Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders Salary: $40,160 Median Pay (2026 stats)
Executive Summary
About 6,590 cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders work nationally, and $40,160 is the BLS national median annual wage. Projections imply about 1.6% annual decline; much hiring sits in manufacturing.
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders: what the data shows
Common questions about cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders?
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 51-9193.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 6,590 workers.
What does a cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Controlling Machines and Processes, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Getting Information, Documenting/Recording Information, Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders make?
BLS national median annual wage: $40,160 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $46,908 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,314 |
| 25th percentile | $36,740 |
| Median (50th) | $41,644 |
| 75th percentile | $50,724 |
| 90th percentile | $68,022 |
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving, Troubleshooting, and knowledge areas including Production and Processing, Mechanical, English Language, Food Production. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 1.6% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -7.8%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -15.0%.
Current U.S. headcount: 6,590.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenderss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 6,590 | 20.4% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 6,560 | 20.4% |
| Manufacturing | 5,540 | 17.2% |
| Food Manufacturing | 4,950 | 15.4% |
| Animal Slaughtering and Processing | 2,470 | 7.7% |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing | 1,120 | 3.5% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Logging Equipment Operators | 22,520 | $49,210 |
| Agricultural Equipment Operators | 30,940 | $42,580 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | 167,490 | $38,220 |
| Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 14,590 | $47,450 |
| Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers | 22,170 | $50,620 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders workforce.
Employment Over Time
6,590 U.S. workforce (OEWS)
California employment for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders shrank from 2,100 in 2009 to 1,620 in 2025 (22.9%).
Historical employment for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders from the California OEWS series, 2009–2025. The U.S. workforce figure is national and is not the endpoint of this line.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$40,160 Median pay (BLS national)
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders earn $40,160 as the BLS national median annual wage.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Salary distribution for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Employment Growth Projections
-1.6% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
1,493 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -7.8%
1,377 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -15.0%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Wage Trends by Industry
-1.0% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Total, All Industry: -11.0% growth (Current: $53,905)
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 550 employees, $45,720 avg wage
- GA: 460 employees, $45,100 avg wage
- MS: 400 employees, $36,730 avg wage
- NC: 390 employees, $41,180 avg wage
- MO: 340 employees, $46,930 avg wage
- TX: 330 employees, $43,180 avg wage
- AR: 320 employees, $39,540 avg wage
- IA: 250 employees, $57,960 avg wage
- MI: 210 employees, $50,160 avg wage
- OH: 200 employees, $43,260 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 170 employees, $45,280 avg wage
- Jackson, MS: 130 employees, $39,740 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 130 employees, $41,620 avg wage
- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR: 100 employees, $40,200 avg wage
- St. Louis, MO-IL: 100 employees, $47,760 avg wage
- Urban Honolulu, HI: 100 employees, $37,350 avg wage
- Kansas City, MO-KS: 90 employees, $44,820 avg wage
- Sioux City, IA-NE-SD: 70 employees, $54,410 avg wage
- Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD: 60 employees, $48,620 avg wage
- Lancaster, PA: 50 employees, $48,360 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Diversity
Demographic information on Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders in the US.
Gender and Age
The U.S. workforce for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders is about 6,590 people in our OEWS extract.
Gender and age distribution for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Business.
Common majors for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders workers.
Education level distribution for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Skills
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders need many skills, but most especially Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving.
Required skills for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders include Production and Processing, Mechanical, English Language, Food Production, Administration and Management.
Knowledge areas required for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders include Near Vision, Problem Sensitivity, Deductive Reasoning, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Perceptual Speed.
Required abilities for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
Daily Activities
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders spend their time on activities such as Controlling Machines and Processes, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Getting Information, Documenting/Recording Information.
Most important work activities for Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders.
About
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders earn $40,160 as the BLS national median annual wage.
SOC Code
51-9193 - Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders reports an average salary of $46,908.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 6,590 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -1.6%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.