Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in Modesto, CA
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in the Modesto, CA metro area earn a median of $59,010 a year ($28.37 an hour), based on BLS data for 140 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,020 for the lowest-paid 10% to $82,930 for the top 10%. That is 42% higher than the national median of $41,590. Pay here is 32% higher than the California statewide median of $44,740. There are 0.71 food cooking machine operators and tenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 3.5× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $63,280, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Modesto, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,020 | $17.32 |
| 25th percentile | $39,370 | $18.93 |
| Median | $59,010 | $28.37 |
| 75th percentile | $82,920 | $39.86 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $82,930 | $39.87 |
| Average (mean) | $63,280 | $30.42 |
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 | $4,917.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,458.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,269.62 |
| Weekly | $1,134.81 |
| Hourly | $28.37 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $59,010 salary, see how much house you can afford in California 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $51,560 | 70 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $47,220 | 220 |
| Visalia, CA | $45,880 | 70 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $42,760 | 320 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $41,070 | n/a |
| Vallejo, CA | $38,640 | 50 |
| Fresno, CA | $38,430 | 160 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $36,450 | 130 |
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 California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Modesto, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Baker | $39,450 | $18.96 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $39,040 | $18.77 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $36,270 | $17.44 |
| Food Batchmaker | $46,670 | $22.44 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $41,720 | $20.06 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $61,130 | $29.39 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $49,460 | $23.78 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $73,690 | $35.43 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $45,510 | $21.88 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $77,690 | $37.35 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $53,560 | $25.75 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $52,590 | $25.29 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $52,430 | $25.21 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $59,150 | $28.44 |
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 Modesto, CA?
The median salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders in the Modesto, CA metro area is $59,010 a year, or $28.37 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,020 for the lowest-paid 10% to $82,930 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid food cooking machine operators and tenders make in Modesto, CA?
The top 10% of food cooking machine operators and tenders in the Modesto, CA metro area earn at least $82,930 a year. The top 25% earn $82,920 or more.
What is the starting pay for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Modesto, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,020 a year, and a quarter of food cooking machine operators and tenders earn $39,370 or less.
How many food cooking machine operators and tenders work in Modesto, CA?
About 140 food cooking machine operators and tenders are employed in the Modesto, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.