Pay, demand and where to work, from BLS data with the year on every table.
low → high: location quotient
Click a state. States: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Food batchmakers (SOC 51-3092) employed 174,520 people in May 2025. The median pay is $42,290 a year ($20.33 an hour); the lowest-paid 10% earn under $31,990 and the highest-paid 10% more than $58,940. BLS projects its employment to change by +6.5% between 2025 and 2035 (about 23,100 openings a year including replacements). The typical way in: High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest median pay: Vermont ($50,180), Idaho ($49,570), Wisconsin ($48,360). Most jobs: Wisconsin (18,040), Texas (13,250), California (12,560).
| Measure ⇅ | Annual ⇅ | Hourly equivalent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,990 | $15.38 |
| 25th percentile | $36,350 | $17.48 |
| Median | $42,290 | $20.33 |
| Mean | $43,750 | $21.03 |
| 75th percentile | $49,670 | $23.88 |
| 90th percentile (experienced) | $58,940 | $28.34 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
Hourly equivalents divide by 2,080 hours. Pay above $239,200 is shown as "≥ $239,200" (BLS top code).
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Jobs 2025 | 176,800 |
| Jobs 2035 (projected) | 188,200 |
| Change in jobs | 11,400 |
| Percent change | +6.5% |
| Openings a year (growth + replacements) | 23,100 |
| Self-employed share | 1.7% |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
Licences and certifications are set by states and employers; the education shown is the usual entry requirement, not a legal one.
| State ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1,280 | 0.54 | $36,980 | $29,110 | $49,740 | -13% | 35% |
| Alaska | 100 | 0.27 | $39,030 | $34,540 | $56,070 | -8% | 44% |
| Arizona | 2,300 | 0.63 | $40,550 | $32,190 | $58,370 | -4% | 49% |
| Arkansas | 2,120 | 1.45 | $38,990 | $31,290 | $48,880 | -8% | 30% |
| California | 12,560 | 0.61 | $41,670 | $35,700 | $58,010 | -1% | 61% |
| Colorado | 3,880 | 1.20 | $44,900 | $36,820 | $61,130 | +6% | 49% |
| Connecticut | 1,460 | 0.76 | $39,110 | $35,960 | $55,870 | -8% | 48% |
| Delaware | 380 | 0.70 | $37,220 | $31,400 | $59,450 | -12% | 49% |
| Florida | 3,670 | 0.33 | $35,500 | $28,680 | $50,090 | -16% | 61% |
| Georgia | 4,290 | 0.78 | $46,490 | $28,680 | $58,960 | +10% | 39% |
| Hawaii | 360 | 0.51 | $37,490 | $30,490 | $49,390 | -11% | 62% |
| Idaho | 1,700 | 1.77 | $49,570 | $32,980 | $61,230 | +17% | 34% |
| Illinois | 12,320 | 1.80 | $48,130 | $34,680 | $61,750 | +14% | 33% |
| Indiana | 5,570 | 1.55 | $39,700 | $30,250 | $58,490 | -6% | 33% |
| Iowa | 4,160 | 2.37 | $48,300 | $35,830 | $62,780 | +14% | 24% |
