Conveyor Operators and Tenders build operation and control, operations monitoring and complex problem solving skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers (85%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers | 85% | $46,350 | +9% | None |
| 2 | Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 83% | $50,270 | +19% | None |
| 3 | Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | 82% | $48,540 | +14% | None |
| 4 | Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 80% | $50,140 | +18% | None |
| 5 | Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | 80% | $43,220 | +2% | None |
| 6 | Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders | 80% | $48,040 | +13% | None |
| 7 | Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders | 79% | $46,460 | +10% | None |
| 8 | Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic | 76% | $47,720 | +12% | None |
| 9 | Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers | 76% | $96,710 | +128% | None |
| 10 | Agricultural Equipment Operators | 76% | $41,730 | −2% | None |
Compared with Conveyor Operators and Tenders, median $42,420. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as conveyor operators and tenders (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
85% skill match · $46,350 · +9% pay
Equipment Selection · Coordination · Repairing
83% skill match · $50,270 · +19% pay
Installation · Equipment Maintenance · Coordination
82% skill match · $48,540 · +14% pay
Coordination · Equipment Maintenance · Systems Analysis
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers (85% skill match, median $46,350), Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (83% skill match, median $50,270) and Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (82% skill match, median $48,540), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 20 pay more than conveyor operators and tenders at the median. The biggest increases: Petroleum Pump System Operators, Refinery Operators, and Gaugers (+128%, $96,710), Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining (+76%, $74,500) and Continuous Mining Machine Operators (+46%, $61,810).
25 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.