Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Salary
Production Occupations · 60K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$51,610
Median hourly
$25
Average annual
$56,030
Typical range
$36,200–$79,750
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $51,610 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 $25 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Set up, operate, or tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment; filter presses; shaker screens; centrifuges; condenser tubes; precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks; scrubbing towers; or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product.
Most earn between $36,200 and $79,750 a year. There are roughly 60K people employed as separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, 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 Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
- Hourly
- $24.81
- Daily
- $199
- Weekly
- $993
- Bi-weekly
- $1,985
- Monthly
- $4,301
- Annual
- $51,610
$51,610 a year is around the 50th percentile for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenderss. The median is $51,610.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Wyoming$108,900
- 2Nevada$62,960
- 3New Hampshire$60,340
- 4Wisconsin$60,100
- 5Virginia$59,480
- 6North Dakota$59,390
- 7Kentucky$58,770
- 8Louisiana$58,640
- 9New Jersey$58,140
- 10Arizona$57,820
- 11Maine$57,190
- 12Minnesota$57,190
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Syracuse, NY$82,530
- 2Vallejo, CA$82,440
- 3Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$80,140
- 4Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$76,350
- 5Modesto, CA$73,690
- 6Hanford-Corcoran, CA$66,310
- 7Napa, CA$64,000
- 8Owensboro, KY$63,700
- 9San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$62,320
- 10Merced, CA$61,920
- 11Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$61,550
- 12San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$61,300
Related job titles
Employers advertise Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders roles under these titles.
- Absorber Operator
- Absorption Operator
- Almond Blancher Operator
- Almond Huller
- Amalgamator
- Ammonium Nitrate Crystallizer
- Automatic Centrifugal Station Operator
- Automatic Dry Starch Operator
- Barley Steeper
- Basin Operator
- Batch Operator
- Batch Still Operator
- Batch Tank Controller
- Bath Mix Operator
- Beer Brewer
- Beer Cooler
Related occupations
- Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders$43,530
- Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,990
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders$58,040
- Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders$48,040
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$48,540
- Chemical Plant and System Operators$78,120
- Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$45,760
- Food Batchmakers$42,290
What a Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders does
- Dump, pour, or load specified amounts of refined or unrefined materials into equipment or containers for further processing or storage.
- Monitor material flow or instruments, such as temperature or pressure gauges, indicators, or meters, to ensure optimal processing conditions.
- Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.
- Examine samples to verify qualities such as clarity, cleanliness, consistency, dryness, or texture.
- Communicate processing instructions to other workers.
- Maintain logs of instrument readings, test results, or shift production for entry in computer databases.
- Turn valves or move controls to admit, drain, separate, filter, clarify, mix, or transfer materials.
- Start agitators, shakers, conveyors, pumps, or centrifuge machines.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders make?
- The median annual wage for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is $51,610 ($25 per hour). Pay ranges from about $36,200 at the 10th percentile to $79,750 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $56,030, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenderss the most?
- Wyoming has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $108,900.
- Is Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 60K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders do?
- Dump, pour, or load specified amounts of refined or unrefined materials into equipment or containers for further processing or storage.; Monitor material flow or instruments, such as temperature or pressure gauges, indicators, or meters, to ensure optimal processing conditions.; Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure..