Food Batchmakers
Food Batchmakers (SOC 51-3092) earn a median $42,290 a year ($20.33 an hour) in the United States, with 174,520 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Vermont.
What food batchmakers do
Food batchmakers set up and run equipment that mixes, blends, and cooks ingredients into food products, including candy and cheese. They follow a formula or recipe for each batch, weighing and adding ingredients in the proper order and watching a vat or agitator while heat and mixing do their work. The goal is the specified flavor, texture, clarity, aroma, and color. For each batch, they document ingredient amounts, temperatures, test results, and time cycles. Afterward, vats, lines, and surrounding floors are cleaned and sterilized. Experienced batchmakers may direct helpers who carry or load ingredients. Switches and knobs start, adjust, and regulate beaters, extruders, discharge pipes, and salt pumps. Candy makers and cheese makers are counted here, whereas workers who only tend cooking equipment fall under food cooking machine operators.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, a high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education reported by workers in this occupation.
Also called: Almond Paste Mixer, Back of House Team Member, Batch Blender, Batch Maker, Batch Mixer.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $15.38 | $17.47 | $20.33 | $23.88 | $28.34 | $21.04 | 174,520 |
| Annual | $31,990 | $36,350 | $42,290 | $49,670 | $58,940 | $43,750 | ||
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 food batchmakers 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 | ||||||
| Vermont | Hourly | $17.67 | $20.07 | $24.12 | $27.14 | $29.84 | $23.83 | 1,000 | 3.30 | 2.94 |
| Annual | $36,750 | $41,740 | $50,180 | $56,460 | $62,070 | $49,570 | ||||
| Idaho | Hourly | $15.86 | $19.23 | $23.83 | $27.73 | $29.44 | $23.19 | 1,700 | 1.99 | 1.77 |
| Annual | $32,980 | $39,990 | $49,570 | $57,680 | $61,230 | $48,230 | ||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $17.78 | $20.31 | $23.25 | $26.79 | $28.31 | $23.10 | 18,040 | 6.13 | 5.46 |
| Annual | $36,990 | $42,240 | $48,360 | $55,720 | $58,880 | $48,040 | ||||
| Iowa | Hourly | $17.22 | $20.98 | $23.22 | $28.50 | $30.18 | $24.34 | 4,160 | 2.67 | 2.37 |
| Annual | $35,830 | $43,640 | $48,300 | $59,280 | $62,780 | $50,620 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $16.67 | $18.75 | $23.14 | $27.50 | $29.69 | $23.42 | 12,320 | 2.02 | 1.80 |
| Annual | $34,680 | $39,000 | $48,130 | $57,200 | $61,750 | $48,720 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $17.78 | $20.31 | $23.25 | $26.79 | $28.31 | $23.10 | 18,040 | 6.13 | 5.46 |
| Annual | $36,990 | $42,240 | $48,360 | $55,720 | $58,880 | $48,040 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $10.77 | $13.96 | $18.03 | $22.15 | $25.53 | $18.23 | 13,250 | 0.94 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $22,410 | $29,040 | $37,500 | $46,070 | $53,100 | $37,930 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $17.16 | $17.95 | $20.03 | $22.45 | $27.89 | $21.04 | 12,560 | 0.69 | 0.61 |
| Annual | $35,700 | $37,330 | $41,670 | $46,690 | $58,010 | $43,750 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $16.67 | $18.75 | $23.14 | $27.50 | $29.69 | $23.42 | 12,320 | 2.02 | 1.80 |
| Annual | $34,680 | $39,000 | $48,130 | $57,200 | $61,750 | $48,720 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $15.88 | $17.18 | $18.50 | $21.00 | $25.75 | $19.48 | 8,460 | 0.87 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $33,040 | $35,740 | $38,470 | $43,690 | $53,560 | $40,530 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Cedar Rapids, IA | Hourly | $17.33 | $22.28 | $37.46 | $38.97 | $38.97 | $30.95 | 480 | 3.45 | 3.07 |
| Annual | $36,040 | $46,330 | $77,920 | $81,060 | $81,060 | $64,370 | ||||
| Battle Creek, MI | Hourly | $15.00 | $17.62 | $36.24 | $36.38 | $36.39 | $29.20 | 270 | 4.96 | 4.42 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $36,650 | $75,370 | $75,660 | $75,680 | $60,740 | ||||
