Food Batchmaker salary in the U.S.
Food Batchmakers in the U.S. earn a median of $42,290 a year ($20.33 an hour), based on BLS data for 174,520 workers.
Pay ranges from $31,990 for the lowest-paid 10% to $58,940 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $43,750, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for food batchmakers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,990 | $15.38 |
| 25th percentile | $36,350 | $17.47 |
| Median | $42,290 | $20.33 |
| 75th percentile | $49,670 | $23.88 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $58,940 | $28.34 |
| Average (mean) | $43,750 | $21.04 |
Half of food batchmakers 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 | $3,524.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,762.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,626.54 |
| Weekly | $813.27 |
| Hourly | $20.33 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Food Batchmaker salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Vermont | $50,180 | 1,000 |
| Idaho | $49,570 | 1,700 |
| Wisconsin | $48,360 | 18,040 |
| Iowa | $48,300 | 4,160 |
| Illinois | $48,130 | 12,320 |
| Kentucky | $46,900 | 4,570 |
| Georgia | $46,490 | 4,290 |
| Missouri | $45,690 | 2,280 |
| Colorado | $44,900 | 3,880 |
| Ohio | $44,590 | 7,040 |
| Minnesota | $42,940 | 7,660 |
| Kansas | $42,850 | 3,230 |
| Washington | $42,710 | 5,700 |
| Tennessee | $42,610 | 2,920 |
| Maine | $42,260 | 610 |
| California | $41,670 | 12,560 |
| Utah | $41,390 | 3,250 |
| Nebraska | $41,210 | 1,270 |
| Nevada | $41,120 | 880 |
| Virginia | $41,080 | 2,870 |
| North Dakota | $40,840 | 250 |
| Arizona | $40,550 | 2,300 |
| Maryland | $40,240 | 1,390 |
| Michigan | $40,160 | 5,130 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,920 | 8,160 |
| Oregon | $39,850 | 3,420 |
| Indiana | $39,700 | 5,570 |
| Montana | $39,630 | 170 |
| Rhode Island | $39,250 | 310 |
| South Dakota | $39,200 | 660 |
| Connecticut | $39,110 | 1,460 |
| Alaska | $39,030 | 100 |
| Arkansas | $38,990 | 2,120 |
| New York | $38,470 | 8,460 |
| Wyoming | $38,430 | 100 |
| New Jersey | $38,250 | 3,640 |
| Texas | $37,500 | 13,250 |
| Hawaii | $37,490 | 360 |
| New Hampshire | $37,470 | 190 |
| New Mexico | $37,390 | 450 |
| Delaware | $37,220 | 380 |
| South Carolina | $37,070 | 700 |
| Alabama | $36,980 | 1,280 |
| Massachusetts | $36,880 | 5,100 |
| North Carolina | $36,590 | 3,450 |
| Mississippi | $36,530 | 660 |
| Oklahoma | $36,320 | 930 |
| Florida | $35,500 | 3,670 |
| West Virginia | $34,660 | 70 |
| Louisiana | $34,620 | 530 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,270 | 1,520 |
Best-paying metro areas for food batchmakers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $77,920 | 480 |
| Battle Creek, MI | $75,370 | 270 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $66,330 | 200 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $60,680 | 150 |
| Binghamton, NY | $60,670 | 80 |
| Decatur, IL | $57,880 | 490 |
| Williamsport, PA | $57,630 | 100 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $56,730 | 490 |
| Topeka, KS | $56,390 | 770 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $53,160 | 180 |
| Rockford, IL | $52,500 | 430 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $52,110 | 400 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $52,000 | 990 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $51,490 | 1,910 |
| Ames, IA | $50,950 | 110 |
Metro areas with the most food batchmakers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 8,490 | $47,660 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,860 | $38,790 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,490 | $45,020 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 4,190 | $38,950 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4,130 | $38,930 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 3,840 | $37,010 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 3,210 | $33,830 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,010 | $42,370 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,540 | $37,010 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,530 | $48,780 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 2,050 | $43,410 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 1,910 | $40,550 |
| Sheboygan, WI | 1,910 | $51,490 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 1,870 | $44,650 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,780 | $42,860 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Baker | $37,160 | $17.86 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $38,300 | $18.41 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $40,140 | $19.30 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $40,130 | $19.29 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $39,680 | $19.08 |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | $41,590 | $20.00 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $44,810 | $21.54 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,650 | $21.47 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $74,450 | $35.79 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $53,750 | $25.84 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Machinist | $58,750 | $28.24 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,110 | $19.29 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-3092. 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 batchmaker make in the U.S.?
The median salary for food batchmakers in the U.S. is $42,290 a year, or $20.33 an hour. Pay ranges from $31,990 for the lowest-paid 10% to $58,940 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid food batchmakers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of food batchmakers in the U.S. earn at least $58,940 a year. The top 25% earn $49,670 or more.
What is the starting pay for food batchmakers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $31,990 a year, and a quarter of food batchmakers earn $36,350 or less.
How many food batchmakers work in the U.S.?
About 174,520 food batchmakers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.