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Conveyor Operators and Tenders in California
Want to work as a Conveyor Operators and Tenders in California? Below are the key facts. 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 Make in California?
The conveyor operators and tenders working in California, the median annual wage is $41,660 per year (or about $20.03/hour).Annual wages span from $38,550 at the 10th percentile to $53,930 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,550 | $18.54 |
| 25th percentile | $39,510 | $19.00 |
| Median (50th) | $41,660 | $20.03 |
| 75th percentile | $47,460 | $22.82 |
| 90th percentile | $53,930 | $25.93 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in California relative to the national average — is 1.14, indicating that conveyor operators and tenders are more concentrated here than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, conveyor operators and tenders earn a median of $35,021 per year ($16.84/hour), above the California median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 549,923 conveyor operators and tenders in the U.S.. In California alone, about 3,480 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 480 conveyor operators and tenders.
Top California Metros for Conveyor Operators and Tenders
The largest metro-area employers of conveyor operators and tenders in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,340 | $41,660 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 740 | $39,660 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 310 | $44,080 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 100 | $46,020 |
| Fresno, CA | 90 | $37,130 |
| Merced, CA | 60 | $55,500 |
| Visalia, CA | 60 | $52,040 |
| Modesto, CA | 40 | $56,960 |
| Salinas, CA | 30 | $40,490 |
Top States for Conveyor Operators and Tenders Employment
These states have the highest employment of conveyor operators and tenders work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 3,480 |
| Texas | 1,910 |
| Kentucky | 1,530 |
| Kansas | 1,040 |
| Nebraska | 1,030 |
| Virginia | 960 |
| Michigan | 820 |
| Florida | 810 |
| Georgia | 790 |
| North Carolina | 760 |
| Oklahoma | 740 |
| Arizona | 670 |
| Indiana | 660 |
| Ohio | 660 |
| New York | 650 |
| Washington | 610 |
| Iowa | 610 |
| Minnesota | 590 |
| Illinois | 580 |
| Pennsylvania | 570 |
Highest-Paying States for Conveyor Operators and Tenders
The highest-paying states for conveyor operators and tenders.
| 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 |
Skills
Key conveyor operators and tenders skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for conveyor operators and tenders, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Conveyor Operators and Tenders typically:
- 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.
- Observe packages moving along conveyors to identify packages, detect defective packaging, and perform quality control.
- Collect samples of materials or products, checking them to ensure conformance to specifications or sending them to laboratories for analysis.
- Position deflector bars, gates, chutes, or spouts to divert flow of materials from one conveyor onto another conveyor.
- Repair or replace equipment components or parts such as blades, rolls, and pumps.
- Manipulate controls, levers, and valves to start pumps, auxiliary equipment, or conveyors, and to adjust equipment positions, speeds, timing, and material flows.
- Weigh or measure materials and products, using scales or other measuring instruments, or read scales on conveyors that continually weigh products, to verify specified tonnages and prevent overloads.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel
Related Careers
Other careers like conveyor operators and tenders include:
- Agricultural Equipment Operators
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
- Industrial Machinery Mechanics
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery
- Extruding and Drawing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic
Also Known As
Aerial Tram Operator, Ash Conveyor Operator, Assembly Line Tender, Bed Operator, Belt Operator, Belt Technician (Belt Tech), Belt Tender, Beltman, Bin Tripper Operator, Boom Conveyor Operator, Brick Unloader Tender, Bull-Chain Operator, Cement Loader, Chain Puller, Char Conveyor Tender.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 53-7011.00