Occupation salary profile

Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

SOC 51-9023 BLS OEWS May 2025

Set up, operate, or tend machines to mix or blend materials, such as chemicals, tobacco, liquids, color pigments, or explosive ingredients. Excludes “Food Batchmakers” (51-3092).

National median · BLS
$48,990
▲ +2.75% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$52,090
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
94,920
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$36,790
25th$42,850
Median (50th)$48,990
75th$59,860
90th — top pay$70,200

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

BLS projects employment of mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders to decline 6.1% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%. About 7,900 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
97,300 → 91,400
-5,900 jobs
Projected change
-6.1%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
7,900
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
2.5% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-declining jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Operation and Control3.6
  • Operations Monitoring3.6
  • Critical Thinking3.1
  • Equipment Maintenance3.1
  • Monitoring3.1
  • Quality Control Analysis3.1
  • Reading Comprehension3.1
  • Repairing3.1
  • Time Management3.1
  • Troubleshooting3.1
Top knowledge areas
  • Production and Processing4.3
  • English Language3.0
  • Mechanical2.8
  • Public Safety and Security2.7
  • Mathematics2.6
  • Chemistry2.6
  • Education and Training2.4
  • Administration and Management2.2
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft WindowsMicrosoft WordSAP softwareEmail softwareOperational databases

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What mixing and blending machine setters, operators, and tenders do

  • Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products to ensure conformance to requirements.
  • Read work orders to determine production specifications or information.
  • Observe production or monitor equipment to ensure safe and efficient operation.
  • Mix or blend ingredients by starting machines and mixing for specified times.
  • Stop mixing or blending machines when specified product qualities are obtained and open valves and start pumps to transfer mixtures.
  • Compound or process ingredients or dyes, according to formulas.
  • Examine materials, ingredients, or products visually or with hands to ensure conformance to established standards.
  • Operate or tend machines to mix or blend any of a wide variety of materials, such as spices, dough batter, tobacco, fruit juices, chemicals, livestock feed, food products, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.
Also called
BlenderMachine OperatorMixerMixer OperatorBatchmakerBlending Technician (Blending Tech)Ink BlenderIssuing OperatorOperatorStock Preparation Operator (Stock Prep Operator)
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Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.