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Food Batchmakers: Career Overview
Set up and operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients used in the manufacturing of food products. Includes candy makers and cheese makers.
What Do Food Batchmakers Perform?
Typical responsibilities of food batchmakers cover:
- Record production and test data for each food product batch, such as the ingredients used, temperature, test results, and time cycle.
- Clean and sterilize vats and factory processing areas.
- Set up, operate, and tend equipment that cooks, mixes, blends, or processes ingredients in the manufacturing of food products, according to formulas or recipes.
- Mix or blend ingredients, according to recipes, using a paddle or an agitator, or by controlling vats that heat and mix ingredients.
- Follow recipes to produce food products of specified flavor, texture, clarity, bouquet, or color.
- Give directions to other workers who are assisting in the batchmaking process.
- Select and measure or weigh ingredients, using English or metric measures and balance scales.
- Press switches and turn knobs to start, adjust, and regulate equipment, such as beaters, extruders, discharge pipes, and salt pumps.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful food batchmakers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Food Batchmakers Jobs
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Almond Paste Mixer
- Back of House Team Member
- Batch Blender
- Batch Maker
- Batch Mixer
- Batcher
- Batching Operator
- Batter Mixer
How Many Food Batchmakers Are There?
There are roughly 398,120 food batchmakers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -3.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Food Batchmakers
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $55,617 |
| Hourly median | $26.74 |
| 10th percentile | $39,411 |
| 25th percentile | $47,514 |
| 75th percentile | $63,721 |
| 90th percentile | $71,824 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Food Batchmakers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Iowa | $48,790 |
| Illinois | $48,440 |
| Vermont | $47,390 |
| Missouri | $46,960 |
| Kentucky | $46,900 |
| Wisconsin | $46,760 |
| Indiana | $46,040 |
| Washington | $45,040 |
| Alaska | $44,250 |
| Idaho | $44,120 |
| Maryland | $44,060 |
| Georgia | $44,030 |
| Colorado | $43,590 |
| Montana | $42,640 |
| Kansas | $41,830 |
| Nevada | $41,030 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,330 |
| California | $40,110 |
| Ohio | $39,760 |
| Virginia | $39,660 |
| New Hampshire | $39,510 |
| North Carolina | $39,320 |
| Maine | $39,310 |
| Michigan | $39,290 |
| Arizona | $39,270 |
| Minnesota | $39,180 |
| North Dakota | $39,110 |
| Tennessee | $39,020 |
| Nebraska | $38,810 |
| Utah | $38,790 |
| Rhode Island | $38,760 |
| Oregon | $38,600 |
| South Dakota | $38,490 |
| New York | $37,280 |
| Connecticut | $37,080 |
| Wyoming | $36,610 |
| Arkansas | $36,550 |
| New Jersey | $36,470 |
| Massachusetts | $36,460 |
| Delaware | $36,340 |
| Oklahoma | $36,250 |
| Florida | $36,070 |
| New Mexico | $35,940 |
| South Carolina | $35,870 |
| Mississippi | $35,320 |
| Alabama | $35,260 |
| Hawaii | $34,150 |
| Louisiana | $34,140 |
| Texas | $33,880 |
| West Virginia | $23,600 |
| Puerto Rico | $20,810 |
Where Food Batchmakers Earn the Most
Compensation for food batchmakers vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Lakes | $45,236 | 29.2% | 3.11 |
| Plains States | $43,171 | 10.8% | 1.87 |
| Rocky Mountains | $41,678 | 4.7% | 1.30 |
| Far Western US | $40,893 | 12.1% | 0.84 |
| Southeast | $40,273 | 14.3% | 0.94 |
| Middle Atlantic | $38,522 | 12.6% | 0.90 |
| New England | $38,176 | 5.4% | 1.41 |
| Southwest | $34,772 | 10.3% | 0.84 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisonburg, VA | VA | $65,770 | 150 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | KY | $64,980 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | IA | $62,360 | 510 |
| Springfield, MO | MO | $60,090 | 290 |
| Binghamton, NY | NY | $58,650 | 70 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | MO | $57,700 | 360 |
| Battle Creek, MI | MI | $55,890 | 380 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | WA | $55,570 | 110 |
Which Industries Hire Food Batchmakers
Most food batchmakers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 145,060 | $43,980 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 8,910 | $35,230 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 7,130 | $33,360 |
| Wholesale Trade | 5,320 | $38,170 |
| Retail Trade | 4,110 | $36,350 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 600 | $38,810 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 130 | $37,930 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Food Batchmakers Use
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of food batchmakers 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
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Standing
- Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Education and Training
Entry-level food batchmakers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Food Science Technicians (Supplemental)
- Cooks, Restaurant (Supplemental)
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products (Primary-Long)
- Bakers (Primary-Short)
- Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders (Primary-Short)
- Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders (Primary-Short)
- Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (Supplemental)
- Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders (Supplemental)
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced 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: 51-3092.00 (Food Batchmakers).
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