Conveyor Operators and Tenders
Conveyor Operators and Tenders (SOC 53-7011) earn a median $42,420 a year ($20.39 an hour) in the United States, with 22,930 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is West Virginia.
What conveyor operators and tenders do
Conveyor operators and tenders control or watch the conveyors and conveyor systems that carry materials and products to and from stockpiles, processing stations, departments, and vehicles. The materials or products being moved can differ widely from one job to the next. The operator monitors lights, dials, and gauges to keep the system at its specified operating level, and sometimes sets the speed and routing of materials. Loading, unloading, or adjusting items on the line is done by hand, with scoops, lifts, or hoists, or by opening gates, chutes, and hoppers. When a jam occurs the operator stops the equipment and frees it with poles, bars, and hand tools, or pulls off damaged material. Records of weights, types, quantities, and storage locations are kept, and any equipment fault that needs maintenance is reported to a supervisor. They also distribute materials, supplies, and equipment to work stations using lifts and trucks. Related titles include belt operator, belt tender, and aerial tram operator. Workers who only move goods by hand, or who drive forklifts, are classed in other material moving codes.
Typical entry: O*NET reports that most workers in this occupation have less than a high school diploma.
Also called: Aerial Tram Operator, Ash Conveyor Operator, Assembly Line Tender, Bed Operator, Belt Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.39 | $18.35 | $20.39 | $23.33 | $28.59 | $21.68 | 22,930 |
| Annual | $36,180 | $38,180 | $42,420 | $48,530 | $59,470 | $45,080 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where conveyor operators and tenders earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| West Virginia | Hourly | $18.94 | $29.24 | $30.21 | $34.05 | $35.96 | $29.09 | 580 | 0.82 | 5.59 |
| Annual | $39,400 | $60,810 | $62,830 | $70,830 | $74,810 | $60,510 | ||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $20.76 | $22.12 | $27.36 | $30.17 | $30.67 | $26.42 | 590 | 0.38 | 2.57 |
| Annual | $43,190 | $46,010 | $56,900 | $62,760 | $63,780 | $54,950 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $16.64 | $25.14 | $26.98 | $31.11 | $34.06 | $27.37 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.08 |
| Annual | $34,610 | $52,300 | $56,120 | $64,710 | $70,840 | $56,920 | ||||
| Alabama | Hourly | $22.16 | $26.49 | $26.91 | $28.16 | $30.07 | $26.27 | 210 | 0.10 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $46,080 | $55,110 | $55,970 | $58,570 | $62,540 | $54,640 | ||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $16.18 | $16.70 | $26.25 | $30.66 | $31.13 | $23.86 | 210 | 0.11 | 0.73 |
| Annual | $33,650 | $34,740 | $54,590 | $63,780 | $64,750 | $49,630 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $19.18 | $20.39 | $20.74 | $22.40 | $24.71 | $21.61 | 2,460 | 0.14 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $39,890 | $42,420 | $43,150 | $46,600 | $51,400 | $44,950 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $16.27 | $17.95 | $19.54 | $21.95 | $28.32 | $20.66 | 2,380 | 0.17 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $33,840 | $37,330 | $40,650 | $45,650 | $58,900 | $42,960 | ||||
| Nebraska | Hourly | $18.01 | $18.66 | $20.85 | $22.08 | $23.29 | $20.76 | 1,180 | 1.15 | 7.81 |
| Annual | $37,460 | $38,800 | $43,360 | $45,930 | $48,440 | $43,170 | ||||
| Kansas | Hourly | $15.28 | $18.17 | $19.25 | $23.76 | $26.97 | $21.08 | 840 | 0.59 | 3.98 |
