Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in Virginia
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Virginia earn a median of $35,140 a year ($16.90 an hour), based on BLS data for 510 workers.
Pay ranges from $31,480 for the lowest-paid 10% to $48,800 for the top 10%. That is 16% lower than the national median of $41,590. Virginia ranks 37th of 41 states for food cooking machine operators and tenders pay. There are 0.12 food cooking machine operators and tenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.61). The average (mean) salary is $37,650, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Virginia
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,480 | $15.13 |
| 25th percentile | $31,720 | $15.25 |
| Median | $35,140 | $16.90 |
| 75th percentile | $41,990 | $20.19 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $48,800 | $23.46 |
| Average (mean) | $37,650 | $18.10 |
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 | $2,928.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,464.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,351.54 |
| Weekly | $675.77 |
| Hourly | $16.90 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $35,140 salary, see how much house you can afford in Virginia at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in cities in Virginia
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $39,790 | 490 |
| Richmond, VA | $38,030 | 80 |
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 Virginia
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Baker | $34,430 | $16.55 |
| Food Batchmaker | $41,080 | $19.75 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $36,170 | $17.39 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $39,770 | $19.12 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $37,430 | $18.00 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $37,810 | $18.18 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $59,260 | $28.49 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,900 | $21.59 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $74,150 | $35.65 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $59,180 | $28.45 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $49,590 | $23.84 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $44,950 | $21.61 |
| Machinist | $61,290 | $29.47 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $38,340 | $18.44 |
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 Virginia?
The median salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Virginia is $35,140 a year, or $16.90 an hour. Pay ranges from $31,480 for the lowest-paid 10% to $48,800 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid food cooking machine operators and tenders make in Virginia?
The top 10% of food cooking machine operators and tenders in Virginia earn at least $48,800 a year. The top 25% earn $41,990 or more.
What is the starting pay for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Virginia?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $31,480 a year, and a quarter of food cooking machine operators and tenders earn $31,720 or less.
How many food cooking machine operators and tenders work in Virginia?
About 510 food cooking machine operators and tenders are employed in Virginia, not counting the self-employed.