Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenderss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Maine$59,760
- Wisconsin$54,200
- Virginia$49,570
- Iowa$49,070
- New Hampshire$48,680
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- New Mexico$37,350
- Mississippi$37,800
- Idaho$38,000
- Florida$38,570
- Arkansas$38,680
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maine | $59,760 | $64,610 | $29 | +34% | 40 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $54,200 | $54,290 | $26 | +21.5% | 310 |
| 3 | Virginia | $49,570 | $45,330 | $24 | +11.1% | 140 |
| 4 | Iowa | $49,070 | $46,970 | $24 | +10% | 430 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $48,680 | $47,510 | $23 | +9.1% | 120 |
| 6 | Oregon | $48,590 | $49,130 | $23 | +8.9% | 70 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $48,540 | $48,000 | $23 | +8.8% | 370 |
| 8 | New York | $47,380 | $46,290 | $23 | +6.2% | 710 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $47,360 | $48,240 | $23 | +6.2% | 60 |
| 10 | Ohio | $46,930 | $45,470 | $23 | +5.2% | 1,010 |
| 11 | California | $46,330 | $45,150 | $22 | +3.9% | 2,450 |
| 12 | Nebraska | $46,300 | $45,690 | $22 | +3.8% | 400 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $46,280 | $43,600 | $22 | +3.8% | 590 |
| 14 | Washington | $45,750 | $45,600 | $22 | +2.6% | 180 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $44,910 | $43,210 | $22 | +0.7% | 380 |
| 16 | Michigan | $44,250 | $44,400 | $21 | -0.8% | 820 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $44,050 | $42,600 | $21 | -1.2% | 70 |
| 18 | Alabama | $43,890 | $35,090 | $21 | -1.6% | 140 |
| 19 | Illinois | $43,810 | $43,740 | $21 | -1.8% | 70 |
| 20 | Indiana | $43,600 | $43,820 | $21 | -2.2% | 830 |
| 21 | Nevada | $42,940 | $36,490 | $21 | -3.7% | 110 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $42,810 | $40,950 | $21 | -4% | 450 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $42,650 | $44,770 | $21 | -4.4% | 60 |
| 24 | North Carolina | $42,030 | $38,340 | $20 | -5.8% | 260 |
| 25 | Arizona | $41,880 | $37,900 | $20 | -6.1% | 370 |
| 26 | Utah | $41,350 | $39,970 | $20 | -7.3% | 120 |
| 27 | South Carolina | $41,240 | $39,240 | $20 | -7.5% | 320 |
| 28 | Texas | $40,940 | $37,040 | $20 | -8.2% | 1,380 |
| 29 | Kansas | $40,850 | $38,340 | $20 | -8.4% | 50 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $40,610 | $41,110 | $20 | -8.9% | 120 |
| 31 | Connecticut | $40,580 | $39,140 | $20 | -9% | 170 |
| 32 | Missouri | $40,450 | $40,510 | $19 | -9.3% | 200 |
| 33 | Georgia | $39,050 | $38,430 | $19 | -12.4% | 600 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $38,960 | $35,850 | $19 | -12.6% | 310 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $38,680 | $37,490 | $19 | -13.3% | 90 |
| 36 | Florida | $38,570 | $36,830 | $19 | -13.5% | 170 |
| 37 | Idaho | $38,000 | $33,660 | $18 | -14.8% | — |
| 38 | Mississippi | $37,800 | $34,280 | $18 | -15.2% | 90 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $37,350 | $35,600 | $18 | -16.3% | 60 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 92 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $64,850 | $57,980 | 70 |
| 2 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $64,610 | $63,860 | 30 |
| 3 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $56,100 | $54,540 | 100 |
| 4 | Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $54,330 | $52,940 | 110 |
| 5 | Traverse City, MI | $53,550 | $48,510 | 30 |
| 6 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $53,400 | $52,140 | 120 |
| 7 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $52,150 | $53,310 | 120 |
| 8 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $51,920 | $51,130 | 40 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $51,070 | $48,950 | 70 |
| 10 | Napa, CA | $50,060 | $51,740 | 40 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenderss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paper Manufacturing | $65,370 | $67,070 | 80 |
| 2 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | $65,060 | $67,560 | 60 |
| 3 | Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | $62,290 | $70,530 | 90 |
| 4 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $59,550 | $57,030 | 100 |
| 5 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $54,730 | $51,670 | 260 |
| 6 | Machinery Manufacturing | $54,700 | $51,600 | 340 |
| 7 | Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | $54,640 | $59,380 | 290 |
| 8 | Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $54,520 | $59,200 | 300 |
| 9 | Sector 21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $54,520 | $59,230 | 300 |
| 10 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | $54,500 | $54,450 | 160 |
| 11 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | $51,730 | $50,700 | 230 |
| 12 | Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing | $50,870 | $55,380 | 50 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders make in the U.S.?
The median cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders salary in the United States is $43,530 per year (mean $44,600), and about 80% earn between $33,790 and $58,570.
How much do cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders make per hour?
Roughly $21 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $44,600 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders the most?
Maine has the highest average pay for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders at $59,760 per year (median $64,610).
What is the job outlook for cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders?
Employment is projected to change +3.6% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 1,600 openings per year.