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Separating & Filtering Machine Operator

💰 Earn $46K-$72K
📚 High School Diploma or GED
⏱️ 6–12 Month Training
📈 -4.3% Job Growth
  • Ideal for those who love hands-on work with complex machinery and processes.
  • Play a crucial role in refining materials for essential products and industries.
  • Unique chance to work with diverse equipment like centrifuges and filter presses.
Separating & Filtering Machine Operator
What Separating & Filtering Machine Operators DoSet 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.
  • Dump, pour, or load specified amounts of refined or unrefined materials into equipment or containers for further processing or storage.
  • Operate machines to process materials in compliance with applicable safety, energy, or environmental regulations.
  • Monitor material flow or instruments, such as temperature or pressure gauges, indicators, or meters, to ensure optimal processing conditions.
  • Turn valves or move controls to admit, drain, separate, filter, clarify, mix, or transfer materials.
  • Set up or adjust machine controls to regulate conditions such as material flow, temperature, or pressure.
Separating & Filtering Machine Operators Education, Salary, and Growth
Minimum EducationHigh School Diploma or GED
Career ProspectsGood (Increasing by 1-5%)
Training Time6 months to 1 year
Job Openings5,400 Annually
Median Earnings
$59,090 in California
$49,500 Nationally

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Is This Career Right For You?
YOU Like
  • Thinking and problem solving
  • Using data or completing tasks
  • Working with my hands
you value
  • Having support
  • Having freedom
  • Job security
you are skilled in
  • Equipment Maintenance
  • Repairing
  • Monitoring
  • Operation and Control
  • Operations Monitoring
  • Quality Control Analysis
Go Deeper: Separating & Filtering Machine Operators Explained
Separating & Filtering Machine OperatorExplore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.
How Do You Train for This Career?

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Bachelor's DegreeA bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.
🎓 College
⏱️ Finish in 4-5+ years
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What Are Similar Careers?

Updated April 2026. Data sourced from O*NET and Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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