Research Summary. After thorough research by the Zippia data science team, we identified the details of operations specialist salaries by state across the United States as of 2026:
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Rhode Island boasts the highest average operations specialist salary at $68,509.
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Florida has the lowest operations specialist salary at $44,647.
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The national average salary for operations specialists stands at $54,752.
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The national hourly pay for operations specialists is $26.32.
You can read more on the specific methodology.
Background
In 2026, salary remains a crucial factor influencing job seekers across various demographics, with many asking: how much do operations specialists earn where I live?
Numerous factors affect individual salary expectations; however, comprehensive data detailing average salaries for operations specialists by state and seniority level provides a useful benchmark. While local salaries may vary, these averages give a general idea of what to anticipate in terms of compensation.
As a result, Rhode Island emerges as the state offering the highest salary for operations specialists.
Here’s a snapshot of the top ten states for operations specialist salaries:
Let’s delve into the details and provide a full ranking of all the states.
Highest-Paid Operations Specialists By State
| Rank | State | Average Operations Specialist Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $68,509 | $44,000 | $106,000 |
| 2 | Maryland | $67,856 | $42,000 | $108,000 |
| 3 | New Hampshire | $67,632 | $43,000 | $104,000 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $66,821 | $43,000 | $103,000 |
| 5 | Vermont | $66,492 | $43,000 | $102,000 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $65,592 | $41,000 | $104,000 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $65,466 | $41,000 | $103,000 |
| 8 | New York | $65,156 | $41,000 | $102,000 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $64,661 | $41,000 | $101,000 |
| 10 | Delaware | $64,250 | $40,000 | $102,000 |
| 11 | Virginia | $62,008 | $38,000 | $100,000 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $60,243 | $37,000 | $96,000 |
| 13 | Nevada | $59,991 | $38,000 | $93,000 |
| 14 | California | $58,080 | $36,000 | $91,000 |
| 15 | Maine | $58,031 | $38,000 | $88,000 |
| 16 | Ohio | $57,718 | $36,000 | $91,000 |
| 17 | Washington | $56,828 | $36,000 | $89,000 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $56,811 | $36,000 | $88,000 |
| 19 | Oregon | $56,186 | $35,000 | $89,000 |
| 20 | Illinois | $56,166 | $35,000 | $87,000 |
| 21 | Michigan | $55,145 | $34,000 | $87,000 |
| 22 | Utah | $54,994 | $35,000 | $84,000 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $52,154 | $33,000 | $81,000 |
| 24 | Kansas | $52,121 | $33,000 | $79,000 |
| 25 | Texas | $51,695 | $32,000 | $82,000 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $51,649 | $34,000 | $77,000 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $51,487 | $33,000 | $78,000 |
| 28 | Alaska | $51,248 | $39,000 | $67,000 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $51,244 | $31,000 | $82,000 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $51,101 | $33,000 | $78,000 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $50,978 | $32,000 | $79,000 |
| 32 | Louisiana | $50,874 | $31,000 | $81,000 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $50,784 | $33,000 | $77,000 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $50,525 | $33,000 | $76,000 |
| 35 | Indiana | $50,432 | $32,000 | $79,000 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $49,981 | $31,000 | $78,000 |
| 37 | Colorado | $49,485 | $32,000 | $74,000 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $48,004 | $30,000 | $75,000 |
| 39 | Missouri | $47,325 | $30,000 | $73,000 |
| 40 | Idaho | $47,253 | $30,000 | $73,000 |
| 41 | Georgia | $47,228 | $29,000 | $75,000 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $47,186 | $29,000 | $75,000 |
| 43 | Iowa | $46,957 | $30,000 | $72,000 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $46,926 | $29,000 | $74,000 |
| 45 | Alabama | $46,465 | $29,000 | $73,000 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $46,424 | $33,000 | $64,000 |
| 47 | Arizona | $45,994 | $29,000 | $71,000 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $45,585 | $29,000 | $70,000 |
| 49 | Montana | $44,892 | $29,000 | $67,000 |
| 50 | Florida | $44,647 | $27,000 | $72,000 |
Methodology: Operations Specialist Salary By State
To better comprehend operations specialist pay by state, Zippia has compiled data from various sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We augment this data with actual salary listings from job postings. Finally, our data science team calculates a weighted average to determine the average pay for operations specialists by state.
We ranked every state based on these average annual salaries, identifying the state with the highest salary as the top performer for operations specialists.
Operations Specialist Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for operations specialists?
The highest-paid state for operations specialists is Rhode Island, offering an average salary of $68,509 per year.
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What city pays operations specialists the most?
Washington, DC, pays operations specialists the highest, with an average salary of $71,196 per year.
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What is the lowest-paying state for operations specialists?
The lowest-paying state for operations specialists is Florida, with an average salary of $44,647 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.
