Clamp Operator Overview
Working as a Clamp Operator
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a clamp operator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $14.14 an hour? That's $29,403 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 32,600 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does a Clamp Operator Do
There are certain skills that many clamp operators have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed mechanical skills, visual ability and communication skills.
When it comes to the most important skills required to be a clamp operator, we found that a lot of resumes listed 17.2% of clamp operators included unload trucks, while 14.6% of resumes included clamp, and 12.6% of resumes included forklifts. Hard skills like these are helpful to have when it comes to performing essential job responsibilities.
When it comes to searching for a job, many search for a key term or phrase. Instead, it might be more helpful to search by industry, as you might be missing jobs that you never thought about in industries that you didn't even think offered positions related to the clamp operator job title. But what industry to start with? Most clamp operators actually find jobs in the manufacturing and retail industries.
How To Become a Clamp Operator
If you're interested in becoming a clamp operator, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 3.0% of clamp operators have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 0.3% of clamp operators have master's degrees. Even though some clamp operators have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a clamp operator. When we researched the most common majors for a clamp operator, we found that they most commonly earn high school diploma degrees or diploma degrees. Other degrees that we often see on clamp operator resumes include associate degree degrees or bachelor's degree degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become a clamp operator. In fact, many clamp operator jobs require experience in a role such as forklift operator. Meanwhile, many clamp operators also have previous career experience in roles such as machine operator or material handler.
What is the right job for my career path?
Tell us your goals and we'll match you with the right jobs to get there.
Clamp Operator Jobs
Clamp Operator Career Paths
In addition to switching up your job search, it might prove helpful to look at a career path for your specific job. Now, what's a career path you ask? Well, it's practically a map that shows how you might advance from one job title to another. Our career paths are especially detailed with salary changes. So, for example, if you started out with the role of forklift driver you might progress to a role such as driver eventually. Later on in your career, you could end up with the title operations manager.
What is the right job for my career path?
Tell us your goals and we'll match you with the rights job to get there.
Average Salary for a Clamp Operator
Best Paying Cities
Recently Added Salaries
Job TitleCompany  | Company | Start Date | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
Adecco Staffing Clamp Operator Clamp Operator | Adecco Staffing Adecco Staffing | 11/21/2020 11/21/2020 | $35,47911/21/2020 $35,479 |
Axiom Staffing Group Clamp Operators-Pooler & Clamp Operators-Pooler & | Axiom Staffing Group Axiom Staffing Group | 11/20/2020 11/20/2020 | $27,13111/20/2020 $27,131 |
Ryder System Clamp MHE Operator Clamp MHE Operator | Ryder System Ryder System | 11/14/2020 11/14/2020 | $37,92111/14/2020 $37,921 |
Staff Management | SMX Stand-Up Forklift/Clamp Operators-Immediate Openings Stand-Up Forklift/Clamp Operators-Immediate Openings | Staff Management | SMX Staff Management | SMX | 11/11/2020 11/11/2020 | $33,39211/11/2020 $33,392 |
Selecsource Box Clamp Operator Box Clamp Operator | Selecsource Selecsource | 11/07/2020 11/07/2020 | $35,47911/07/2020 $35,479 |
Calculate your salary
Use Zippia's Salary Calculator to see how your pay matches up.
Entry Level Jobs For Becoming A Clamp Operator
Top Skills For a Clamp Operator
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 17.2% of clamp operators listed unload trucks on their resume, but soft skills such as mechanical skills and visual ability are important as well.
- Clamp, 17.1%
- Osha, 8.6%
- Straight Truck, 8.5%
- Assembly Line, 7.4%
- RF, 6.9%
- Other Skills, 51.5% See All Clamp Operator Skills
Best States For a Clamp Operator
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a clamp operator. The best states for people in this position are North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and New York. Clamp operators make the most in North Dakota with an average salary of $39,714. Whereas in Minnesota and Iowa, they would average $35,402 and $35,383, respectively. While clamp operators would only make an average of $34,615 in New York, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Iowa
$35,384
Avg. Salary
2. Minnesota
$35,402
Avg. Salary
3. North Dakota
$39,714
Avg. Salary