Jobs Similar to Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to food cooking machine operators and tenders, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Food Batchmakers, Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders and Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders: $41,590 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
- 1Food Batchmakers
84% similar · $42,290 (+2%) · High school · Same group
- 2Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
79% similar · $43,530 (+5%) · High school
- 3Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
77% similar · $44,810 (+8%) · High school · Same group
- 4Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
77% similar · $48,540 (+17%) · High school
- 5Bakers
77% similar · $37,160 (−11%) · High school · Same group
- 6Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
77% similar · $48,040 (+16%) · High school
- 7Machine Feeders and Offbearers
76% similar · $41,220 (−1%) · High school
- 8Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders
76% similar · $58,040 (+40%) · High school
- 9Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders
76% similar · $38,180 (−8%) · High school
- 10Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers
76% similar · $48,570 (+17%) · High school
- 11Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers
75% similar · $48,220 (+16%) · High school
- 12Extruding, Forming, Pressing, and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
75% similar · $45,760 (+10%) · High school
- 13Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders
75% similar · $43,220 (+4%) · High school
- 14Sewing Machine Operators
75% similar · $36,670 (−12%) · High school
- 15Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers
75% similar · $46,350 (+11%) · High school
- 16Helpers--Production Workers
75% similar · $39,070 (−6%) · High school
- 17Tire Builders
75% similar · $57,390 (+38%) · High school
- 18Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
75% similar · $41,330 (−1%) · High school
- 19Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
74% similar · $50,270 (+21%) · High school
- 20Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
74% similar · $51,610 (+24%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than food cooking machine operators and tenders.
- Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders76% similar · $58,040 (+40%)
- Tire Builders75% similar · $57,390 (+38%)
- Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders74% similar · $51,610 (+24%)
- Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders74% similar · $50,270 (+21%)
- Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders77% similar · $48,540 (+17%)
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers76% similar · $48,570 (+17%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for food cooking machine operators and tenders also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs for former food cooking machine operators and tenders →
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where food cooking machine operators and tenders is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders (83)
- Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders (82)
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products (81)
- Cooks, Restaurant (77)
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (76)
- Cooks, Fast Food (75)
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers (73)
- Packers and Packagers, Hand (73)
- Dishwashers (72)
- Log Graders and Scalers (71)
Questions about jobs like food cooking machine operators and tenders
What jobs are most similar to food cooking machine operators and tenders?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Food Batchmakers (84% similar), Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders (79% similar), Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders (77% similar), Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (77% similar) and Bakers (77% similar).
Which jobs like food cooking machine operators and tenders pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders ($58,040, +40%; usually a high school diploma), Tire Builders ($57,390, +38%; usually a high school diploma) and Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders ($51,610, +24%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with food cooking machine operators and tenders ($41,590). Without more preparation than food cooking machine operators and tenders usually need: Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders, Tire Builders and Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.