Careers / Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — 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
$48,990
United States, 2025
Employment
94,920
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, operate, or tend machines to mix or blend materials, such as chemicals, tobacco, liquids, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.
- O*NET code
- 51-9023.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products to ensure conformance to requirements.
- Read work orders to determine production specifications or information.
- Observe production or monitor equipment to ensure safe and efficient operation.
- Mix or blend ingredients by starting machines and mixing for specified times.
- Stop mixing or blending machines when specified product qualities are obtained and open valves and start pumps to transfer mixtures.
- Compound or process ingredients or dyes, according to formulas.
- Examine materials, ingredients, or products visually or with hands to ensure conformance to established standards.
- Operate or tend machines to mix or blend any of a wide variety of materials, such as spices, dough batter, tobacco, fruit juices, chemicals, livestock feed, food products, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$36,790
25th percentile
$42,850
75th percentile
$59,860
90th percentile
$70,200
Most important skills
- Operation and Control3.6
- Operations Monitoring3.6
- Time Management3.1
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Equipment Maintenance3.1
- Quality Control Analysis3.1
- Repairing3.1
- Speaking3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
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 13 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
13
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 | 3.6 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Operation and Control | 3.6 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Time Management | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Repairing | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 3.0 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | 2.6 | Not selected | 2.6 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $50,140
Compare with Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersSupplemental
National median $43,960
Compare with Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersSupplemental
National median $48,750
Compare with Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersSupplemental
National median $42,660
Compare with Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersSupplemental
National median $44,810
Compare with Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersSupplemental
National median $46,170
Compare with Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersSupplemental
National median $46,350
Compare with Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersSupplemental
National median $46,570
Compare with Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersSupplemental
National median $46,550
Compare with Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersSupplemental
National median $43,220
Compare with Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento, CA | $75,790 | 310 | 2025 |
| Duluth, MN | $73,210 | 120 | 2025 |
| Wausau, WI | $69,080 | 190 | 2025 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $67,500 | 100 | 2025 |
| Staunton, VA | $65,790 | 70 | 2025 |
| Wheeling, WV | $63,040 | 50 | 2025 |
| Kenosha, WI | $62,470 | 120 | 2025 |
| Joplin, MO | $62,460 | 190 | 2025 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $62,390 | 160 | 2025 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $61,900 | 70 | 2025 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $61,310 | 930 | 2025 |
| Albany, NY | $61,060 | 300 | 2025 |
| MA | $60,790 | 420 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $60,720 | 510 | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | $59,900 | 350 | 2025 |
| Springfield, IL | $59,530 | 40 | 2025 |
| Boston, MA | $59,270 | 270 | 2025 |
| MN | $59,270 | 1,760 | 2025 |
| New Haven, CT | $59,190 | 40 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $58,990 | 1,100 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders 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.