| Annual | $31,770 | $37,790 | $40,030 | $49,420 | $56,100 | $43,850 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $17.94 | $17.94 | $18.83 | $19.63 | $22.89 | $19.33 | 840 | 0.17 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $37,320 | $37,320 | $39,160 | $40,830 | $47,620 | $40,200 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wheeling, WV-OH | Hourly | $18.94 | $18.94 | $30.85 | $30.85 | $32.71 | $27.52 | 160 | 2.75 | 18.67 |
| Annual | $39,400 | $39,400 | $64,160 | $64,160 | $68,050 | $57,250 | ||||
| Baton Rouge, LA | Hourly | $17.61 | $17.61 | $30.66 | $30.66 | $30.69 | $27.06 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $36,620 | $36,630 | $63,780 | $63,780 | $63,840 | $56,280 | ||||
| Merced, CA | Hourly | $21.50 | $22.16 | $30.28 | $30.28 | $30.28 | $27.21 | 40 | 0.44 | 2.99 |
| Annual | $44,730 | $46,100 | $62,970 | $62,970 | $62,970 | $56,600 | ||||
| Charleston, WV | Hourly | $17.99 | $30.03 | $30.20 | $32.75 | $36.61 | $29.94 | 70 | 0.65 | 4.43 |
| Annual | $37,410 | $62,460 | $62,820 | $68,120 | $76,140 | $62,280 | ||||
| Paducah, KY-IL | Hourly | $23.78 | $23.78 | $28.43 | $28.48 | $39.10 | $28.28 | 50 | 0.92 | 6.22 |
| Annual | $49,460 | $49,470 | $59,140 | $59,240 | $81,330 | $58,820 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $19.22 | $20.39 | $20.39 | $21.43 | $24.71 | $21.34 | 1,070 | 0.17 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $39,980 | $42,420 | $42,420 | $44,570 | $51,400 | $44,390 | ||||
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | Hourly | $20.66 | $20.67 | $20.67 | $20.74 | $23.85 | $21.35 | 580 | 0.34 | 2.31 |
| Annual | $42,980 | $42,990 | $42,990 | $43,150 | $49,600 | $44,410 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.38 | $18.38 | $21.59 | $23.44 | $25.97 | $21.66 | 540 | 0.13 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $38,230 | $38,230 | $44,910 | $48,760 | $54,020 | $45,050 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.70 | $16.70 | $21.07 | $21.18 | $27.30 | $20.28 | 520 | 0.06 | 0.37 |
| Annual | $34,730 | $34,730 | $43,830 | $44,050 | $56,790 | $42,190 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $18.35 | $18.35 | $19.78 | $21.05 | $23.75 | $20.40 | 470 | 0.14 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $38,180 | $38,180 | $41,140 | $43,780 | $49,400 | $42,440 | ||||
Top industries employing conveyor operators and tenders
Couriers and Express Delivery Services employ 41.2% of conveyor operators and tenders nationally (9,450 jobs) at a median $39,460 a year ($18.97 an hour), followed by Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers (14.5%) and Warehousing and Storage (4.8%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Couriers and Express Delivery Services NAICS 492100 | 9,450 | 41.2% | $39,460 | $18.97 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 424500 | 3,320 | 14.5% | $44,000 | $21.15 |
| Warehousing and Storage NAICS 493100 | 1,100 | 4.8% | $40,630 | $19.53 |
| Coal Mining NAICS 212100 | 720 | 3.1% | $64,160 | $30.85 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing NAICS 311500 | 570 | 2.5% | $57,820 | $27.80 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (22,930). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $36,420 for conveyor operators and tenders in May 2021 and $42,420 in May 2025, with employment of 28,650 and 22,930.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $36,420 | $17.51 | 28,650 |
| May 2022 | $36,890 | $17.74 | 27,780 |
| May 2023 | $39,260 | $18.88 | 24,660 |
| May 2024 | $41,230 | $19.82 | 26,060 |
| May 2025 | $42,420 | $20.39 | 22,930 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
44 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia profile | $30.21 | $62,830 | $39,400 | $74,810 | 580 | 0.82 | 5.59 |
| 2 | Iowa profile | $27.36 | $56,900 | $43,190 | $63,780 | 590 | 0.38 | 2.57 |
| 3 | Maryland profile | $26.98 | $56,120 | $34,610 | $70,840 | 30 | 0.01 | 0.08 |
