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This question is about operator salaries.
What is a good starting salary for an Operator?
A good starting salary for an operator is $24,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for an operator in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for operators is $35,479, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for an operator can vary by state, as we show below.
What Is A Good Entry-Level Operator Salary By State?
The following table shows how much an entry level operator earns in each state. Zippia used data from the BLS, public records, and job postings to create these estimates.
| State | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| New Hampshire | $41,000 | $3,416 | $788 | $19.71 |
| New Jersey | $39,000 | $3,250 | $750 | $18.75 |
| Alaska | $37,000 | $3,083 | $711 | $17.79 |
| District of Columbia | $37,000 | $3,083 | $711 | $17.79 |
| New Mexico | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Nebraska | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Maine | $33,000 | $2,750 | $634 | $15.87 |
| Hawaii | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| Louisiana | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Nevada | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Virginia | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Colorado | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Montana | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| South Dakota | $31,000 | $2,583 | $596 | $14.9 |
| Vermont | $30,000 | $2,500 | $576 | $14.42 |
| Indiana | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| Iowa | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| Connecticut | $29,000 | $2,416 | $557 | $13.94 |
| Mississippi | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Minnesota | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Maryland | $28,000 | $2,333 | $538 | $13.46 |
| Wyoming | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Utah | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| South Carolina | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| North Carolina | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Wisconsin | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Ohio | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| Missouri | $27,000 | $2,250 | $519 | $12.98 |
| West Virginia | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Illinois | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Rhode Island | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Kentucky | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Arkansas | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Massachusetts | $26,000 | $2,166 | $500 | $12.5 |
| Oregon | $25,000 | $2,083 | $480 | $12.02 |
| Idaho | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Texas | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Georgia | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Tennessee | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Arizona | $24,000 | $2,000 | $461 | $11.54 |
| Pennsylvania | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| North Dakota | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Alabama | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| Kansas | $23,000 | $1,916 | $442 | $11.06 |
| California | $22,000 | $1,833 | $423 | $10.58 |
| Washington | $21,000 | $1,750 | $403 | $10.1 |
| Michigan | $20,000 | $1,666 | $384 | $9.62 |
| Florida | $20,000 | $1,666 | $384 | $9.62 |
| Oklahoma | $19,000 | $1,583 | $365 | $9.13 |
| New York | $18,000 | $1,500 | $346 | $8.65 |
| Delaware | $15,000 | $1,250 | $288 | $7.21 |
What are The 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entry-Level Operator Jobs?
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an entry level operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is San Francisco, CA.
| City | Starting Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
| San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | $8,333 | $1,923 | $48.08 |
| New York, NY | $86,000 | $7,166 | $1,653 | $41.35 |
| Savannah, GA | $46,000 | $3,833 | $884 | $22.12 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $42,000 | $3,500 | $807 | $20.19 |
| Grand Prairie, TX | $40,000 | $3,333 | $769 | $19.23 |
| Lafayette, LA | $39,000 | $3,250 | $750 | $18.75 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $39,000 | $3,250 | $750 | $18.75 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $35,000 | $2,916 | $673 | $16.83 |
| Chicago, IL | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
| Portland, OR | $32,000 | $2,666 | $615 | $15.38 |
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