SOC 51-9193 · Production Occupations
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders earned a median of $41,330 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 6,900 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $68,170 | $32.78 | 60 | 0.1 |
| Iowa | $62,520 | $30.06 | 290 | 0.2 |
| Indiana | $55,730 | $26.79 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Missouri | $53,940 | $25.94 | 200 | 0.1 |
| New Jersey | $51,460 | $24.74 | 100 | 0.0 |
| Washington | $50,870 | $24.46 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Illinois | $49,200 | $23.66 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Idaho | $48,360 | $23.25 | 90 | 0.1 |
| Ohio | $48,160 | $23.15 | 240 | 0.0 |
| Wisconsin | $47,060 | $22.62 | 100 | 0.0 |
| Minnesota | $46,910 | $22.56 | 100 | 0.0 |
| Massachusetts | $46,800 | $22.50 | Not published | Not published |
| Georgia | $46,770 | $22.49 | 540 | 0.1 |
| Colorado | $46,160 | $22.19 | 130 | 0.0 |
| South Dakota | $45,520 | $21.89 | 80 | 0.2 |
| Utah | $45,500 | $21.88 | 70 | 0.0 |
| New York | $45,460 | $21.86 | 160 | 0.0 |
| Florida | $45,270 | $21.76 | 130 | 0.0 |
| California | $42,100 | $20.24 | 310 | 0.0 |
| Connecticut | $41,080 | $19.75 | 70 | 0.0 |
| Kentucky | $40,840 | $19.63 | 70 | 0.0 |
| Oregon | $40,030 | $19.24 | 120 | 0.1 |
| South Carolina | $39,640 | $19.06 | 60 | 0.0 |
| Oklahoma | $39,630 | $19.06 | 130 | 0.1 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,360 | $18.92 | 760 | 0.1 |
| North Carolina | $39,030 | $18.77 | 420 | 0.1 |
| Mississippi | $38,200 | $18.36 | 360 | 0.3 |
| Arkansas | $38,090 | $18.31 | 270 | 0.2 |
| Hawaii | $37,990 | $18.27 | 110 | 0.2 |
| Tennessee | $37,780 | $18.16 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Texas | $35,810 | $17.22 | 510 | 0.0 |
| Virginia | $35,370 | $17.01 | 170 | 0.0 |
| Alabama | $35,280 | $16.96 | 280 | 0.1 |
| Michigan | $31,700 | $15.24 | 290 | 0.1 |
Pay by metro area
All 15 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $65,850 | $31.66 | 50 | 0.0 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $65,320 | $31.41 | 40 | 0.0 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $54,450 | $26.18 | 30 | 0.0 |
| Lancaster, PA | $54,330 | $26.12 | 60 | 0.2 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $51,460 | $24.74 | 110 | 0.0 |
| Gainesville, GA | $47,160 | $22.67 | 140 | 1.3 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $46,950 | $22.57 | 120 | 0.0 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $40,580 | $19.51 | 70 | 0.0 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $39,340 | $18.92 | 40 | 0.0 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $38,090 | $18.31 | 100 | 0.4 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $36,670 | $17.63 | 70 | 0.2 |
| Rochester, NY | $36,600 | $17.60 | 50 | 0.1 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $36,090 | $17.35 | 160 | 0.1 |
| Salem, OR | $33,180 | $15.95 | 30 | 0.2 |
| Birmingham, AL | Not published | Not published | 40 | 0.1 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.