Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,890 a year or less, while the top 10% make $62,620 or more. The middle half of food cooking machine operators and tenders in Denver earn between $46,890 and $51,440.
- $47K10th
- $47K25th
- $49KMedian
- $51K75th
- $63K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $51,020 | $4,252 | $24.53 |
| Median | $48,980 | $4,082 | $23.55 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $46,890 | $3,908 | $22.54 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $51,440 | $4,287 | $24.73 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders pay in Denver vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Food cooking machine operators and tenders in Denver earn 5% more than the Colorado average ($48,680) and 20% more than the U.S. average ($42,570). At the median the gap is +18% against the U.S. median of $41,590.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | $51,020 | $48,980 | $46,890 | $62,620 | 160 |
| Colorado | $48,680 | $46,900 | $40,100 | $62,620 | 300 |
| United States | $42,570 | $41,590 | $31,680 | $54,410 | 31,250 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary after taxes in Denver
On the average salary of $51,020, a single filer in Denver takes home about $41,638 a year, or $3,470 a month and $1,601 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Denver a good place for food cooking machine operators and tenders? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $51,020 buys what about $48,231 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 11.2 years of this average salary before tax.
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in nearby metro areas
- Provo, UT$40,910
- Salt Lake City, UT$42,440
- Omaha, NE$45,880
- Oklahoma City, OK$38,940
- Sioux City, IA$49,980
- Sioux Falls, SD$43,880
Highest-paying cities for food cooking machine operators and tenders
Modesto, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($63,280).
- Modesto, CA$63,280
- Cedar Rapids, IA$61,670
- Seattle, WA$54,550
- Boise, ID$51,170
- Kiryas Joel, NY$51,070
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Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in Denver: questions
How much do food cooking machine operators and tenders make an hour in Denver?
$24.53 an hour on average, and $23.55 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level food cooking machine operators and tenders salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,890 a year and the 25th percentile is $46,890, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the food cooking machine operators and tenders take-home pay in Denver?
About $41,638 a year ($3,470 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $51,020. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do food cooking machine operators and tenders earn more in Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is 20% more than the U.S. average for this job ($42,570).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 51-3093; area Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.6%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.48, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.48).
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