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Skilled Trades

Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders

Operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.

Median salary (BLS)

$43,530

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$34k – $59k

Job outlook

+4% (faster than average)

AI exposure

Plan a path to Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders

    Entry / Junior

    $33,790

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders

    Established

    $43,530

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders

    Senior

    $51,050

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations.
  • •Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions.
  • •Set controls to regulate temperature and length of cycles, and start conveyors, pumps, agitators, and machines.
  • •Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water.
  • •Operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.