Occupations · Production
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Set up, operate, or tend machines to mix or blend materials, such as chemicals, tobacco, liquids, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 51-9023.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 71% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $50,340 | 5,550 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $52,310 | 3,370 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $41,560 | 2,940 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $45,580 | 2,410 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $41,010 | 2,170 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $47,600 | 1,860 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $49,260 | 1,510 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $49,440 | 1,430 |
| Cleveland, OH | $48,210 | 1,380 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $46,540 | 1,200 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | $46,350 | 1,200 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $45,720 | 1,170 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Weigh or measure materials, ingredients, or products to ensure conformance to requirements.
- Read work orders to determine production specifications or information.
- Observe production or monitor equipment to ensure safe and efficient operation.
- Mix or blend ingredients by starting machines and mixing for specified times.
- Stop mixing or blending machines when specified product qualities are obtained and open valves and start pumps to transfer mixtures.
- Examine materials, ingredients, or products visually or with hands to ensure conformance to established standards.
- Compound or process ingredients or dyes, according to formulas.
- Operate or tend machines to mix or blend any of a wide variety of materials, such as spices, dough batter, tobacco, fruit juices, chemicals, livestock feed, food products, color pigments, or explosive ingredients.
- Dump or pour specified amounts of materials into machinery or equipment.
- Record operational or production data on specified forms.
- Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory testing.
- Unload mixtures into containers or onto conveyors for further processing.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2023-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2023-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Clean work areas.
O*NET 27.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 4
No longer listed 3
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| tracer powder blender | 8131.2.5 | broader |
| paint mixer | 8131.2.3 | broader |
| fertiliser mixer | 8131.2.1 | broader |
| pesticide mixer | 8131.2.4 | broader |
| blender operator | 8160.5 | broader |
| chemical mixer | 8131.2 | broader |
| extract mixer tester | 8160.29 | broader |
| blending plant operator | 8160.6 | broader |
| slate mixer | 8114.6 | broader |
| kettle tender | 8160.40 | broader |
| carbonation operator | 8160.12 | broader |
| colour sampling operator | 8155.1.1 | broader |
| lacquer maker | 8131.2.2 | broader |
| nitroglycerin neutraliser | 8131.13 | broader |
| perfume production machine operator | 8131.16 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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