Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in Appleton, WI
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in the Appleton, WI metro area earn a median of $47,920 a year ($23.04 an hour), based on BLS data for 60 workers.
Pay ranges from $40,590 for the lowest-paid 10% to $61,600 for the top 10%. That is 15% higher than the national median of $41,590. Pay here is 20% higher than the Wisconsin statewide median of $40,000. There are 0.49 food cooking machine operators and tenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 2.5× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $47,520, close to the median.
Pay range for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Appleton, WI
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,590 | $19.52 |
| 25th percentile | $40,710 | $19.57 |
| Median | $47,920 | $23.04 |
| 75th percentile | $52,510 | $25.24 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $61,600 | $29.62 |
| Average (mean) | $47,520 | $22.84 |
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 | $3,993.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,996.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,843.08 |
| Weekly | $921.54 |
| Hourly | $23.04 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $48,290 | 230 |
| Green Bay, WI | $40,200 | 40 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $39,830 | 30 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $39,410 | 40 |
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 Wisconsin statewide figures.
Related jobs in Appleton, WI
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Food Batchmaker | $49,390 | $23.75 |
| Baker | $36,160 | $17.39 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $47,040 | $22.62 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $55,400 | $26.64 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $45,670 | $21.96 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $77,240 | $37.14 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $49,930 | $24.01 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $58,920 | $28.33 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $45,660 | $21.95 |
| Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $59,550 | $28.63 |
| Machinist | $60,350 | $29.02 |
| Cutting, Punching, and Press Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | $53,560 | $25.75 |
| Printing Press Operator | $46,090 | $22.16 |
| Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $53,390 | $25.67 |
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 Appleton, WI?
The median salary for food cooking machine operators and tenders in the Appleton, WI metro area is $47,920 a year, or $23.04 an hour. Pay ranges from $40,590 for the lowest-paid 10% to $61,600 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid food cooking machine operators and tenders make in Appleton, WI?
The top 10% of food cooking machine operators and tenders in the Appleton, WI metro area earn at least $61,600 a year. The top 25% earn $52,510 or more.
What is the starting pay for food cooking machine operators and tenders in Appleton, WI?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $40,590 a year, and a quarter of food cooking machine operators and tenders earn $40,710 or less.
How many food cooking machine operators and tenders work in Appleton, WI?
About 60 food cooking machine operators and tenders are employed in the Appleton, WI metro area, not counting the self-employed.