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Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary in Reading, PA

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders in Reading, PA have a median annual salary of $49,140, with 40 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $44,390 at the 10th percentile to $66,950 at the 90th percentile.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22

Salary overview

Median annual salary

$49,140

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$23.62

Employment

40

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$44,390
10th
$48,930
25th
$49,140
Median
$66,950
75th
$66,950
90th

Local compared with national

Reading, PA

$49,140

Median annual · 2025

United States

$43,530

Median annual · 2025

The Reading, PA median is 12.9% above the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $5,610).

Top skills

  1. 1.Operation and ControlImportance 3.3
  2. 2.Operations MonitoringImportance 3.1
  3. 3.Active ListeningImportance 2.9
  4. 4.SpeakingImportance 2.9
  5. 5.Critical ThinkingImportance 2.9
  6. 6.MonitoringImportance 2.9
  7. 7.Time ManagementImportance 2.9
  8. 8.Reading ComprehensionImportance 2.8
  9. 9.Social PerceptivenessImportance 2.8
  10. 10.CoordinationImportance 2.8
  11. 11.Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 2.6
  12. 12.Complex Problem SolvingImportance 2.5

Career information

Education and experience

Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
Job zone
2

Technology used

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word

Common tasks

  • Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations.
  • Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions.
  • Set controls to regulate temperature and length of cycles, and start conveyors, pumps, agitators, and machines.
  • Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.
  • Operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber.
  • Record gauge readings, materials used, processing times, or test results in production logs.
  • Examine and inspect machines to detect malfunctions.
  • Measure, weigh, or mix cleaning solutions, using measuring tanks, calibrated rods or suction tubes.
  • Draw samples for laboratory analysis, or test solutions for conformance to specifications, such as acidity or specific gravity.
  • Adjust, clean, and lubricate mechanical parts of machines, using hand tools and grease guns.

Related careers

Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.

Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders salary in other locations

Other occupations in Reading, PA