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $48,600 | $23.37 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $42,570 | $20.47 |
| Machinist | $59,220 | $28.47 |
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $31,560 | $15.17 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,470 | $24.26 |
More: Production Occupations · all salaries in Memphis, TN-MS-AR
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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
The median salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area is $55,270 a year, or $26.57 an hour. Pay ranges from $27,920 for the lowest-paid 10% to $58,070 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid food cooking machine operators and tenders make in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
The top 10% of food cooking machine operators and tenders in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area earn at least $58,070 a year. The top 25% earn $55,270 or more.
What is the starting pay for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $27,920 a year, and a quarter of food cooking machine operators and tenders earn $38,240 or less.
How many food cooking machine operators and tenders work in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
About 190 food cooking machine operators and tenders are employed in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area, not counting the self-employed.