Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in Erie, PA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Erie, PA

Median annual salary $38,220 -5.7% vs national
Median hourly $18.37
10th percentile $35,760
90th percentile $46,660
Employed locally 40
National median $40,550

Compare Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Erie, PA stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
in
Erie, PA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $35,760
    25th
    $35,760
    50th (median)
    $38,220
    75th
    $44,820
    90th
    $46,660

    Erie economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.80% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $61,476 2023 • Census ACS
    Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary vs area income 62% Median Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary is 38% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Modesto, CA $80,310
    Cedar Rapids, IA $63,690
    Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area $62,910
    Central East New York nonmetropolitan area $60,250
    Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area $59,140
    Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY $55,870

    Nearby metros — Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $51,490
    York-Hanover, PA $49,940
    Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $47,540
    Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $40,740
    Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $37,430
    Pittsburgh, PA $36,250

    Related occupations in Erie, PA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $43,620
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $60,880
    Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $37,330
    Machinists $48,940
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $44,400
    Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers $48,310

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders make per hour in Erie?

    The median hourly wage for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Erie, PA is $18.37, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.43 or more per hour.

    Is Erie above or below average for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salaries?

    The median Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in Erie, PA is 5.7% below the national median of $40,550. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Erie?

    Entry-level Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders (10th percentile) earn around $35,760 per year in Erie, PA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $35,760.