Occupations · Production
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
Set up, operate, or tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment; filter presses; shaker screens; centrifuges; condenser tubes; precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks; scrubbing towers; or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. Includes dairy processing equipment operators.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 51-9012.00
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 56% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $61,550 | 1,870 |
| Napa, CA | $66,440 | 1,360 |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $47,120 | 980 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $62,400 | 870 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $54,170 | 850 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $51,560 | 840 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | $56,070 | 780 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $48,020 | 710 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI | $74,330 | 690 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $59,910 | 680 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $63,150 | 680 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $56,830 | 670 |
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.
- Dump, pour, or load specified amounts of refined or unrefined materials into equipment or containers for further processing or storage.
- Operate machines to process materials in compliance with applicable safety, energy, or environmental regulations.
- Monitor material flow or instruments, such as temperature or pressure gauges, indicators, or meters, to ensure optimal processing conditions.
- Turn valves or move controls to admit, drain, separate, filter, clarify, mix, or transfer materials.
- Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.
- Examine samples to verify qualities such as clarity, cleanliness, consistency, dryness, or texture.
- Start agitators, shakers, conveyors, pumps, or centrifuge machines.
- Inspect machines or equipment for hazards, operating efficiency, malfunctions, wear, or leaks.
- Measure or weigh materials to be refined, mixed, transferred, stored, or otherwise processed.
- Test samples to determine viscosity, acidity, specific gravity, or degree of concentration, using test equipment such as viscometers, pH meters, or hydrometers.
- Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory analysis.
- Communicate processing instructions to other workers.
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 2015-07
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2015-07
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
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 3
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 |
|---|---|---|
| milk heat treatment process operator | 8160.44 | close |
| fat-purification worker | 8160.30 | close |
| distillery worker | 8160.27 | close |
| beverage filtration technician | 8160.3 | broader |
| distillation operator | 8131.5 | broader |
| centrifuge operator | 8160.14 | broader |
| clarifier | 8160.19 | broader |
| cellar operator | 8160.13 | broader |
| cider fermentation operator | 8160.17 | broader |
| dairy processing operator | 8160.24 | broader |
| dairy products manufacturing worker | 8160.25 | broader |
| digester operator | 8171.2 | broader |
| fermenter operator | 8131.7 | broader |
| germination operator | 8160.37 | broader |
| hydrogenation machine operator | 8160.39 | broader |
| pulp control operator | 3139.3 | broader |
| pulp technician | 8171.8 | broader |
| vermouth manufacturer | 8160.53 | broader |
| wine fermenter | 8160.54 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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