Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in St. Louis, MO-IL
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median of $38,690 a year ($18.60 an hour), based on BLS data for 230 workers.
Pay ranges from $31,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,060 for the top 10%. That is 7% lower than the national median of $41,590. Pay here is 8% lower than the Missouri statewide median of $42,160. There are 0.17 food cooking machine operators and tenders per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $41,470, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for food cooking machine operators and tenders in St. Louis, MO-IL
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| 25th percentile | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Median | $38,690 | $18.60 |
| 75th percentile | $42,880 | $20.61 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $49,060 | $23.59 |
| Average (mean) | $41,470 | $19.94 |
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 | $3,224.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,612.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,488.08 |
| Weekly | $744.04 |
| Hourly | $18.60 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $38,690 salary, see how much house you can afford in Missouri 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $48,460 | 100 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $44,280 | 1,900 |
| Springfield, MO | $37,400 | 40 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $37,190 | 80 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $34,200 | 270 |
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 Missouri statewide figures.
Related jobs in St. Louis, MO-IL
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Baker | $35,830 | $17.23 |
| Food Batchmaker | $52,000 | $25.00 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $42,660 | $20.51 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $39,860 | $19.17 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $46,860 | $22.53 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $40,740 | $19.59 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $38,840 | $18.67 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $46,570 | $22.39 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $75,210 | $36.16 |
| Machinist | $62,210 | $29.91 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $51,790 | $24.90 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $47,460 | $22.82 |
| Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $62,090 | $29.85 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,900 | $19.66 |
More: Production Occupations · all salaries in St. Louis, MO-IL
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 St. Louis, MO-IL?
The median salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $38,690 a year, or $18.60 an hour. Pay ranges from $31,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,060 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid food cooking machine operators and tenders make in St. Louis, MO-IL?
The top 10% of food cooking machine operators and tenders in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn at least $49,060 a year. The top 25% earn $42,880 or more.
What is the starting pay for food cooking machine operators and tenders in St. Louis, MO-IL?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $31,200 a year, and a quarter of food cooking machine operators and tenders earn $31,200 or less.
How many food cooking machine operators and tenders work in St. Louis, MO-IL?
About 230 food cooking machine operators and tenders are employed in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area, not counting the self-employed.