All careers › Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Cellar worker: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $36,200lowest 10% earn less
- $44,41025th percentile
- $51,610median
- $63,93075th percentile
- $79,750top 10% earn more
A cellar worker, which BLS groups with separating, filtering and still machine operators, had a median pay of $51,610 a year, close to the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. Employment is projected to decline 5.7% from 2025 to 2035[3].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- -5.7%[3]
- Openings per year
- 5,200[5]
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent[6]
How much do cellar workers make?
BLS calls this job Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. In May 2025, the median wage was $51,610 a year, or $24.81 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average (mean) was $56,030 a year, or $26.94 an hour[7]. For all occupations, the median annual wage was $50,980[2].
The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $36,200 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $79,750[4]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[8].
| Point | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile[4][9] | $36,200 | $17.40 |
| 25th percentile[4][9] | $44,410 | $21.35 |
| Median[1] | $51,610 | $24.81 |
| 75th percentile[4][9] | $63,930 | $30.74 |
| 90th percentile[4][9] | $79,750 | $38.34 |
These figures cover wage and salary workers, full time and part time. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[10]. About 60,100 people held these jobs[11].
Pay by state and city
Among the 50 states with published data, Wyoming had the highest median at $108,900 a year[12]. Nevada followed at $62,960, then New Hampshire at $60,340[12]. West Virginia had the lowest median of the listed states, at $35,870[12].
California had the most jobs, with 14,210[13]. New York had 3,490, Tennessee 2,450, Michigan 2,230 and Pennsylvania 2,150[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Syracuse, NY had the highest median at $82,530[14]. Vallejo, CA followed at $82,440, then Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA at $80,140[14]. Napa, CA had the most jobs of any metro area, at 1,400[15].
Show median pay in 50 states
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming[12] | $108,900 | 410 |
| Nevada | $62,960 | 270 |
| New Hampshire | $60,340 | 590 |
| Wisconsin | $60,100 | 1,520 |
| Virginia | $59,480 | 2,130 |
| North Dakota | $59,390 | 270 |
| Kentucky | $58,770 | 1,500 |
| Louisiana | $58,640 | 770 |
| New Jersey | $58,140 | 930 |
| Arizona | $57,820 | 970 |
| Maine | $57,190 | 430 |
| Minnesota | $57,190 | 1,810 |
| Washington | $56,160 | 1,560 |
| New York | $55,990 | 3,490 |
| Maryland | $55,580 | 580 |
| Georgia | $55,500 | 1,210 |
| Indiana | $53,990 | 1,510 |
| Vermont | $53,570 | 230 |
| California | $52,910 | 14,210 |
| Iowa | $52,220 | 1,090 |
| Idaho | $52,160 | 780 |
| Hawaii | $51,070 | 160 |
| South Dakota | $50,780 | 270 |
| Tennessee | $50,470 | 2,450 |
| Connecticut | $50,370 | 310 |
| Oregon | $50,160 | 1,340 |
| Florida | $49,610 | 1,150 |
| Colorado | $49,590 | 1,970 |
| Michigan | $49,480 | 2,230 |
| Oklahoma | $49,440 | 260 |
| South Carolina | $49,320 | 470 |
| Missouri | $49,290 | 1,590 |
| North Carolina | $49,140 | 1,310 |
| Massachusetts | $48,970 | 510 |
| Kansas | $48,790 | 450 |
| Illinois | $48,440 | 780 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,390 | 2,150 |
| Alaska | $48,000 | 100 |
| Montana | $47,920 | 340 |
| Ohio | $47,640 | 1,470 |
| Delaware | $47,520 | 110 |
| Nebraska | $47,080 | 1,050 |
| Alabama | $46,970 | 140 |
| Texas | $46,910 | 1,460 |
| Rhode Island | $46,710 | 140 |
| Utah | $46,600 | 480 |
| Mississippi | $43,890 | 100 |
| Arkansas | $41,720 | 500 |
| New Mexico | $41,370 | 370 |
| West Virginia | $35,870 | 110 |
How to become a cellar worker
Our facts give a short path.
- First: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education for entry[6].
- Next: No related work experience is typical[6].
- Then: Moderate-term on-the-job training is typical[6].
O*NET places the job in a group where some jobs need little or no previous experience and others need several months to a year[16].
What these workers do
O*NET describes the job as setting up, running or tending equipment that pulls apart liquids, gases or solids from other materials so a refined product can be collected. The equipment includes filter presses, centrifuges, evaporating tanks and batch stills. The group also includes dairy processing equipment operators[17]. Sample titles include brewer, cellar worker, pasteurizer and plant operator[18]. Common tasks include:
- Watching material flow and gauges, such as temperature and pressure, to keep conditions right[19].
- Checking machines for hazards, wear, leaks and other problems[19].
- Adjusting controls that regulate flow, temperature or pressure[19].
- Collecting samples and testing them for qualities such as acidity or concentration[19].
- Keeping logs of instrument readings, test results and shift output[19].
- Cleaning or sterilizing tanks, screens and pipes[19].
- Passing processing instructions to other workers[19].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to decline 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 61,400 to 57,900 jobs[3]. That compares with 3.5% growth for all occupations[20]. These counts include self-employed workers[3], so they differ from the OEWS job count of 60,100[11].
About 5,200 openings are projected each year on average[5]. Openings include jobs that come open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[5]. Each year, 2.6% of workers leave the labor force and 6.8% move to a different occupation[21].
Is it a good fit?
The median pay is close to the all-occupations median, and entry needs a high school diploma and no related experience[1][2][6]. Pay spreads widely, from $36,200 at the 10th percentile to $79,750 at the 90th[4]. State medians also differ, from $35,870 in West Virginia to $108,900 in Wyoming[12]. Employment is projected to shrink, yet about 5,200 openings a year are expected as workers leave or change jobs[3][5][21]. The work suits people who are comfortable monitoring gauges and testing samples[19].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a cellar worker make an hour?
- The median was $24.81 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $17.40 and the 90th was $38.34[9].
- What education do you need to be a cellar worker?
- BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent, no related experience, and moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
- Is cellar worker a job in demand?
- BLS projects a 5.7% decline from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% growth for all occupations, with about 5,200 openings a year[3][20][5].
- What is the highest paying state for cellar workers?
- Wyoming had the highest median at $108,900 a year, followed by Nevada at $62,960[12].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the US was $51,610 per year and $24.81 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders is projected to decline 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 61,400 to 57,900 jobs (a change of -3,500). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 10th percentile $36,200, 25th percentile $44,410, 75th percentile $63,930, 90th percentile $79,750. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 5,200 openings for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, 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
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders was $56,030 per year and $26.94 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 10th percentile $17.40, 25th percentile $21.35, 75th percentile $30.74, 90th percentile $38.34. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 60,100 people were employed as Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders jobs: California 14,210; New York 3,490; Tennessee 2,450; Michigan 2,230; Pennsylvania 2,150. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders (areas with at least 100 jobs): Syracuse, NY $82,530; Vallejo, CA $82,440; Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $80,140; Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $76,350; Modesto, CA $73,690; Hanford-Corcoran, CA $66,310; Napa, CA $64,000; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $62,320. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders jobs: Napa, CA 1,400 (median $64,000); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,140 (median $59,690); Modesto, CA 1,000 (median $73,690); Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO 980 (median $51,180); Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA 970 (median $61,550); Memphis, TN-MS-AR 930 (median $50,470). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 51-9012.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET description of Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 51-9012.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Blender, Brewer, Cellar Worker, Digester Cook, Machine Tender, Paper Machine Tender, Pasteurizer, Plant Operator. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: 2.6% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.8% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
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.