| Kansas | 3,230 | 2.00 | $42,850 | $32,000 | $62,350 | +1% | 30% |
| Kentucky | 4,570 | 2.03 | $46,900 | $31,690 | $61,340 | +11% | 26% |
| Louisiana | 530 | 0.24 | $34,620 | $27,630 | $43,530 | -18% | 37% |
| Maine | 610 | 0.85 | $42,260 | $36,320 | $56,160 | -0% | 34% |
| Maryland | 1,390 | 0.45 | $40,240 | $31,680 | $61,960 | -5% | 51% |
| Massachusetts | 5,100 | 1.25 | $36,880 | $31,200 | $49,360 | -13% | 60% |
| Michigan | 5,130 | 1.04 | $40,160 | $31,930 | $62,150 | -5% | 35% |
| Minnesota | 7,660 | 2.31 | $42,940 | $32,100 | $59,520 | +2% | 36% |
| Mississippi | 660 | 0.50 | $36,530 | $32,740 | $48,000 | -14% | 33% |
| Missouri | 2,280 | 0.69 | $45,690 | $37,340 | $61,560 | +8% | 28% |
| Montana | 170 | 0.30 | $39,630 | $29,030 | $52,000 | -6% | 36% |
| Nebraska | 1,270 | 1.10 | $41,210 | $31,840 | $54,720 | -3% | 32% |
| Nevada | 880 | 0.50 | $41,120 | $29,780 | $56,840 | -3% | 50% |
| New Hampshire | 190 | 0.25 | $37,470 | $33,630 | $49,150 | -11% | 50% |
| New Jersey | 3,640 | 0.76 | $38,250 | $32,350 | $56,440 | -10% | 56% |
| New Mexico | 450 | 0.46 | $37,390 | $28,990 | $52,640 | -12% | 36% |
| New York | 8,460 | 0.78 | $38,470 | $33,040 | $53,560 | -9% | 51% |
| North Carolina | 3,450 | 0.62 | $36,590 | $29,030 | $51,070 | -13% | 44% |
| North Dakota | 250 | 0.52 | $40,840 | $35,180 | $51,840 | -3% | 29% |
| Ohio | 7,040 | 1.13 | $44,590 | $31,510 | $59,860 | +5% | 29% |
| Oklahoma | 930 | 0.49 | $36,320 | $27,060 | $51,260 | -14% | 34% |
| Oregon | 3,420 | 1.55 | $39,850 | $35,050 | $56,430 | -6% | 48% |
| Pennsylvania | 8,160 | 1.20 | $39,920 | $31,370 | $59,310 | -6% | 38% |
| Rhode Island | 310 | 0.55 | $39,250 | $31,200 | $46,520 | -7% | 43% |
| South Carolina | 700 | 0.27 | $37,070 | $28,910 | $52,200 | -12% | 41% |
| South Dakota | 660 | 1.29 | $39,200 | $32,180 | $56,640 | -7% | 31% |
| Tennessee | 2,920 | 0.79 | $42,610 | $34,850 | $56,570 | +1% | 36% |
| Texas | 13,250 | 0.84 | $37,500 | $22,410 | $53,100 | -11% | 47% |
| Utah | 3,250 | 1.67 | $41,390 | $31,840 | $57,610 | -2% | 46% |
| Vermont | 1,000 | 2.94 | $50,180 | $36,750 | $62,070 | +19% | 32% |
| Virginia | 2,870 | 0.62 | $41,080 | $31,670 | $56,160 | -3% | 48% |
| Washington | 5,700 | 1.43 | $42,710 | $36,920 | $58,780 | +1% | 51% |
| West Virginia | 70 | 0.09 | $34,660 | $26,100 | $47,630 | -18% | 31% |
| Wisconsin | 18,040 | 5.46 | $48,360 | $36,990 | $58,880 | +14% | 28% |
| Wyoming | 100 | 0.33 | $38,430 | $26,960 | $45,560 | -9% | 31% |
Location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in the state than in the nation. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure. Rent uses the state median gross rent (ACS).
