Occupation salary profile

Conveyor Operators and Tenders

SOC 53-7011 BLS OEWS May 2025

Control or tend conveyors or conveyor systems that move materials or products to and from stockpiles, processing stations, departments, or vehicles. May control speed and routing of materials or products.

National median · BLS
$42,420
▲ +2.89% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$45,080
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
22,930
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Conveyor 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$36,180
25th$38,180
Median (50th)$42,420
75th$48,530
90th — top pay$59,470

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Conveyor Operators and Tenders

BLS projects employment of conveyor operators and tenders to decline 2.6% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%. About 2,200 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
29,000 → 28,200
-800 jobs
Projected change
-2.6%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
2,200
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
20.6% 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 no formal education →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Conveyor 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 Control4.0
  • Operations Monitoring4.0
  • Monitoring3.4
  • Active Listening3.1
  • Complex Problem Solving3.0
  • Critical Thinking3.0
  • Speaking3.0
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.9
  • Quality Control Analysis2.9
  • Reading Comprehension2.9
Top knowledge areas
  • English Language4.0
  • Mechanical3.1
  • Public Safety and Security3.0
  • Production and Processing3.0
  • Transportation2.8
  • Education and Training2.6
  • Law and Government1.9
  • Customer and Personal Service1.9
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft WindowsSAP softwareControl system softwareConveyor control softwareIntelligrated InControlWareSortation software

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 conveyor operators and tenders do

  • Stop equipment or machinery and clear jams, using poles, bars, and hand tools, or remove damaged materials from conveyors.
  • Load, unload, or adjust materials or products on conveyors by hand, by using lifts, hoists, and scoops, or by opening gates, chutes, or hoppers.
  • Observe conveyor operations and monitor lights, dials, and gauges to maintain specified operating levels and to detect equipment malfunctions.
  • Observe packages moving along conveyors to identify packages, detect defective packaging, and perform quality control.
  • Position deflector bars, gates, chutes, or spouts to divert flow of materials from one conveyor onto another conveyor.
  • Clean, sterilize, and maintain equipment, machinery, and work stations, using hand tools, shovels, brooms, chemicals, hoses, and lubricants.
  • Record production data such as weights, types, quantities, and storage locations of materials, as well as equipment performance problems and downtime.
  • Inform supervisors of equipment malfunctions that need to be addressed.
Also called
Chipper OperatorMachine OperatorPackaging Line OperatorProcess OperatorConveyor OperatorConveyor TenderFlumerPackage Line OperatorProcess Line OperatorStrapper Operator
More job titles for this occupation (32)
Ash Conveyor OperatorAssembly Line TenderBed OperatorBelt OperatorBelt Technician (Belt Tech)Belt TenderBeltmanBin Tripper OperatorBoom Conveyor OperatorBull-Chain OperatorChar Conveyor TenderChip Bin Conveyor TenderChip Bin OperatorConveyor AttendantConveyor Belt OperatorConveyor Console OperatorConveyor System OperatorConveyor Technician (Conveyor Tech)Drier Take-Off TenderExtrusion OperatorGrain Elevator OperatorLine OperatorMechanical Conveyor InstallerPacking Line OperatorPalletizer OperatorPneumatic System Conveyor OperatorProduction Supply Equipment TenderSilo OperatorSilo TenderTipple OperatorTipple TenderTransfer Operator

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.