Occupational Employment Statistics

DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA

51-9012 Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Occupational Description:
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. Excludes “Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders" (51-9011).

Occupational Employment Statistics(OES) Wage Data
First Quarter 2024

Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Percentiles
Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Mean	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
Minnesota	1,530	135	$24.92/hr	$19.12/hr	$21.96/hr	$24.95/hr	$27.72/hr	$30.27/hr

Leading Industries for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Industry	OES Employment (Statewide)	OES Median Wage (Statewide)
Manufacturing	1,370	$24.82/hr
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	100	$29.29/hr
Leisure and Hospitality	60	$21.12/hr

Other Regional Data for Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Geography	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
Duluth MN-WI MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
Grand Forks ND-MN MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
La Crosse WI-MN MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
St Cloud MN MSA	N/A	N/A	N/A
Mankato-North Mankato MN MSA	20	$24.03/hr	N/A
Northeast Balance of State	20	$22.99/hr	N/A
Rochester MN MSA	30	$24.43/hr	N/A
Northeast Minnesota	40	$22.42/hr	10.8%
Fargo ND-MN MSA	50	$24.35/hr	N/A
Northwest Minnesota	70	$24.16/hr	7.4%
Northwest Balance of State	70	$24.36/hr	N/A
Southwest Balance of State	90	$24.49/hr	N/A
Southwest Minnesota	250	$25.06/hr	2.0%
Southeast Minnesota	270	$27.72/hr	1.8%
Central Minnesota	280	$21.14/hr	17.5%
Southeast Balance of State	400	$26.62/hr	N/A
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN	610	$26.46/hr	3.5%
Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington MN-WI MSA	720	$26.46/hr	N/A
Minnesota	1,530	$24.95/hr	4.5%

Related Occupations

Occupations	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	790	$28.57/hr	-4.6%
Heat Treating Equipment Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	110	$24.83/hr	-7.6%
Plant and System Operators, All Other	310	$34.36/hr	1.7%
Power Plant Operators	630	$45.03/hr	-10.7%
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators	1,580	$34.19/hr	3.3%
Rolling Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic	180	$25.03/hr	-5.3%
Cooling and Freezing Equipment Operators and Tenders	90	$19.18/hr	5.9%
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders	280	$24.46/hr	-2.6%
Adhesive Bonding Machine Operators and Tenders	90	$28.68/hr	2.6%
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders	1,760	$23.88/hr	3.5%

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

Monitor material flow or instruments, such as temperature or pressure gauges, indicators, or meters, to ensure optimal processing conditions.
Inspect machines or equipment for hazards, operating efficiency, malfunctions, wear, or leaks.
Maintain logs of instrument readings, test results, or shift production for entry in computer databases.
Operate machines to process materials in compliance with applicable safety, energy, or environmental regulations.
Test samples to determine viscosity, acidity, specific gravity, or degree of concentration, using test equipment such as viscometers, pH meters, or hydrometers.
Communicate processing instructions to other workers.
Examine samples to verify qualities such as clarity, cleanliness, consistency, dryness, or texture.
Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.
Collect samples of materials or products for laboratory analysis.
Measure or weigh materials to be refined, mixed, transferred, stored, or otherwise processed.