The 60 highest-paying metropolitan areas among those with at least 300 jobs in this occupation.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 480 | $77,920 | $36,040 | $81,060 | 3.07 |
| Decatur, IL | 490 | $57,880 | $37,460 | $74,660 | 9.50 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 490 | $56,730 | $36,500 | $78,800 | 1.51 |
| Topeka, KS | 770 | $56,390 | $38,010 | $79,730 | 5.93 |
| Rockford, IL | 430 | $52,500 | $34,320 | $58,070 | 2.81 |
| Eau Claire, WI | 400 | $52,110 | $38,150 | $61,900 | 4.18 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 990 | $52,000 | $36,880 | $62,460 | 0.66 |
| Sheboygan, WI | 1,910 | $51,490 | $47,700 | $58,330 | 28.13 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | 420 | $50,350 | $36,360 | $59,510 | 5.39 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 500 | $50,180 | $39,370 | $58,510 | 3.69 |
| Greeley, CO | 670 | $49,710 | $41,580 | $64,850 | 4.96 |
| Boise City, ID | 690 | $49,570 | $36,730 | $61,230 | 1.57 |
| Appleton, WI | 1,420 | $49,390 | $35,480 | $59,060 | 10.15 |
| Rochester, NY | 790 | $49,180 | $34,050 | $62,440 | 1.43 |
| Green Bay, WI | 1,230 | $48,850 | $37,200 | $58,770 | 6.30 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,530 | $48,780 | $33,940 | $58,940 | 0.78 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 310 | $48,670 | $34,690 | $55,050 | 3.32 |
| Wausau, WI | 1,090 | $48,560 | $37,320 | $57,510 | 13.94 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 8,490 | $47,660 | $34,760 | $61,440 | 1.68 |
| Columbus, OH | 820 | $47,630 | $35,610 | $59,670 | 0.66 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 1,590 | $47,470 | $33,830 | $61,340 | 1.29 |
| Toledo, OH | 400 | $47,390 | $30,170 | $66,150 | 1.22 |
| Gainesville, GA | 380 | $47,160 | $31,570 | $60,280 | 3.28 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 500 | $47,010 | $34,710 | $61,850 | 1.11 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | 930 | $46,940 | $37,440 | $55,570 | 9.77 |
| Logan, UT-ID | 540 | $46,680 | $37,320 | $61,030 | 7.20 |
| Modesto, CA | 360 | $46,670 | $35,650 | $64,200 | 1.66 |
| Madison, WI | 1,390 | $46,580 | $38,380 | $59,460 | 3.02 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 1,320 | $46,540 | $33,500 | $58,000 | 1.71 |
| Akron, OH | 420 | $46,510 | $34,980 | $57,380 | 1.18 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 1,510 | $46,210 | $37,580 | $61,440 | 0.83 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 350 | $46,010 | $35,900 | $62,270 | 4.19 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 420 | $45,920 | $38,370 | $58,560 | 0.33 |
| Bellingham, WA | 310 | $45,470 | $37,140 | $52,000 | 3.00 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,760 | $45,300 | $39,210 | $59,180 | 0.66 |
| York-Hanover, PA | 480 | $45,190 | $31,720 | $57,850 | 2.34 |
| Kenosha, WI | 420 | $45,160 | $37,010 | $54,960 | 4.97 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | 370 | $45,120 | $33,840 | $55,390 | 2.00 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,490 | $45,020 | $36,150 | $60,250 | 2.05 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 1,870 | $44,650 | $33,660 | $61,890 | 2.78 |
| Reading, PA | 380 | $44,220 | $33,490 | $48,840 | 1.93 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 320 | $44,200 | $36,410 | $54,770 | 1.00 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 360 | $43,660 | $34,850 | $60,810 | 0.29 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 1,010 | $43,550 | $28,220 | $56,880 | 0.80 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 2,050 | $43,410 | $35,350 | $57,620 | 2.23 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | 460 | $43,390 | $38,060 | $46,710 | 10.13 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 930 | $43,160 | $31,200 | $61,960 | 0.61 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 910 | $43,130 | $34,650 | $58,570 | 6.24 |
| Boulder, CO | 730 | $43,090 | $39,750 | $46,860 | 3.37 |
| Twin Falls, ID | 360 | $43,090 | $37,650 | $65,350 | 6.35 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 980 | $42,900 | $34,940 | $59,580 | 2.62 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 1,780 | $42,860 | $35,810 | $59,630 | 1.32 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 830 | $42,850 | $28,270 | $60,260 | 0.67 |
| Visalia, CA | 780 | $42,680 | $37,020 | $54,670 | 4.08 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,010 | $42,370 | $37,400 | $57,570 | 1.28 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 720 | $42,070 | $36,060 | $60,230 | 1.70 |
| Lancaster, PA | 1,000 | $41,650 | $32,350 | $65,690 | 3.52 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | 690 | $41,230 | $33,940 | $48,170 | 2.25 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 1,550 | $40,860 | $30,180 | $53,620 | 1.25 |
| Jackson, TN | 640 | $40,560 | $39,830 | $44,200 | 6.75 |
The median is $42,290 a year ($20.33 an hour); the lowest-paid tenth earn under $31,990 and the highest-paid tenth over $58,940 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
174,520 in May 2025, and BLS projects +6.5% growth to 2035.
The typical entry education is: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS).
Vermont, with a median of $50,180 (among states with published figures).