Conveyor Operators and Tenders
Control or tend conveyors or conveyor systems that move materials or products to and from stockpiles, processing stations, departments, or vehicles. May control speed and routing of materials or products.
Also called: Chipper Operator · Debarker Operator · Flumer · Line Operator · Machine Operator · Package Line Operator
Median pay (national)
$41,230
$34,940–$60,390 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
26,060
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-3.4%
~2,600 openings/yr
Typical entry
No formal educational credential
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for conveyor operators and tenders shows a relatively narrow range: the top 10% earn $60,390 versus $34,940 at the bottom 10% — 1.7x. The median of $41,230 leaves roughly 46% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -3.4% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 2,600 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 42 states with released data, Wyoming pays the most for this role (median $75,550, +83% vs the national median), while South Carolina sits lowest at $35,070 — a 115% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Monitoring, Active Listening, Speaking as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Distribute materials, supplies, and equipment to work stations, using lifts and trucks.
- Observe conveyor operations and monitor lights, dials, and gauges to maintain specified operating levels and to detect equipment malfunctions.
- Record production data such as weights, types, quantities, and storage locations of materials, as well as equipment performance problems and downtime.
- Load, unload, or adjust materials or products on conveyors by hand, by using lifts, hoists, and scoops, or by opening gates, chutes, or hoppers.
- Inform supervisors of equipment malfunctions that need to be addressed.
- Stop equipment or machinery and clear jams, using poles, bars, and hand tools, or remove damaged materials from conveyors.
- Collect samples of materials or products, checking them to ensure conformance to specifications or sending them to laboratories for analysis.
- Repair or replace equipment components or parts such as blades, rolls, and pumps.
- Press console buttons to deflect packages to predetermined accumulators or reject lines.
- Contact workers in work stations or other departments to request movement of materials, products, or machinery, or to notify them of incoming shipments and their estimated delivery times.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Windows
- SAP software
- Control system software
- Conveyor control software
- Intelligrated InControlWare
- Sortation software
- Microsoft Excel
Knowledge areas
- English Language
- Mechanical
- Public Safety and Security
- Production and Processing
- Transportation
- Education and Training
- Law and Government
- Customer and Personal Service