| Harrisonburg, VA | Hourly | $17.29 | $20.30 | $31.89 | $31.89 | $31.89 | $25.94 | 200 | 3.12 | 2.78 |
| Annual | $35,960 | $42,220 | $66,330 | $66,330 | $66,330 | $53,950 | ||||
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | Hourly | $14.05 | $17.25 | $29.18 | $29.18 | $29.18 | $24.17 | 150 | 1.50 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $29,220 | $35,880 | $60,680 | $60,690 | $60,690 | $50,270 | ||||
| Binghamton, NY | Hourly | $15.50 | $16.99 | $29.17 | $29.17 | $29.17 | $24.27 | 80 | 0.87 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $32,240 | $35,340 | $60,670 | $60,670 | $60,670 | $50,470 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $16.71 | $18.87 | $22.91 | $27.45 | $29.54 | $23.31 | 8,490 | 1.88 | 1.68 |
| Annual | $34,760 | $39,250 | $47,660 | $57,090 | $61,440 | $48,490 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $16.78 | $17.45 | $18.65 | $21.25 | $25.99 | $19.94 | 6,860 | 0.72 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $34,900 | $36,300 | $38,790 | $44,190 | $54,070 | $41,470 | ||||
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | Hourly | $17.38 | $18.29 | $21.65 | $25.12 | $28.97 | $22.16 | 4,490 | 2.30 | 2.05 |
| Annual | $36,150 | $38,040 | $45,020 | $52,260 | $60,250 | $46,090 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $13.44 | $17.27 | $18.73 | $23.89 | $28.70 | $20.29 | 4,190 | 1.04 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $27,950 | $35,920 | $38,950 | $49,700 | $59,690 | $42,200 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $17.20 | $17.88 | $18.71 | $21.89 | $24.38 | $20.26 | 4,130 | 0.66 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $35,780 | $37,190 | $38,930 | $45,520 | $50,720 | $42,150 | ||||
Top industries employing food batchmakers
Other Food Manufacturing employ 17.8% of food batchmakers nationally (31,030 jobs) at a median $42,220 a year ($20.30 an hour), followed by Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing (16.1%) and Dairy Product Manufacturing (14.3%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Food Manufacturing NAICS 311900 | 31,030 | 17.8% | $42,220 | $20.30 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing NAICS 311800 | 28,040 | 16.1% | $40,530 | $19.49 |
| Dairy Product Manufacturing NAICS 311500 | 24,950 | 14.3% | $48,700 | $23.42 |
| Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing NAICS 311400 | 20,570 | 11.8% | $41,900 | $20.15 |
| Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing NAICS 311300 | 19,690 | 11.3% | $42,380 | $20.38 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (174,520). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $35,780 for food batchmakers in May 2021 and $42,290 in May 2025, with employment of 155,240 and 174,520.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $35,780 | $17.20 | 155,240 |
| May 2022 | $36,580 | $17.59 | 166,520 |
| May 2023 | $38,460 | $18.49 | 169,190 |
| May 2024 | $40,790 | $19.61 | 171,660 |
| May 2025 | $42,290 | $20.33 | 174,520 |
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
50 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 | Vermont profile | $24.12 | $50,180 | $36,750 | $62,070 | 1,000 | 3.30 | 2.94 |
| 2 | Idaho profile | $23.83 | $49,570 | $32,980 | $61,230 | 1,700 | 1.99 | 1.77 |
| 3 | Wisconsin profile | $23.25 | $48,360 | $36,990 | $58,880 | 18,040 | 6.13 | 5.46 |
| 4 | Iowa profile | $23.22 | $48,300 | $35,830 | $62,780 | 4,160 | 2.67 | 2.37 |
| 5 | Illinois profile | $23.14 | $48,130 | $34,680 | $61,750 | 12,320 | 2.02 | 1.80 |
| 6 | Kentucky profile | $22.55 | $46,900 | $31,690 | $61,340 | 4,570 | 2.28 | 2.03 |
| 7 | Georgia profile | $22.35 | $46,490 | $28,680 | $58,960 | 4,290 | 0.88 | 0.78 |
| 8 | Missouri profile | $21.96 | $45,690 | $37,340 | $61,560 | 2,280 | 0.78 | 0.69 |
| 9 | Colorado profile | $21.59 | $44,900 | $36,820 | $61,130 | 3,880 | 1.35 | 1.20 |
