Find Trade Colleges
Conveyor Operators and Tenders: Career Overview
Control or tend conveyors or conveyor systems that move materials or products to and from stockpiles, processing stations, departments, or vehicles. May control speed and routing of materials or products.
What Do Conveyor Operators and Tenders Perform?
Typical responsibilities of conveyor operators and tenders span:
- Inform supervisors of equipment malfunctions that need to be addressed.
- Observe conveyor operations and monitor lights, dials, and gauges to maintain specified operating levels and to detect equipment malfunctions.
- Record production data such as weights, types, quantities, and storage locations of materials, as well as equipment performance problems and downtime.
- Load, unload, or adjust materials or products on conveyors by hand, by using lifts, hoists, and scoops, or by opening gates, chutes, or hoppers.
- Stop equipment or machinery and clear jams, using poles, bars, and hand tools, or remove damaged materials from conveyors.
- Distribute materials, supplies, and equipment to work stations, using lifts and trucks.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful conveyor operators and tenders combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Conveyor Operators and Tenders Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Aerial Tram Operator
- Ash Conveyor Operator
- Assembly Line Tender
- Bed Operator
- Belt Operator
- Belt Technician (Belt Tech)
- Belt Tender
- Beltman
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 549,923 conveyor operators and tenders working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -2.2% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Conveyor Operators and Tenders Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $35,021 |
| Hourly median | $16.84 |
| 10th percentile | $25,543 |
| 25th percentile | $30,282 |
| 75th percentile | $39,759 |
| 90th percentile | $44,498 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Conveyor Operators and Tenders Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Wyoming | $75,550 |
| West Virginia | $63,200 |
| Kentucky | $55,920 |
| Alabama | $54,480 |
| Louisiana | $47,840 |
| Iowa | $47,720 |
| Montana | $46,090 |
| Indiana | $45,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $44,590 |
| Illinois | $44,260 |
| Washington | $44,030 |
| Michigan | $43,330 |
| Maine | $43,280 |
| South Dakota | $43,080 |
| New York | $43,040 |
| Missouri | $42,910 |
| Oregon | $42,660 |
| Minnesota | $42,540 |
| California | $41,660 |
| Wisconsin | $40,740 |
| Utah | $40,680 |
| Idaho | $40,030 |
| Kansas | $39,870 |
| Colorado | $39,720 |
| Nebraska | $39,650 |
| Massachusetts | $39,560 |
| Virginia | $38,710 |
| Arizona | $38,560 |
| Tennessee | $38,290 |
| North Carolina | $38,110 |
| New Jersey | $37,910 |
| Texas | $37,600 |
| Ohio | $37,590 |
| Maryland | $37,550 |
| Florida | $37,500 |
| Arkansas | $37,190 |
| New Hampshire | $36,730 |
| Georgia | $36,330 |
| Oklahoma | $36,180 |
| Nevada | $35,910 |
| Mississippi | $35,090 |
| South Carolina | $35,070 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Pay for conveyor operators and tenders differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast | $44,268 | 27.8% | 1.90 |
| Rocky Mountains | $43,963 | 4.7% | 1.34 |
| Middle Atlantic | $42,587 | 6.0% | 0.43 |
| Great Lakes | $42,451 | 11.9% | 0.89 |
| Far Western US | $41,761 | 18.9% | 1.15 |
| Plains States | $41,417 | 16.5% | 4.07 |
| New England | $40,482 | 1.2% | 0.64 |
| Southwest | $37,477 | 13.0% | 1.30 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling, WV-OH | WV | $63,200 | 90 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $56,960 | 40 |
| Merced, CA | CA | $55,500 | 60 |
| Birmingham, AL | AL | $54,110 | 100 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | MI | $52,970 | 170 |
| Visalia, CA | CA | $52,040 | 60 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | MO | $49,940 | 30 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | MO | $48,950 | 40 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of conveyor operators and tenders are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Transportation and Warehousing | 12,140 | $38,650 |
| Manufacturing | 5,900 | $49,520 |
| Wholesale Trade | 5,010 | $42,190 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 1,380 | $64,130 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 700 | $37,140 |
| Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | 170 | $40,440 |
| Retail Trade | 150 | $37,580 |
| Utilities | 130 | $97,710 |
Below are examples of industries where conveyor operators and tenders work:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for conveyor operators and tenders is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Exposed to Contaminants
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
Education and Training
Entry-level conveyor operators and tenders positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Agricultural Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (Supplemental)
- Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining (Supplemental)
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics (Primary-Long)
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery (Supplemental)
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Primary-Long)
- Extruding and Forming Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Synthetic and Glass Fibers (Primary-Short)
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-7011.00 (Conveyor Operators and Tenders).
TradeCollege.org provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. TradeCollege.org is a for-profit site, and the displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© TradeCollege.org – All Rights Reserved.