Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary
Production Occupations · 15K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$43,530
Median hourly
$21
Average annual
$44,600
Typical range
$33,790–$58,570
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders is $43,530 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $21 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities..
Most earn between $33,790 and $58,570 a year. There are roughly 15K people employed as cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders.
- Hourly
- $20.93
- Daily
- $167
- Weekly
- $837
- Bi-weekly
- $1,674
- Monthly
- $3,628
- Annual
- $43,530
$43,530 a year is around the 50th percentile for Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenderss. The median is $43,530.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Maine$64,610
- 2Wisconsin$54,290
- 3Oregon$49,130
- 4North Dakota$48,240
- 5Pennsylvania$48,000
- 6New Hampshire$47,510
- 7Iowa$46,970
- 8New York$46,290
- 9Nebraska$45,690
- 10Washington$45,600
- 11Ohio$45,470
- 12Virginia$45,330
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI$64,850
- 2Portland-South Portland, ME$64,610
- 3Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA$56,100
- 4Traverse City, MI$53,550
- 5Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$53,400
- 6Pittsburgh, PA$51,070
- 7Napa, CA$50,060
- 8Visalia, CA$49,440
- 9Reading, PA$49,140
- 10Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$48,930
- 11Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX$47,900
- 12Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$47,570
Related job titles
Employers advertise Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders roles under these titles.
Related occupations
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$51,610
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,990
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders$38,180
- Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders$48,040
- Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment$35,830
- Chemical Plant and System Operators$78,120
- Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers$34,890
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,540
What a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders does
- 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.
- 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.
- Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders make?
- The median annual wage for Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders is $43,530 ($21 per hour). Pay ranges from about $33,790 at the 10th percentile to $58,570 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $44,600, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenderss the most?
- Maine has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $64,610.
- Is Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 15K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders do?
- 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..