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Food batchmaker (blender): pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$42,290median pay per year, or $20.33 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $31,990lowest 10% earn less
  2. $36,35025th percentile
  3. $42,290median
  4. $49,67075th percentile
  5. $58,940top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[6]

Food batchmakers, who may be called blenders or mixers, had a median pay of $42,290 a year in May 2025[1][2]. Their jobs are projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
+6.5%[3]
Openings per year
23,100[7]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[8]

How much do food batchmakers make?

In May 2025, the median pay was $42,290 a year, or $20.33 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $43,750 a year, or $21.04 an hour[9].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $31,990 a year, and the 90th percentile was $58,940[5]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10].

Level Yearly Hourly
10th percentile[5][11] $31,990 $15.38
25th percentile[5][11] $36,350 $17.47
Median[1] $42,290 $20.33
75th percentile[5][11] $49,670 $23.88
90th percentile[5][11] $58,940 $28.34

For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[6]. So the median for batchmakers sat below that figure[1][6].

These numbers cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses and the cost of benefits[12]. About 174,520 people held these jobs in May 2025[13].

Pay by state and city

BLS lists 50 states with published data[14]. Vermont had the top median at $50,180, followed by Idaho at $49,570, Wisconsin at $48,360, Iowa at $48,300 and Illinois at $48,130[14].

Wisconsin also had the most jobs at 18,040[15]. Texas (13,250), California (12,560), Illinois (12,320) and New York (8,460) came next[15].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Cedar Rapids, IA had the top median at $77,920[16]. Battle Creek, MI followed at $75,370, then Harrisonburg, VA at $66,330[16]. The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area had the most jobs at 8,490, with a median of $47,660[17].

Show median pay in 50 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Vermont[14]$50,1801,000
Idaho$49,5701,700
Wisconsin$48,36018,040
Iowa$48,3004,160
Illinois$48,13012,320
Kentucky$46,9004,570
Georgia$46,4904,290
Missouri$45,6902,280
Colorado$44,9003,880
Ohio$44,5907,040
Minnesota$42,9407,660
Kansas$42,8503,230
Washington$42,7105,700
Tennessee$42,6102,920
Maine$42,260610
California$41,67012,560
Utah$41,3903,250
Nebraska$41,2101,270
Nevada$41,120880
Virginia$41,0802,870
North Dakota$40,840250
Arizona$40,5502,300
Maryland$40,2401,390
Michigan$40,1605,130
Pennsylvania$39,9208,160
Oregon$39,8503,420
Indiana$39,7005,570
Montana$39,630170
Rhode Island$39,250310
South Dakota$39,200660
Connecticut$39,1101,460
Alaska$39,030100
Arkansas$38,9902,120
New York$38,4708,460
Wyoming$38,430100
New Jersey$38,2503,640
Texas$37,50013,250
Hawaii$37,490360
New Hampshire$37,470190
New Mexico$37,390450
Delaware$37,220380
South Carolina$37,070700
Alabama$36,9801,280
Massachusetts$36,8805,100
North Carolina$36,5903,450
Mississippi$36,530660
Oklahoma$36,320930
Florida$35,5003,670
West Virginia$34,66070
Louisiana$34,620530

How to become a food batchmaker

The facts describe a short path in.

Math and reading skills help, since workers often adjust ingredient amounts[21].

In an O*NET survey of 19 workers, 38% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required, 27% said some college courses, 22% said a post-secondary certificate and 14% said less than a high school diploma[22].

The facts do not list any license or exam.

What food batchmakers do

These workers set up and run equipment that mixes or blends ingredients for food products, including candy and cheese[23]. Common tasks include:

Workers report job titles such as blender, mixer, compounder and batching operator[2].

Where they work

The BLS profile for the wider group of food processing equipment workers says 78% worked in food manufacturing in 2025[25][19]. Plants are large, open-floor spaces with loud machines[26]. Cooking equipment can mean high heat, and cold storage areas can mean long stretches in the cold[26].

Workers may need hearing protection, and they may also wear masks, hairnets or gloves[27]. Workers usually stand while tending machines, and loading or cleaning can involve lifting, bending and reaching[28]. Shift work is common, with early, evening or overnight hours, and some positions are seasonal[29][30].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 6.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 176,800 to 188,200 jobs, a gain of about 11,400[3]. For all occupations, the projected growth is 3.5%[4].

About 23,100 openings a year are projected over those years[7]. Openings count people who retire or switch occupations as well as new jobs[7]. Each year, 5.1% of workers leave the labor force and 7% move to a different occupation[31].

BLS counts about 174,520 wage and salary jobs[13]. The projection counts include the self-employed, who made up 1.7% of workers in 2025[3][32].

Is it a good fit?

The facts point to a job with a low barrier to entry. A high school diploma or equivalent is typical, and training happens on the job[8]. Median pay was below the all-occupations median, though the 90th percentile reached $58,940[1][6][5]. Projected growth of 6.5% is ahead of the 3.5% for all occupations, and about 23,100 openings a year come from turnover as well as new jobs[3][4][7]. The work involves standing, noise and sometimes heat in a plant setting[26][28].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[33].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a food batchmaker make an hour?
In May 2025, the median was $20.33 an hour and the average was $21.04 an hour[1][9].
What education do you need to be a food batchmaker?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for entry, plus moderate-term on-the-job training[8].
Are food batchmaker jobs in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 6.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, with about 23,100 openings a year[3][4][7].
What is the top paying state for food batchmakers?
Vermont had the top median at $50,180, followed by Idaho at $49,570[14].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Food Batchmakers in the US was $42,290 per year and $20.33 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. O*NET 51-3092.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Batching Operator, Blender, Brewing Technician, Compounder, Dosier Operator, Dough Scaler, Mix Technician, Mixer. O*NET OnLine
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Food Batchmakers is projected to grow 6.5% from 2025 to 2035, from about 176,800 to 188,200 jobs (a change of +11,400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Food Batchmakers: 10th percentile $31,990, 25th percentile $36,350, 75th percentile $49,670, 90th percentile $58,940. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS Employment Projections: about 23,100 openings for Food Batchmakers 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
  8. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Food Batchmakers: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Food Batchmakers was $43,750 per year and $21.04 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. 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
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Food Batchmakers: 10th percentile $15.38, 25th percentile $17.47, 75th percentile $23.88, 90th percentile $28.34. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. 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
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 174,520 people were employed as Food Batchmakers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. Median annual wage for Food Batchmakers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Food Batchmakers jobs: Wisconsin 18,040; Texas 13,250; California 12,560; Illinois 12,320; New York 8,460. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Food Batchmakers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Cedar Rapids, IA $77,920; Battle Creek, MI $75,370; Harrisonburg, VA $66,330; Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $60,680; Decatur, IL $57,880; Williamsport, PA $57,630; Lexington-Fayette, KY $56,730; Topeka, KS $56,390. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Food Batchmakers jobs: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 8,490 (median $47,660); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 6,860 (median $38,790); Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 4,490 (median $45,020); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 4,190 (median $38,950); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 4,130 (median $38,930); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 3,840 (median $37,010). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Food Processing Equipment Workers" covers Food Batchmakers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. O*NET 51-3092.00 survey of workers (19 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 38%, Some College Courses 27%, Post-Secondary Certificate 22%, Less than a High School Diploma 14% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  23. O*NET description of Food Batchmakers. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET task list for Food Batchmakers. O*NET OnLine
  25. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of food processing equipment workers in 2025: Food manufacturing 78%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Food Batchmakers: 5.1% of workers leave the labor force each year and 7% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS Employment Projections: 1.7% of Food Batchmakers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  33. 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.