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Conveyor operators and tenders: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$42,420median pay per year, or $20.39 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $36,180lowest 10% earn less
  2. $38,18025th percentile
  3. $42,420median
  4. $48,53075th percentile
  5. $59,470top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Conveyor operators and tenders had a median pay of $42,420 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to fall from 2025 to 2035, but openings are still expected each year[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-2.6%[2]
Openings per year
2,200[3]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[6]

How much do conveyor operators and tenders make?

The median pay was $42,420 a year, or $20.39 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $45,080 a year, or $21.68 an hour[7].

For all occupations in the US, the median annual wage was $50,980[5]. The median for this job was below that figure.

Here is how wages spread out:

Point in the range Annual wage Hourly wage
10th percentile[4][8] $36,180 $17.39
25th percentile[4][8] $38,180 $18.35
Median[1] $42,420 $20.39
75th percentile[4][8] $48,530 $23.33
90th percentile[4][8] $59,470 $28.59

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,180, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $59,470[4]. A percentile is a boundary line in the pay list. BLS publishes these boundaries and no starting salary[9].

These wages cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses not tied to production, and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 20.6% of conveyor operators and tenders were self-employed in 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

West Virginia had the top state median at $62,830 a year, with 580 jobs[12]. Iowa came next at $56,900[12]. Oklahoma had the lowest listed median at $36,200[12]. Job counts are small in many states, so a single state figure rests on a small group of workers[12].

California had the most jobs, at 2,460, followed by Texas at 2,380 and Nebraska at 1,180[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Wheeling, WV-OH had the top median at $64,160[14]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA came next at $50,810[14]. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area had the most jobs, at 1,070, with a median of $42,420[15].

Show median pay in 44 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
West Virginia[12]$62,830580
Iowa$56,900590
Maryland$56,12030
Alabama$55,970210
Louisiana$54,590210
Wyoming$52,480120
New Jersey$50,750210
Utah$48,620140
North Dakota$47,77080
Indiana$46,300610
Pennsylvania$45,130450
South Dakota$44,890500
Kentucky$44,800780
Illinois$44,290480
Missouri$44,100290
Washington$43,480640
Oregon$43,410390
Nebraska$43,3601,180
California$43,1502,460
Massachusetts$43,150170
Minnesota$43,000460
Hawaii$42,880n/a
New York$42,670720
Idaho$40,750240
Texas$40,6502,380
Georgia$40,630600
Colorado$40,480370
Vermont$40,39050
Kansas$40,030840
Virginia$39,840820
Ohio$39,610340
Wisconsin$39,550450
Michigan$39,340410
Arizona$39,260360
North Carolina$39,160840
Montana$38,760370
Nevada$38,450350
Mississippi$38,320230
Maine$38,310200
Tennessee$38,260760
Florida$38,190470
South Carolina$38,020440
Arkansas$36,940300
Oklahoma$36,200350

How to become a conveyor operator or tender

BLS lists no formal educational credential and no work experience in a related job for entry. The typical training is short-term on-the-job training[6]. In an O*NET survey of 30 workers, 70% said less than a high school diploma is required, 24% said a high school diploma or the equivalent, and 5% said some college courses[16].

The training details above come from a BLS profile that covers material moving machine operators more broadly, so it describes a wider group than this page[21].

What conveyor operators and tenders do

O*NET describes the job as controlling or tending conveyor systems that move materials or products between storage piles, processing stations, departments and vehicles[22]. Reported tasks include:

O*NET sample titles include conveyor tender, package line operator and process line operator[24].

Where they work

The next details come from a BLS profile of the wider group of material moving machine operators. These workers are found indoors and outdoors across many industries[25]. Warehousing and storage was the largest employer group in 2025, at 33%[26].

Full-time work is common, and some people work more than 40 hours a week[27]. Because shipping goes on around the clock, some work overnight shifts[27].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of conveyor operators and tenders to fall 2.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 29,000 to 28,200 jobs[2]. That is a change of 800 fewer jobs[2]. For all occupations, projected employment grows 3.5%[28]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[2]. The OEWS count of wage and salary jobs in May 2025 was about 22,930[29].

BLS still expects about 2,200 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[3]. Openings count new jobs and also spots left by people who retire or switch to another field[3]. Each year, 2.8% of workers leave the labor force and 5.1% move to a different occupation[30].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a job with a low barrier to entry: no formal credential and short-term on-the-job training[6]. The median pay was below the all-occupations median, and the 90th percentile was $59,470[1][5][4]. Employment is projected to shrink, though openings still come up each year as people leave or change jobs[2][3]. Pay differs by place, from $36,200 in Oklahoma to $62,830 in West Virginia[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[31].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a conveyor operator make an hour?
The median hourly wage for conveyor operators and tenders was $20.39 in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $17.39 and the 90th percentile was $28.59[8].
Do you need a degree to be a conveyor operator?
BLS lists no formal educational credential for entry, and the typical training is short-term on-the-job training[6].
What is the highest paying state for conveyor operators and tenders?
West Virginia had the top median at $62,830 a year, followed by Iowa at $56,900[12].
Are conveyor operator jobs in demand?
BLS projects a 2.6% decline from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% growth for all occupations[2][28]. About 2,200 openings a year are projected[3].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Conveyor Operators and Tenders in the US was $42,420 per year and $20.39 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Conveyor Operators and Tenders is projected to decline 2.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 29,000 to 28,200 jobs (a change of -800). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,200 openings for Conveyor Operators and Tenders are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Conveyor Operators and Tenders: 10th percentile $36,180, 25th percentile $38,180, 75th percentile $48,530, 90th percentile $59,470. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Conveyor Operators and Tenders: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Conveyor Operators and Tenders was $45,080 per year and $21.68 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Conveyor Operators and Tenders: 10th percentile $17.39, 25th percentile $18.35, 75th percentile $23.33, 90th percentile $28.59. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS Employment Projections: 20.6% of Conveyor Operators and Tenders were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  12. Median annual wage for Conveyor Operators and Tenders in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Conveyor Operators and Tenders jobs: California 2,460; Texas 2,380; Nebraska 1,180; Kansas 840; North Carolina 840. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Conveyor Operators and Tenders (areas with at least 100 jobs): Wheeling, WV-OH $64,160; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $50,810; Kansas City, MO-KS $50,410; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $45,570; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $44,910; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $44,800; Omaha, NE-IA $44,650; Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $44,390. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Conveyor Operators and Tenders jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,070 (median $42,420); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 580 (median $42,990); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 540 (median $44,910); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 520 (median $43,830); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 470 (median $41,140); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 380 (median $37,500). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 53-7011.00 survey of workers (30 respondents), education level they say is required: Less than a High School Diploma 70%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 24%, Some College Courses 5% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Material Moving Machine Operators" covers Conveyor Operators and Tenders together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. O*NET description of Conveyor Operators and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET task list for Conveyor Operators and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET 53-7011.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Chipper Operator, Conveyor Operator, Conveyor Tender, Flumer, Machine Operator, Package Line Operator, Packaging Line Operator, Process Line Operator. O*NET OnLine
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of material moving machine operators in 2025: Warehousing and storage 33%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  29. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 22,930 people were employed as Conveyor Operators and Tenders in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  30. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Conveyor Operators and Tenders: 2.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.1% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  31. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the 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. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.