Operator Salary By State: Highest-Paid Operators by State [2026]
Research Summary. After thorough analysis by the Zippia data science team, we present the latest insights on operator salaries across the United States:
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North Dakota offers the highest operator salary at $49,742.
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Alabama reports the lowest operator salary at $31,413.
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The national average salary for operators stands at $37,928.
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The national hourly wage for operators is $18.23.
Explore more details in our specific methodology.
Background
Consistently, surveys indicate that salary remains the top priority for job seekers. Many are often curious: how much do operators earn in their respective areas?
While numerous factors influence individual salary expectations, comprehensive data on average operator salaries by state, segmented by experience level, is available. Although your city’s salary may differ from state averages, these figures provide a solid foundation for understanding potential earnings.
The state with the highest operator salary remains North Dakota as of 2026.
Here’s a snapshot of the top ten states for operator salaries:
Now, let’s delve into the full ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Operators By State
| Rank | State | Average Operator Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $49,742 | $37,000 | $65,000 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $49,399 | $32,000 | $73,000 |
| 3 | Washington | $47,937 | $33,000 | $69,000 |
| 4 | Alaska | $47,106 | $38,000 | $57,000 |
| 5 | California | $46,788 | $29,000 | $73,000 |
| 6 | Oregon | $46,205 | $31,000 | $68,000 |
| 7 | New York | $45,663 | $30,000 | $67,000 |
| 8 | Nevada | $44,769 | $29,000 | $68,000 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $44,639 | $30,000 | $65,000 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $44,515 | $30,000 | $64,000 |
| 11 | Hawaii | $44,481 | $35,000 | $56,000 |
| 12 | Montana | $44,211 | $32,000 | $60,000 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $44,151 | $31,000 | $62,000 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $43,951 | $32,000 | $60,000 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $43,652 | $32,000 | $58,000 |
| 16 | Utah | $43,464 | $30,000 | $61,000 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $42,498 | $30,000 | $58,000 |
| 18 | Delaware | $42,299 | $27,000 | $63,000 |
| 19 | Maryland | $42,297 | $28,000 | $62,000 |
| 20 | Colorado | $41,834 | $30,000 | $56,000 |
| 21 | Idaho | $41,049 | $28,000 | $58,000 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $40,907 | $27,000 | $61,000 |
| 23 | Illinois | $40,649 | $29,000 | $55,000 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $40,623 | $29,000 | $55,000 |
| 25 | Vermont | $39,996 | $29,000 | $53,000 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $39,475 | $29,000 | $52,000 |
| 27 | Virginia | $39,176 | $27,000 | $56,000 |
| 28 | Iowa | $39,062 | $29,000 | $52,000 |
| 29 | Maine | $38,881 | $29,000 | $50,000 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $38,743 | $27,000 | $54,000 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $38,313 | $28,000 | $51,000 |
| 32 | Michigan | $37,951 | $27,000 | $52,000 |
| 33 | Indiana | $37,305 | $27,000 | $51,000 |
| 34 | Ohio | $37,025 | $26,000 | $51,000 |
| 35 | Arizona | $36,980 | $25,000 | $54,000 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $36,858 | $26,000 | $51,000 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $36,505 | $26,000 | $49,000 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $36,142 | $26,000 | $50,000 |
| 39 | Kansas | $35,985 | $26,000 | $48,000 |
| 40 | Missouri | $35,752 | $26,000 | $47,000 |
| 41 | Texas | $35,054 | $25,000 | $49,000 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $33,422 | $24,000 | $45,000 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $33,390 | $24,000 | $44,000 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $33,288 | $24,000 | $45,000 |
| 45 | Georgia | $32,882 | $24,000 | $44,000 |
| 46 | Florida | $32,778 | $23,000 | $45,000 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $32,293 | $24,000 | $43,000 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $31,928 | $23,000 | $42,000 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $31,849 | $23,000 | $43,000 |
| 50 | Alabama | $31,413 | $23,000 | $42,000 |
Methodology: Operator Salary By State
To gain insights into operator compensation across states, Zippia has compiled data from diverse sources, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Federal Labor Commission (FLC), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM). We further enhance this information with actual salaries from job postings. The data science team then calculates a weighted average to determine the average pay for operators by state.
We ranked states based on the average annual salary data for operators, with the highest salary reflecting the top ranking.
Operator Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for operators?
The highest-paid state for operators is North Dakota, with an average salary of $49,742 per year.
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What city pays operators the most?
San Jose, CA offers the highest salaries for operators, averaging $53,920 per year.
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What is the lowest-paying state for operators?
The lowest-paying state for operators is Alabama, with an average salary of $31,413 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
