Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary in the U.S.
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the U.S. earn a median of $48,250 a year ($23.20 an hour), based on BLS data for 158,740 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,260 for the lowest-paid 10% to $74,730 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $52,620, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,260 | $17.43 |
| 25th percentile | $40,590 | $19.52 |
| Median | $48,250 | $23.20 |
| 75th percentile | $59,680 | $28.69 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $74,730 | $35.93 |
| Average (mean) | $52,620 | $25.30 |
Half of coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, 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 | $4,020.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,010.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,855.77 |
| Weekly | $927.88 |
| Hourly | $23.20 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
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Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $69,910 | 140 |
| Washington | $59,980 | 3,980 |
| New Jersey | $58,240 | 2,890 |
| Maine | $56,200 | 680 |
| Maryland | $55,510 | 1,010 |
| Colorado | $53,590 | 1,470 |
| Mississippi | $53,170 | 2,010 |
| California | $52,950 | 11,570 |
| Connecticut | $52,900 | 1,550 |
| Minnesota | $52,210 | 3,430 |
| Hawaii | $51,990 | 230 |
| Massachusetts | $51,150 | 2,740 |
| North Dakota | $51,020 | 560 |
| Wyoming | $50,220 | 220 |
| Virginia | $49,880 | 4,130 |
| Rhode Island | $49,850 | 470 |
| Oregon | $49,400 | 2,470 |
| Vermont | $49,360 | 170 |
| Nebraska | $49,340 | 740 |
| Iowa | $49,330 | 3,220 |
| Wisconsin | $49,170 | 6,120 |
| Ohio | $48,550 | 8,320 |
| New Hampshire | $48,410 | 430 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,340 | 6,790 |
| South Carolina | $48,220 | 2,780 |
| Illinois | $48,000 | 6,390 |
| New York | $48,000 | 3,270 |
| South Dakota | $47,980 | 1,150 |
| Louisiana | $47,950 | 810 |
| Utah | $47,880 | 1,740 |
| Arizona | $47,860 | 2,440 |
| Florida | $47,860 | 6,200 |
| Missouri | $47,580 | 3,860 |
| Montana | $47,380 | 330 |
| Indiana | $47,320 | 8,030 |
| Tennessee | $47,210 | 3,880 |
| Kentucky | $47,170 | 2,190 |
| Kansas | $47,120 | 3,160 |
| Texas | $46,750 | 16,600 |
| North Carolina | $46,730 | 5,700 |
| Georgia | $46,450 | 5,900 |
| Arkansas | $46,380 | 1,870 |
| Delaware | $46,120 | 100 |
| Idaho | $45,810 | 760 |
| Oklahoma | $45,780 | 2,520 |
| Nevada | $45,750 | 640 |
| New Mexico | $45,730 | 400 |
| Michigan | $44,670 | 7,050 |
| Alabama | $44,250 | 5,250 |
| West Virginia | $42,950 | 370 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,850 | 150 |
Best-paying metro areas for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $69,600 | 70 |
| Ames, IA | $69,090 | 60 |
| Springfield, OH | $67,070 | 110 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $66,570 | 40 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $63,360 | 270 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $63,180 | 700 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $63,030 | 2,640 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $62,280 | 600 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $62,120 | 50 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $61,730 | 70 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $61,260 | 50 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $61,220 | 60 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $61,130 | 100 |
| Grand Island, NE | $61,110 | 70 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $60,820 | 100 |
Metro areas with the most coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,050 | $49,350 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 4,590 | $46,950 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4,580 | $54,870 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 3,680 | $48,910 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 3,250 | $58,520 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,640 | $63,030 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 2,590 | $44,220 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,350 | $46,930 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,990 | $50,900 |
| Cleveland, OH | 1,850 | $50,210 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,850 | $48,430 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 1,790 | $48,220 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,790 | $51,700 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | 1,780 | $59,970 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 1,560 | $48,170 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,110 | $19.29 |
| Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operator | $50,690 | $24.37 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $39,070 | $18.78 |
| Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders | $58,040 | $27.90 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $50,270 | $24.17 |
| Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $48,990 | $23.55 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $51,610 | $24.81 |
| Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $45,760 | $22.00 |
| Cutting and Slicing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $46,570 | $22.39 |
| Dental Laboratory Technician | $49,610 | $23.85 |
| Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | $46,170 | $22.20 |
| Semiconductor Processing Technician | $51,430 | $24.73 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-9124. 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 coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders make in the U.S.?
The median salary for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S. is $48,250 a year, or $23.20 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,260 for the lowest-paid 10% to $74,730 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S. earn at least $74,730 a year. The top 25% earn $59,680 or more.
What is the starting pay for coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,260 a year, and a quarter of coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders earn $40,590 or less.
How many coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders work in the U.S.?
About 158,740 coating, painting, and spraying machine setters, operators, and tenders are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.