Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders Salary in Texas

Food cooking machine operators and tenders in Texas earn the most in Dallas (average $35,950 a year) and the least in McAllen ($28,710), across the 6 Texas metro areas we cover. Statewide, BLS puts the food cooking machine operators and tenders average at $34,570 and the median at $33,980 for 3,180 workers. The U.S. average for this job is $42,570.

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders average salary by city in Texas

Dallas$35,950
Houston$34,100
Austin$34,080
El Paso$34,020
San Antonio$32,720
McAllen$28,710

Pay, take-home pay and cost of living

City	Average	Median	25th pct.	Take-home*	Cost of living
Dallas	$35,950	$35,240	$32,250	$31,066	103
Houston	$34,100	$32,180	$30,170	$29,579	99
Austin	$34,080	$35,350	$29,460	$29,563	98
El Paso	$34,020	$36,120	$27,100	$29,515	90
San Antonio	$32,720	$30,340	$29,580	$28,471	95
McAllen	$28,710	$26,950	$21,510	$25,248	86

*Average salary after federal and state taxes for a single filer; Texas has no state income tax. Cost of living: BEA price parity, U.S. = 100.

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary in other states

Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders salary by city and state

More about pay in Texas

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.
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.

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