Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay in California
$59,240avg. a year
$28.48 an hour · 14,210 employed
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders in California earn an average of $59,240 a year. That is $3,210 (6%) more than the U.S. average of $56,030. The best-paying metro area is Napa, CA at $74,220.
$52,910Median pay
$28.48Average hourly
+10%Avg. pay since 2020
#8Of 50 states
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders by metro area. Swipe to see all 23.
11,400 jobs
Napa, CA
$74,220
$35.68 an hour
2240 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$70,470
$33.88 an hour
3970 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$70,000
$33.65 an hour
4730 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$66,860
$32.14 an hour
51,000 jobs
Modesto, CA
$65,390
$31.44 an hour
6340 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$64,550
$31.03 an hour
7220 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$64,520
$31.02 an hour
8250 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$63,640
$30.60 an hour
9100 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$61,720
$29.67 an hour
10690 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$61,570
$29.60 an hour
11310 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$60,040
$28.87 an hour
12350 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$59,940
$28.82 an hour
13150 jobs
Salinas, CA
$59,610
$28.66 an hour
14430 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$59,060
$28.40 an hour
15270 jobs
Merced, CA
$58,870
$28.30 an hour
16460 jobs
Fresno, CA
$55,490
$26.68 an hour
1780 jobs
Chico, CA
$55,240
$26.56 an hour
18800 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$55,090
$26.49 an hour
19150 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$54,880
$26.39 an hour
20300 jobs
Visalia, CA
$52,210
$25.10 an hour
21220 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$50,880
$24.46 an hour
22
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$50,030
$24.06 an hour
2340 jobs
El Centro, CA
$47,160
$22.67 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $51k$51k–$54k$54k–$58k$58k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $56,030 | $26.94 |
| California | $59,240 | $28.48 |
| Nevada | $64,590 | $31.05 |
| Arizona | $56,700 | $27.26 |
| Oregon | $55,770 | $26.81 |
Related jobs in California
- Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers$59,540
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders$46,050
- Production Workers, All Other$48,570
- Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Operators$57,400
- Helpers--Production Workers$46,150
- Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders$58,030
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders make in California?
The average is $59,240 a year, and the median is $52,910. That is $3,210 (6%) more than the U.S. average of $56,030.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$28.48 an hour on average; the median is $25.44.
Where in California do they earn the most?
Napa, CA ($74,220), followed by Vallejo, CA ($70,470). The lowest average among 23 metro areas with data is El Centro, CA ($47,160).
How does California rank?
California ranks #8 of 50 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 51-9012. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.