SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-9192.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $33,790 | $2,816 | $650 | $16.25 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $37,310 | $3,109 | $718 | $17.94 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $43,530 | $3,628 | $837 | $20.93 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $49,320 | $4,110 | $948 | $23.71 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $58,570 | $4,881 | $1,126 | $28.16 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders is $43,530, which is 15% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 73 by median pay. With 14,760 jobs, it makes up about 0.9 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders pay by state
The highest median pay was in Maine ($64,610), Wisconsin ($54,290) and Oregon ($49,130). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,620), Idaho ($33,660) and Mississippi ($34,280). The most jobs were in California (2,450), Texas (1,380) and Ohio (1,010). The occupation is most concentrated in Nebraska, where its share of all jobs is 4.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | 40 | $64,610 | $59,760 | $31.06 |
| Wisconsin | 310 | $54,290 | $54,200 | $26.10 |
| Oregon | 70 | $49,130 | $48,590 | $23.62 |
| North Dakota | 60 | $48,240 | $47,360 | $23.19 |
| Pennsylvania | 370 | $48,000 | $48,540 | $23.08 |
| New Hampshire | 120 | $47,510 | $48,680 | $22.84 |
| Iowa | 430 | $46,970 | $49,070 | $22.58 |
| New York | 710 | $46,290 | $47,380 | $22.26 |
| Nebraska | 400 | $45,690 | $46,300 | $21.97 |
| Washington | 180 | $45,600 | $45,750 | $21.92 |
| Ohio | 1,010 | $45,470 | $46,930 | $21.86 |
| Virginia | 140 | $45,330 | $49,570 | $21.79 |
| California | 2,450 | $45,150 | $46,330 | $21.71 |
| South Dakota | 60 | $44,770 | $42,650 | $21.53 |
| Michigan | 820 | $44,400 | $44,250 | $21.35 |
| Indiana | 830 | $43,820 | $43,600 | $21.07 |
| Illinois | 70 | $43,740 | $43,810 | $21.03 |
| New Jersey | 590 | $43,600 | $46,280 | $20.96 |
| Massachusetts | 380 | $43,210 | $44,910 | $20.77 |
| Minnesota | 70 | $42,600 | $44,050 | $20.48 |
| Tennessee | 120 | $41,110 | $40,610 | $19.77 |
| Oklahoma | 450 | $40,950 | $42,810 | $19.69 |
| Missouri | 200 | $40,510 | $40,450 | $19.48 |
| Utah | 120 | $39,970 | $41,350 | $19.21 |
| South Carolina | 320 | $39,240 | $41,240 | $18.87 |
| Connecticut | 170 | $39,140 | $40,580 | $18.82 |
| Georgia | 600 | $38,430 | $39,050 | $18.47 |
| Kansas | 50 | $38,340 | $40,850 | $18.43 |
| North Carolina | 260 | $38,340 | $42,030 | $18.43 |
| Arizona | 370 | $37,900 | $41,880 | $18.22 |
| Arkansas | 90 | $37,490 | $38,680 | $18.02 |
| Texas | 1,380 | $37,040 | $40,940 | $17.81 |
| Florida | 170 | $36,830 | $38,570 | $17.71 |
| Nevada | 110 | $36,490 | $42,940 | $17.54 |
| Kentucky | 310 | $35,850 | $38,960 | $17.24 |
| New Mexico | 60 | $35,600 | $37,350 | $17.12 |
| Alabama | 140 | $35,090 | $43,890 | $16.87 |
| Mississippi | 90 | $34,280 | $37,800 | $16.48 |
| Idaho | not published | $33,660 | $38,000 | $16.18 |
| Puerto Rico | 310 | $22,620 | $26,210 | $10.88 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Woodworkers, All Other$44,530 a year
- Molding, Coremaking, and Casting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$44,350 a year
- Plating Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic$43,960 a year
- Woodworking Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Except Sawing$43,380 a year
- Etchers and Engravers$43,310 a year
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$43,220 a year
Common questions
How much do Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders earn in the United States?
The median pay was $43,530 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33,790 and the highest-paid 10% more than $58,570.
How many people work as Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders?
About 14,760 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.