Careers / Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$51,610
United States, 2025
Employment
60,100
United States, 2025
Typical education
Not recorded
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Set up, operate, or tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment; filter presses; shaker screens; centrifuges; condenser tubes; precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks; scrubbing towers; or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. Includes dairy processing equipment operators.
- O*NET code
- 51-9012.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Monitor material flow or instruments, such as temperature or pressure gauges, indicators, or meters, to ensure optimal processing conditions.
- Inspect machines or equipment for hazards, operating efficiency, malfunctions, wear, or leaks.
- Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.
- Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory analysis.
- Operate machines to process materials in compliance with applicable safety, energy, or environmental regulations.
- Test samples to determine viscosity, acidity, specific gravity, or degree of concentration, using test equipment such as viscometers, pH meters, or hydrometers.
- Maintain logs of instrument readings, test results, or shift production for entry in computer databases.
- Communicate processing instructions to other workers.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$36,200
25th percentile
$44,410
75th percentile
$63,930
90th percentile
$79,750
Most important skills
- Operations Monitoring3.8
- Operation and Control3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Quality Control Analysis3.1
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Time Management3.0
- Active Listening3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Speaking2.9
- Active Learning2.9
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 9 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
9
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 | 3.8 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Operation and Control | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.1 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 | 2.8 | Not selected | 2.8 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
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Compare with Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and TendersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| WY | $108,900 | 410 | 2025 |
| Syracuse, NY | $82,530 | 520 | 2025 |
| Vallejo, CA | $82,440 | 240 | 2025 |
| Atlanta, GA | $80,140 | 640 | 2025 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $76,350 | 530 | 2025 |
| Modesto, CA | $73,690 | 1,000 | 2025 |
| Hanford, CA | $66,310 | 220 | 2025 |
| Napa, CA | $64,000 | 1,400 | 2025 |
| Owensboro, KY | $63,700 | 60 | 2025 |
| NV | $62,960 | 270 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $62,320 | 730 | 2025 |
| Merced, CA | $61,920 | 270 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $61,550 | 970 | 2025 |
| San Diego, CA | $61,300 | 690 | 2025 |
| Savannah, GA | $60,710 | 60 | 2025 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $60,480 | 140 | 2025 |
| NH | $60,340 | 590 | 2025 |
| Fargo, ND | $60,320 | 70 | 2025 |
| WI | $60,100 | 1,520 | 2025 |
| Rochester, MN | $59,970 | 40 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still 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.