Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Production · SOC 51-9193 · O*NET 51-9193.00
Operate or tend equipment such as cooling and freezing units, refrigerators, batch freezers, and freezing tunnels, to cool or freeze products, food, blood plasma, and chemicals.
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders fall under the Production category in the U.S. occupational classification. Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders earn a median salary of $40,160 per year, ranking in the top 84% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +7.2% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders earn?
The median annual wage for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders is $40,160. That puts cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders at #684 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $33,710 |
| 25th percentile | $36,150 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $40,160 |
| 75th percentile | $49,150 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $62,760 |
| Median hourly wage | $19.31/hr |
Is cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders is +7.2%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 7K positions in 2024 to 7K in 2034, a net change of 0K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.
What do cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Record temperatures, amounts of materials processed, or test results on report forms.
- 2.Read dials and gauges on panel control boards to ascertain temperatures, alkalinities, and densities of mixtures, and turn valves to obtain specified mixtures.
- 3.Correct machinery malfunctions by performing actions such as removing jams, and inform supervisors of malfunctions as necessary.
- 4.Assemble equipment, and attach pipes, fittings, or valves, using hand tools.
- 5.Monitor pressure gauges, ammeters, flowmeters, thermometers, or products, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions, such as feed rate, product consistency, temperature, air pressure, and machine speed.
- 6.Start machinery, such as pumps, feeders, or conveyors, and turn valves to heat, admit, or transfer products, refrigerants, or mixes.
Top skills for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become cooling and freezing equipment operators and tender?
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders typically enter the field through a formal apprenticeship, technical certification, or vocational training program — a strong fit for teens who prefer hands-on learning over traditional college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders
What is the median salary for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders?
The median annual salary for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders is $40,160 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders a growing career?
BLS projects +7.2% growth for cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders from 2024 through 2034, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.
What education does my child need to become cooling and freezing equipment operators and tender?
The typical entry path requires an apprenticeship, technical certification, or postsecondary training, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to cooling and freezing equipment operators and tenders?
Related occupations within the Production category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.