Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in Lancaster, PA

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

Median annual salary $35,730 -11.9% vs national
Median hourly $17.18
10th percentile $30,850
90th percentile $47,190
Employed locally 100
National median $40,550

Compare Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary & buying power

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Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
in
Lancaster, PA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $30,850
    25th
    $35,500
    50th (median)
    $35,730
    75th
    $40,350
    90th
    $47,190

    Lancaster economic context

    Unemployment rate 2.90% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $83,703 2023 • Census ACS
    Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary vs area income 43% Median Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary is 57% 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
    Erie, PA $38,220
    Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $37,430

    Related occupations in Lancaster, PA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $44,740
    First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $69,830
    Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders $47,110
    Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers $47,270
    Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers $49,650
    Food Batchmakers $40,370

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders in Lancaster, PA is $17.18, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $22.69 or more per hour.

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

    The median Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in Lancaster, PA is 11.9% 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 Lancaster?

    Entry-level Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders (10th percentile) earn around $30,850 per year in Lancaster, PA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $35,500.