# Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders

> Operate or tend food or tobacco roasting, baking, or drying equipment, including hearth ovens, kiln driers, roasters, char kilns, and vacuum drying equipment.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/food-and-tobacco-roasting-baking-and-drying-machine-operators-and-tenders
- SOC code: 51-3091.00
- Career family: Production
- Median annual pay: $44,810 (10th percentile $33,250, 90th percentile $62,680)
- Projected growth: Little or no change, +0.4%
- Openings a year: 2,500
- Typical entry education: No formal credential
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code RCE)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 98 |
| Investigative (I) | 10 |
| Artistic (A) | 2 |
| Social (S) | 4 |
| Enterprising (E) | 14 |
| Conventional (C) | 53 |

## What you'd do

- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings (importance 79/100)
- Getting Information (importance 76/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 75/100)
- Controlling Machines and Processes (importance 74/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 74/100)
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials (importance 71/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 69/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 65/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 65/100)
- Training and Teaching Others (importance 64/100)

## Skills

Operations Monitoring, Monitoring, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Operation and Control, Quality Control Analysis, Reading Comprehension, Complex Problem Solving, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making

## Knowledge

Production and Processing, English Language, Public Safety and Security, Food Production, Mathematics, Education and Training, Mechanical, Customer and Personal Service, Law and Government, Engineering and Technology

## Also called

Automatic Oven Operator, Bakery Production Associate, Bakery Production Worker, Bakery Worker, Baking Assistant, Bean Roaster, Belt Conveyor Drier, Bone Char Kiln Operator, Bun Panner, Buttermilk Drier Operator

## Related careers

- [Food Batchmakers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/food-batchmakers): $42,290 median pay
- [Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/food-cooking-machine-operators-and-tenders): $41,590 median pay
- [Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/separating-filtering-clarifying-precipitating-and-still-machine-setters-operators-and): $51,610 median pay
- [Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/furnace-kiln-oven-drier-and-kettle-operators-and-tenders): $48,040 median pay
- [Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/graders-and-sorters-agricultural-products): $35,730 median pay
- [Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/cooling-and-freezing-equipment-operators-and-tenders): $41,330 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.