Food Batchmakers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
Opens your browser print dialog — choose “Save as PDF”.
Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$42,290
United States, 2025
Employment
174,520
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Set up and operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients used in the manufacturing of food products. Includes candy makers and cheese makers.
- O*NET code
- 51-3092.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months
Typical tasks
- Record production and test data for each food product batch, such as the ingredients used, temperature, test results, and time cycle.
- Clean and sterilize vats and factory processing areas.
- Set up, operate, and tend equipment that cooks, mixes, blends, or processes ingredients in the manufacturing of food products, according to formulas or recipes.
- Mix or blend ingredients, according to recipes, using a paddle or an agitator, or by controlling vats that heat and mix ingredients.
- Follow recipes to produce food products of specified flavor, texture, clarity, bouquet, or color.
- Give directions to other workers who are assisting in the batchmaking process.
- Select and measure or weigh ingredients, using English or metric measures and balance scales.
- Press switches and turn knobs to start, adjust, and regulate equipment, such as beaters, extruders, discharge pipes, and salt pumps.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$31,990
25th percentile
$36,350
75th percentile
$49,670
90th percentile
$58,940
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Speaking3.0
- Operation and Control3.0
- Active Listening3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Monitoring2.9
- Judgment and Decision Making2.9
- Writing2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Active Learning2.8
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 7 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
7
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.3 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Operation and Control | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $46,460
Compare with Food BatchmakersSupplemental
National median $50,140
Compare with Food BatchmakersSupplemental
National median $38,180
Compare with Food BatchmakersSupplemental
National median $46,570
Compare with Food BatchmakersSupplemental
National median $48,040
Compare with Food BatchmakersSupplemental
National median $43,220
Compare with Food BatchmakersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $77,920 | 480 | 2025 |
| Battle Creek, MI | $75,370 | 270 | 2025 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $66,330 | 200 | 2025 |
| Lafayette, IN | $60,680 | 150 | 2025 |
| Binghamton, NY | $60,670 | 80 | 2025 |
| Decatur, IL | $57,880 | 490 | 2025 |
| Williamsport, PA | $57,630 | 100 | 2025 |
| Lexington, KY | $56,730 | 490 | 2025 |
| Topeka, KS | $56,390 | 770 | 2025 |
| Hickory, NC | $53,160 | 180 | 2025 |
| Rockford, IL | $52,500 | 430 | 2025 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $52,110 | 400 | 2025 |
| St. Louis, MO | $52,000 | 990 | 2025 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $51,490 | 1,910 | 2025 |
| Ames, IA | $50,950 | 110 | 2025 |
| Grand Forks, ND | $50,720 | 180 | 2025 |
| Janesville, WI | $50,350 | 420 | 2025 |
| VT | $50,180 | 1,000 | 2025 |
| Burlington, VT | $50,180 | 500 | 2025 |
| Greeley, CO | $49,710 | 670 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Food Batchmakers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.