The 10 States With The Highest Ride Operator Salaries For 2026

When it comes to job satisfaction, salary remains a top priority for many individuals. If you’re considering a career as a ride operator, you may be wondering: how much can I earn in my state?

While various factors influence your specific salary, we have gathered reliable data on average ride operator salaries by state, segmented by experience level. Although local variations may exist, these averages provide a solid benchmark for what you can expect in terms of compensation.

The state offering the highest salary for ride operators, adjusted for cost of living, is Washington, where Amusement and Recreation Attendants earn notably well.

Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for ride operator salaries:

To gain a clearer picture of ride operator salaries across the United States, we analyzed the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding average pay for ride operators by state.

Additionally, we adjusted the salaries based on the cost of living in each state. For instance, your salary stretches further in North Carolina compared to California.

Let’s explore how we arrived at these figures and view the complete ranking of all states.

How We Determined Ride Operator Pay by State

We sourced average annual salary data for ride operators from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ ‘Occupational Employment Statistics’.

To ensure fair comparisons across states, we factored in the cost of living in each region.

We established an index by dividing the average wage for a state by the cost of living relative to the national average. For example, if California’s cost of living index is 135.9 and the average pay is $32,030, the adjusted salary would be:

$32,030 * (100 / 135.9) = $23,568

We then ranked each state according to this index, identifying the state with the highest adjusted salary for ride operators.

Detailed List Of Ride Operator Salaries By State

Rank	State	Adjusted Salary	Average Wage	Cost Of Living
1	Washington	$31,302	$32,930	105.2
2	Arizona	$30,438	$29,830	98.0
3	Colorado	$29,547	$30,670	103.8
4	Illinois	$29,228	$27,650	94.6
5	Arkansas	$28,438	$24,770	87.1
6	Michigan	$28,325	$25,210	89.0
7	Maine	$27,175	$30,110	110.8
8	Missouri	$27,068	$24,470	90.4
9	Oregon	$26,548	$30,690	115.6
10	Tennessee	$26,431	$23,630	89.4
11	Minnesota	$26,428	$26,640	100.8
12	Rhode Island	$26,329	$31,780	120.7
13	Kansas	$26,240	$23,590	89.9
14	New Mexico	$26,217	$25,300	96.5
15	Utah	$26,129	$24,300	93.0
16	Wyoming	$26,002	$23,870	91.8
17	Montana	$25,892	$26,100	100.8
18	Indiana	$25,865	$23,150	89.5
19	Virginia	$25,853	$26,060	100.8
20	Wisconsin	$25,805	$24,980	96.8
21	Alaska	$25,713	$33,710	131.1
22	Nebraska	$25,436	$23,300	91.6
23	Florida	$25,381	$24,950	98.3
24	Louisiana	$25,337	$24,020	94.8
25	Iowa	$25,164	$22,900	91.0
26	Texas	$25,060	$22,730	90.7
27	North Dakota	$24,869	$24,720	99.4
28	West Virginia	$24,785	$23,150	93.4
29	Idaho	$24,755	$22,800	92.1
30	Kentucky	$24,674	$22,330	90.5
31	Ohio	$24,488	$22,970	93.8
32	Delaware	$24,309	$24,650	101.4
33	Mississippi	$24,307	$20,880	85.9
34	Connecticut	$24,197	$30,900	127.7
35	New York	$24,175	$31,670	131.0
36	Nevada	$23,920	$24,710	103.3
37	Maryland	$23,880	$29,970	125.5
38	Vermont	$23,715	$28,720	121.1
39	Alabama	$23,695	$21,610	91.2
40	California	$23,568	$32,030	135.9
41	North Carolina	$23,546	$22,110	93.9
42	Oklahoma	$23,508	$20,970	89.2
43	New Jersey	$23,494	$28,640	121.9
44	Massachusetts	$23,440	$31,270	133.4
45	Georgia	$23,063	$21,080	91.4
46	South Dakota	$22,777	$23,620	103.7
47	South Carolina	$22,479	$22,300	99.2
48	Pennsylvania	$22,435	$22,750	101.4
49	New Hampshire	$20,059	$23,470	117.0
50	Hawaii	$19,684	$33,050	167.9

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Author

Chris Kolmar

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.

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