Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more

Food and tobacco roasting, baking, and drying machine operators and tenders operate machines that produce roasted, baked, or dried food or tobacco products. For example, dryers of fruits and vegetables operate machines that produce raisins, prunes, or other dehydrated foods. Tobacco roasters tend machines that cure tobacco for wholesale distribution to cigarette manufacturers and other makers of tobacco products. Others, such as coffee roasters, follow recipes and tend machines to produce standard or specialty coffees.

Education Required
Food batchmakers and food cooking machine operators typically need a high school diploma or equivalent.
Training Required
Food and tobacco processing workers learn on the job. Training may last from a few weeks to a few months. During training, workers learn health and safety rules related to the type of food or tobacco that they process. Training also involves learning how to operate specific equipment, following safety procedures, and reporting equipment malfunctions.
Job Outlook
The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 2% (Slower than average)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.)
Median pay: How much do Food and Tobacco Processing Workers make?
$27,110 Annual Salary
$13.04 per hour

Careers for Food and Tobacco Processing Workers

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