Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,790 | $16.25 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $43,530 | $20.93 |
| Mean (average) | $44,600 | $21.44 |
| 90th percentile | $58,570 | $28.16 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 40 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $35,090 | $26,620 | $104,180 | 140 | 0.71 |
| Arizona | $37,900 | $36,400 | $53,690 | 370 | 1.21 |
| Arkansas | $37,490 | $30,580 | $54,870 | 90 | 0.72 |
| California | $45,150 | $37,970 | $58,490 | 2,450 | 1.42 |
| Connecticut | $39,140 | $35,360 | $48,610 | 170 | 1.03 |
| Florida | $36,830 | $31,610 | $46,020 | 170 | 0.18 |
| Georgia | $38,430 | $29,700 | $47,130 | 600 | 1.3 |
| Idaho | $33,660 | $31,560 | $48,620 | ||
| Illinois | $43,740 | $40,890 | $46,470 | 70 | 0.12 |
| Indiana | $43,820 | $35,680 | $55,320 | 830 | 2.74 |
| Iowa | $46,970 | $39,070 | $58,570 | 430 | 2.89 |
| Kansas | $38,340 | $36,920 | $47,670 | 50 | 0.35 |
| Kentucky | $35,850 | $31,200 | $47,630 | 310 | 1.64 |
| Maine | $64,610 | $40,340 | $78,380 | 40 | 0.72 |
| Massachusetts | $43,210 | $37,190 | $56,480 | 380 | 1.09 |
| Michigan | $44,400 | $34,280 | $54,230 | 820 | 1.97 |
| Minnesota | $42,600 | $32,950 | $54,820 | 70 | 0.25 |
| Mississippi | $34,280 | $32,420 | $49,200 | 90 | 0.86 |
| Missouri | $40,510 | $32,210 | $50,460 | 200 | 0.71 |
| Nebraska | $45,690 | $36,120 | $59,210 | 400 | 4.15 |
| Nevada | $36,490 | $30,770 | $60,830 | 110 | 0.71 |
| New Hampshire | $47,510 | $36,740 | $60,370 | 120 | 1.77 |
| New Jersey | $43,600 | $36,860 | $61,800 | 590 | 1.44 |
| New Mexico | $35,600 | $34,390 | $43,370 | 60 | 0.69 |
| New York | $46,290 | $34,410 | $62,160 | 710 | 0.77 |
| North Carolina | $38,340 | $31,240 | $60,910 | 260 | 0.56 |
| North Dakota | $48,240 | $42,940 | $51,600 | 60 | 1.55 |
| Ohio | $45,470 | $35,900 | $62,830 | 1,010 | 1.91 |
| Oklahoma | $40,950 | $34,330 | $55,880 | 450 | 2.79 |
| Oregon | $49,130 | $37,770 | $65,470 | 70 | 0.35 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,000 | $36,400 | $62,930 | 370 | 0.64 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,620 | $21,840 | $35,160 | 310 | 3.43 |
| South Carolina | $39,240 | $31,190 | $48,950 | 320 | 1.49 |
| South Dakota | $44,770 | $33,830 | $46,820 | 60 | 1.48 |
| Tennessee | $41,110 | $32,350 | $48,610 | 120 | 0.39 |
| Texas | $37,040 | $30,180 | $57,500 | 1,380 | 1.04 |
| Utah | $39,970 | $32,240 | $50,300 | 120 | 0.72 |
| Virginia | $45,330 | $33,830 | $73,870 | 140 | 0.37 |
| Washington | $45,600 | $39,700 | $56,500 | 180 | 0.55 |
| Wisconsin | $54,290 | $42,820 | $65,360 | 310 | 1.1 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 1,700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 6.2%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical 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.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Time Management, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Anodizer, Clean in Places Operator (CIP Operator), Filler Operator, Parts Cleaner, Sanitation Technician, Sanitation Worker, Sanitizer, Tub Wash Operator, Tub Washer, Wash Crew Person.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders make?
The national median annual wage for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders was $43,530 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $33,790 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $58,570. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders a growing career?
BLS projects employment of cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders to change +3.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 1,700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Maine ($64,610), Wisconsin ($54,290), Oregon ($49,130). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.