| 10 | Ohio profile | $21.44 | $44,590 | $31,510 | $59,860 | 7,040 | 1.27 | 1.13 |
| 11 | Minnesota profile | $20.64 | $42,940 | $32,100 | $59,520 | 7,660 | 2.60 | 2.31 |
| 12 | Kansas profile | $20.60 | $42,850 | $32,000 | $62,350 | 3,230 | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| 13 | Washington profile | $20.53 | $42,710 | $36,920 | $58,780 | 5,700 | 1.61 | 1.43 |
| 14 | Tennessee profile | $20.49 | $42,610 | $34,850 | $56,570 | 2,920 | 0.89 | 0.79 |
| 15 | Maine profile | $20.32 | $42,260 | $36,320 | $56,160 | 610 | 0.95 | 0.85 |
| 16 | California profile | $20.03 | $41,670 | $35,700 | $58,010 | 12,560 | 0.69 | 0.61 |
| 17 | Utah profile | $19.90 | $41,390 | $31,840 | $57,610 | 3,250 | 1.87 | 1.67 |
| 18 | Nebraska profile | $19.81 | $41,210 | $31,840 | $54,720 | 1,270 | 1.24 | 1.10 |
| 19 | Nevada profile | $19.77 | $41,120 | $29,780 | $56,840 | 880 | 0.57 | 0.50 |
| 20 | Virginia profile | $19.75 | $41,080 | $31,670 | $56,160 | 2,870 | 0.70 | 0.62 |
| 21 | North Dakota profile | $19.64 | $40,840 | $35,180 | $51,840 | 250 | 0.58 | 0.52 |
| 22 | Arizona profile | $19.49 | $40,550 | $32,190 | $58,370 | 2,300 | 0.71 | 0.63 |
| 23 | Maryland profile | $19.34 | $40,240 | $31,680 | $61,960 | 1,390 | 0.50 | 0.45 |
| 24 | Michigan profile | $19.31 | $40,160 | $31,930 | $62,150 | 5,130 | 1.17 | 1.04 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania profile | $19.19 | $39,920 | $31,370 | $59,310 | 8,160 | 1.35 | 1.20 |
| 26 | Oregon profile | $19.16 | $39,850 | $35,050 | $56,430 | 3,420 | 1.74 | 1.55 |
| 27 | Indiana profile | $19.09 | $39,700 | $30,250 | $58,490 | 5,570 | 1.74 | 1.55 |
| 28 | Montana profile | $19.05 | $39,630 | $29,030 | $52,000 | 170 | 0.34 | 0.30 |
| 29 | Rhode Island profile | $18.87 | $39,250 | $31,200 | $46,520 | 310 | 0.61 | 0.55 |
| 30 | South Dakota profile | $18.84 | $39,200 | $32,180 | $56,640 | 660 | 1.45 | 1.29 |
| 31 | Connecticut profile | $18.81 | $39,110 | $35,960 | $55,870 | 1,460 | 0.86 | 0.76 |
| 32 | Alaska profile | $18.77 | $39,030 | $34,540 | $56,070 | 100 | 0.31 | 0.27 |
| 33 | Arkansas profile | $18.75 | $38,990 | $31,290 | $48,880 | 2,120 | 1.63 | 1.45 |
| 34 | New York profile | $18.50 | $38,470 | $33,040 | $53,560 | 8,460 | 0.87 | 0.78 |
| 35 | Wyoming profile | $18.48 | $38,430 | $26,960 | $45,560 | 100 | 0.37 | 0.33 |
| 36 | New Jersey profile | $18.39 | $38,250 | $32,350 | $56,440 | 3,640 | 0.85 | 0.76 |
| 37 | Texas profile | $18.03 | $37,500 | $22,410 | $53,100 | 13,250 | 0.94 | 0.84 |
| 38 | Hawaii profile | $18.02 | $37,490 | $30,490 | $49,390 | 360 | 0.57 | 0.51 |
| 39 | New Hampshire profile | $18.02 | $37,470 | $33,630 | $49,150 | 190 | 0.29 | 0.25 |
| 40 | New Mexico profile | $17.98 | $37,390 | $28,990 | $52,640 | 450 | 0.52 | 0.46 |
| 41 | Delaware profile | $17.90 | $37,220 | $31,400 | $59,450 | 380 | 0.79 | 0.70 |
| 42 | South Carolina profile | $17.82 | $37,070 | $28,910 | $52,200 | 700 | 0.30 | 0.27 |
| 43 | Alabama profile | $17.78 | $36,980 | $29,110 | $49,740 | 1,280 | 0.60 | 0.54 |
| 44 | Massachusetts profile | $17.73 | $36,880 | $31,200 | $49,360 | 5,100 | 1.40 | 1.25 |
| 45 | North Carolina profile | $17.59 | $36,590 | $29,030 | $51,070 | 3,450 | 0.70 | 0.62 |
| 46 | Mississippi profile | $17.56 | $36,530 | $32,740 | $48,000 | 660 | 0.57 | 0.50 |
| 47 | Oklahoma profile | $17.46 | $36,320 | $27,060 | $51,260 | 930 | 0.55 | 0.49 |
| 48 | Florida profile | $17.07 | $35,500 | $28,680 | $50,090 | 3,670 | 0.37 | 0.33 |
| 49 | West Virginia profile | $16.67 | $34,660 | $26,100 | $47,630 | 70 | 0.10 | 0.09 |
| 50 | Louisiana profile | $16.64 | $34,620 | $27,630 | $43,530 | 530 | 0.27 | 0.24 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (51-3090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Production 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 51-3092 Food Batchmakers.
- 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 51-3092, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 51-3092.00, 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.