Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Median salary

$51,610

Average salary

$56,030

Employment

60,100

Projected growth

4.3% decline

Annual openings

5,400

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

What Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders Do

Set up, operate, or tend continuous flow or vat-type equipment; filter presses; shaker screens; centrifuges; condenser tubes; precipitating, fermenting, or evaporating tanks; scrubbing towers; or batch stills. These machines extract, sort, or separate liquids, gases, or solids from other materials to recover a refined product. Includes dairy processing equipment operators.

See full salary breakdown & percentiles →

Career Outlook

National employment outlook, 2024–2034.

Related work experience: None
On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed: 0.4%

Source: BLS Employment Projections — 2024-2034.

How Much Preparation Does This Take?

Job Zone 2 of 5

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Experience: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
Education: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Job training: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

Source: O*NET Job Zones.

Key Knowledge Areas

Subject-matter areas this occupation draws on most, per O*NET.

Production and Processingimportance 3.8/5
Mechanicalimportance 3.3/5
English Languageimportance 3.1/5
Public Safety and Securityimportance 2.9/5
Mathematicsimportance 2.8/5
Education and Trainingimportance 2.8/5
Chemistryimportance 2.6/5
Computers and Electronicsimportance 2.6/5

Work Environment

What the day-to-day work setting is like, per O*NET.

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets4.9/5
Exposed to Contaminants4.6/5
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.6/5
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable4.3/5
Freedom to Make Decisions4.3/5
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled4.2/5

Careers With Similar Skills

Occupations whose Transferable Skills profile most closely matches this one — a mathematical comparison, not observed data about people actually moving between these careers.

Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers96% skill match
Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas94% skill match
Power Plant Operators93% skill match
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic93% skill match
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders93% skill match
Roof Bolters, Mining93% skill match
Septic Tank Servicers and Sewer Pipe Cleaners93% skill match
Textile Bleaching and Dyeing Machine Operators and Tenders92% skill match

Transferable Skills

Cross-functional skills this occupation draws on most, per O*NET — the kind that carry over to other careers.

Operations Monitoringimportance 3.8/5
Operation and Controlimportance 3.1/5
Quality Control Analysisimportance 3.1/5
Judgment and Decision Makingimportance 3.0/5
Time Managementimportance 3.0/5
Coordinationimportance 2.9/5
Complex Problem Solvingimportance 2.9/5
Equipment Maintenanceimportance 2.9/5

Software & Technologies

Tools and software used in this occupation, per O*NET.

Hot Technologies

Other Software Used

Email software

Work Style

Personal work characteristics that matter most for this occupation, per O*NET.

Cautiousness
Attention to Detail
Dependability
Integrity
Stress Tolerance
Self-Control
Achievement Orientation

Career Interests

This occupation’s RIASEC interest profile, per O*NET — how strongly it fits each of the six Holland interest types.

RealisticHigh
ConventionalMedium
InvestigativeLow
SocialLow
EnterprisingLow
ArtisticLow

This page includes information from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Where This Career Is Most Concentrated

Metro areas where separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders make up the largest share of local employment, relative to the national average (BLS location quotient).