Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for cooling and freezing 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
- Iowa$63,740
- Nebraska$59,890
- Indiana$56,950
- Illinois$56,220
- New Jersey$55,330
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Alabama$35,600
- Mississippi$36,190
- Michigan$37,150
- Virginia$37,990
- Tennessee$39,170
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $63,740 | $62,520 | $31 | +41.8% | 290 |
| 2 | Nebraska | $59,890 | $68,170 | $29 | +33.3% | 60 |
| 3 | Indiana | $56,950 | $55,730 | $27 | +26.7% | 50 |
| 4 | Illinois | $56,220 | $49,200 | $27 | +25.1% | 60 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $55,330 | $51,460 | $27 | +23.1% | 100 |
| 6 | Idaho | $53,570 | $48,360 | $26 | +19.2% | 90 |
| 7 | Ohio | $51,780 | $48,160 | $25 | +15.2% | 240 |
| 8 | Washington | $51,240 | $50,870 | $25 | +14% | 60 |
| 9 | Missouri | $50,980 | $53,940 | $25 | +13.4% | 200 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $50,510 | $47,060 | $24 | +12.4% | 100 |
| 11 | New York | $49,990 | $45,460 | $24 | +11.2% | 160 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $49,930 | $46,910 | $24 | +11.1% | 100 |
| 13 | Colorado | $48,060 | $46,160 | $23 | +6.9% | 130 |
| 14 | California | $46,700 | $42,100 | $22 | +3.9% | 310 |
| 15 | Florida | $46,690 | $45,270 | $22 | +3.9% | 130 |
| 16 | Georgia | $45,770 | $46,770 | $22 | +1.8% | 540 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $45,440 | $46,800 | $22 | +1.1% | — |
| 18 | South Dakota | $44,430 | $45,520 | $21 | -1.1% | 80 |
| 19 | Oregon | $44,200 | $40,030 | $21 | -1.6% | 120 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $43,530 | $39,630 | $21 | -3.1% | 130 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $42,250 | $39,360 | $20 | -6% | 760 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $42,250 | $39,640 | $20 | -6% | 60 |
| 23 | North Carolina | $41,910 | $39,030 | $20 | -6.7% | 420 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $41,370 | $41,080 | $20 | -7.9% | 70 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $41,330 | $40,840 | $20 | -8% | 70 |
| 26 | Arkansas | $40,730 | $38,090 | $20 | -9.4% | 270 |
| 27 | Utah | $39,980 | $45,500 | $19 | -11% | 70 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $39,470 | $37,990 | $19 | -12.2% | 110 |
| 29 | Texas | $39,310 | $35,810 | $19 | -12.5% | 510 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $39,170 | $37,780 | $19 | -12.8% | 50 |
| 31 | Virginia | $37,990 | $35,370 | $18 | -15.5% | 170 |
| 32 | Michigan | $37,150 | $31,700 | $18 | -17.3% | 290 |
| 33 | Mississippi | $36,190 | $38,200 | $17 | -19.5% | 360 |
| 34 | Alabama | $35,600 | $35,280 | $17 | -20.8% | 280 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 33 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $82,670 | $76,050 | 150 |
| 2 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $65,850 | $58,120 | 50 |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $65,320 | $66,350 | 40 |
| 4 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $54,450 | $54,760 | 30 |
| 5 | Lancaster, PA | $54,330 | $47,990 | 60 |
| 6 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $51,460 | $56,430 | 110 |
| 7 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $50,720 | $51,220 | 40 |
| 8 | Southeast-Central Idaho nonmetropolitan area | $48,360 | $53,060 | 60 |
| 9 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $47,320 | $48,650 | 30 |
| 10 | Gainesville, GA | $47,160 | $49,020 | 140 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenderss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $68,140 | $71,020 | 40 |
| 2 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $68,140 | $71,020 | 40 |
| 3 | Chemical Manufacturing | $60,050 | $70,830 | 100 |
| 4 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $59,580 | $63,010 | 80 |
| 5 | Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | $51,880 | $54,830 | 120 |
| 6 | Warehousing and Storage | $49,620 | $47,190 | 270 |
| 7 | Warehousing and Storage | $49,620 | $47,190 | 270 |
| 8 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $49,620 | $47,190 | 270 |
| 9 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $49,030 | $53,150 | 30 |
| 10 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | $46,710 | $50,740 | 1,050 |
| 11 | Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $45,670 | $48,360 | 100 |
| 12 | Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $45,670 | $48,360 | 100 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders make in the U.S.?
The median cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders salary in the United States is $41,330 per year (mean $44,940), and about 80% earn between $33,430 and $62,340.
How much do cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders make per hour?
Roughly $22 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $44,940 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders the most?
Iowa has the highest average pay for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders at $63,740 per year (median $62,520).
What is the job outlook for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders?
Employment is projected to change +7.2% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 800 openings per year.