| 4 | Alabama profile | $26.91 | $55,970 | $46,080 | $62,540 | 210 | 0.10 | 0.67 |
| 5 | Louisiana profile | $26.25 | $54,590 | $33,650 | $64,750 | 210 | 0.11 | 0.73 |
| 6 | Wyoming profile | $25.23 | $52,480 | $37,210 | $112,060 | 120 | 0.43 | 2.94 |
| 7 | New Jersey profile | $24.40 | $50,750 | $36,540 | $56,790 | 210 | 0.05 | 0.33 |
| 8 | Utah profile | $23.38 | $48,620 | $41,410 | $64,390 | 140 | 0.08 | 0.53 |
| 9 | North Dakota profile | $22.96 | $47,770 | $37,140 | $121,540 | 80 | 0.19 | 1.27 |
| 10 | Indiana profile | $22.26 | $46,300 | $37,300 | $99,970 | 610 | 0.19 | 1.29 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.70 | $45,130 | $36,940 | $63,770 | 450 | 0.07 | 0.50 |
| 12 | South Dakota profile | $21.58 | $44,890 | $36,180 | $52,480 | 500 | 1.08 | 7.35 |
| 13 | Kentucky profile | $21.54 | $44,800 | $39,180 | $58,390 | 780 | 0.39 | 2.65 |
| 14 | Illinois profile | $21.29 | $44,290 | $36,530 | $59,310 | 480 | 0.08 | 0.53 |
| 15 | Missouri profile | $21.20 | $44,100 | $36,490 | $56,950 | 290 | 0.10 | 0.68 |
| 16 | Washington profile | $20.90 | $43,480 | $37,550 | $59,110 | 640 | 0.18 | 1.22 |
| 17 | Oregon profile | $20.87 | $43,410 | $40,680 | $59,000 | 390 | 0.20 | 1.36 |
| 18 | Nebraska profile | $20.85 | $43,360 | $37,460 | $48,440 | 1,180 | 1.15 | 7.81 |
| 19 | California profile | $20.74 | $43,150 | $39,890 | $51,400 | 2,460 | 0.14 | 0.91 |
| 20 | Massachusetts profile | $20.75 | $43,150 | $38,710 | $43,170 | 170 | 0.05 | 0.32 |
| 21 | Minnesota profile | $20.68 | $43,000 | $37,660 | $51,570 | 460 | 0.16 | 1.06 |
| 22 | Hawaii profile | $20.61 | $42,880 | $42,880 | $43,890 | ** | ** | ** |
| 23 | New York profile | $20.52 | $42,670 | $34,730 | $53,560 | 720 | 0.07 | 0.50 |
| 24 | Idaho profile | $19.59 | $40,750 | $37,200 | $49,660 | 240 | 0.28 | 1.90 |
| 25 | Texas profile | $19.54 | $40,650 | $33,840 | $58,900 | 2,380 | 0.17 | 1.15 |
| 26 | Georgia profile | $19.53 | $40,630 | $36,720 | $53,100 | 600 | 0.12 | 0.83 |
| 27 | Colorado profile | $19.46 | $40,480 | $37,590 | $56,690 | 370 | 0.13 | 0.87 |
| 28 | Vermont profile | $19.42 | $40,390 | $39,190 | $40,390 | 50 | 0.18 | 1.21 |
| 29 | Kansas profile | $19.25 | $40,030 | $31,770 | $56,100 | 840 | 0.59 | 3.98 |
| 30 | Virginia profile | $19.15 | $39,840 | $34,820 | $58,470 | 820 | 0.20 | 1.36 |
| 31 | Ohio profile | $19.04 | $39,610 | $38,000 | $49,960 | 340 | 0.06 | 0.42 |
| 32 | Wisconsin profile | $19.01 | $39,550 | $37,890 | $59,890 | 450 | 0.15 | 1.04 |
| 33 | Michigan profile | $18.91 | $39,340 | $35,610 | $56,950 | 410 | 0.09 | 0.63 |
| 34 | Arizona profile | $18.88 | $39,260 | $36,490 | $44,670 | 360 | 0.11 | 0.75 |
| 35 | North Carolina profile | $18.83 | $39,160 | $37,320 | $47,620 | 840 | 0.17 | 1.15 |
| 36 | Montana profile | $18.64 | $38,760 | $37,240 | $57,200 | 370 | 0.73 | 4.91 |
| 37 | Nevada profile | $18.49 | $38,450 | $37,440 | $49,570 | 350 | 0.23 | 1.52 |
| 38 | Mississippi profile | $18.42 | $38,320 | $32,290 | $52,720 | 230 | 0.19 | 1.32 |
| 39 | Maine profile | $18.42 | $38,310 | $35,680 | $66,920 | 200 | 0.31 | 2.13 |
| 40 | Tennessee profile | $18.39 | $38,260 | $36,350 | $51,410 | 760 | 0.23 | 1.58 |
| 41 | Florida profile | $18.36 | $38,190 | $36,350 | $43,720 | 470 | 0.05 | 0.32 |
| 42 | South Carolina profile | $18.28 | $38,020 | $34,900 | $44,980 | 440 | 0.19 | 1.31 |
| 43 | Arkansas profile | $17.76 | $36,940 | $33,450 | $47,480 | 300 | 0.23 | 1.54 |
| 44 | Oklahoma profile | $17.40 | $36,200 | $33,090 | $57,870 | 350 | 0.21 | 1.41 |
Part of Transportation and Material Moving Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 53-7011 Conveyor Operators and Tenders.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 53-7011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 53-7011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.