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The average salary for a Co-Owner/Operator stands at approximately $32,256 per year or $16 per hour. However, salaries can differ significantly based on factors such as geographic location and industry. For example, co-owner/operators in urban areas often command higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living.
Entry-level positions typically start at around $25,000, while experienced professionals can earn upwards of $50,000 annually. This salary growth reflects the skills and expertise developed over time.
Some states and cities offer notably higher salaries. For instance, states like California and New York rank among the highest for co-owner/operator earnings. Additionally, cities such as San Francisco and New York City provide lucrative opportunities due to their thriving business environments.
Understanding the salary structure for Co-Owner/Operators not only helps you gauge potential earnings but also guides your career decisions. Explore job listings and regional data to find the best opportunities tailored to your experience and aspirations.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level co-owner/operator | $13,300 | $6.39 |
| Mid-level co-owner/operator | $20,500 | $9.87 |
| Senior-level co-owner/operator | $37,200 | $17.89 |
The average co-owner/operator salary in New York, Virginia, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average co-owner/operator salary states are Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Idaho.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $29,746 | $14.30 |
| 2 | Virginia | $37,030 | $17.80 |
| 3 | New York | $38,835 | $18.67 |
| 4 | Wisconsin | $33,259 | $15.99 |
| 5 | Louisiana | $29,268 | $14.07 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $36,621 | $17.61 |
| 7 | Washington | $33,526 | $16.12 |
| 8 | Alabama | $28,300 | $13.61 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $31,629 | $15.21 |
| 10 | Delaware | $31,194 | $15.00 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $28,116 | $13.52 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $33,249 | $15.99 |
| 13 | Maryland | $32,528 | $15.64 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $31,565 | $15.18 |
| 15 | Illinois | $29,078 | $13.98 |
| 16 | California | $33,665 | $16.19 |
| 17 | Nevada | $29,286 | $14.08 |
| 18 | Michigan | $26,919 | $12.94 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $33,584 | $16.15 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $27,535 | $13.24 |
| 21 | Colorado | $28,898 | $13.89 |
| 22 | Arizona | $28,646 | $13.77 |
| 23 | Maine | $28,985 | $13.94 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $27,479 | $13.21 |
| 25 | Kansas | $24,912 | $11.98 |
| 26 | Indiana | $26,494 | $12.74 |
| 27 | North Dakota | $24,625 | $11.84 |
| 28 | Ohio | $25,065 | $12.05 |
| 29 | Iowa | $25,185 | $12.11 |
| 30 | Oregon | $26,892 | $12.93 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $23,505 | $11.30 |
| 32 | Florida | $28,122 | $13.52 |
| 33 | Missouri | $24,513 | $11.79 |
| 34 | Georgia | $25,232 | $12.13 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $24,838 | $11.94 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $24,224 | $11.65 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $23,176 | $11.14 |
| 38 | West Virginia | $22,619 | $10.87 |
| 39 | Texas | $24,590 | $11.82 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $22,015 | $10.58 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $22,961 | $11.04 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $25,917 | $12.46 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $21,891 | $10.52 |
| 44 | Hawaii | $25,415 | $12.22 |
| 45 | Idaho | $21,367 | $10.27 |
| 46 | Vermont | $24,394 | $11.73 |
| 47 | Alaska | $22,519 | $10.83 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $20,300 | $9.76 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $18,954 | $9.11 |
| 50 | Utah | $22,037 | $10.59 |
| 51 | Montana | $20,871 | $10.03 |
The highest-paying cities for co-owner/operators are Rahway, NJ, South San Francisco, CA, and Appleton, WI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rahway, NJ | $36,695 | $17.64 |
| 2 | South San Francisco, CA | $34,551 | $16.61 |
| 3 | Appleton, WI | $33,597 | $16.15 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $31,587 | $15.19 |
| 5 | Aurora, CO | $28,853 | $13.87 |
| 6 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $28,220 | $13.57 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $27,853 | $13.39 |
| 8 | Saginaw, MI | $27,268 | $13.11 |
| 9 | Akron, OH | $26,198 | $12.60 |
| 10 | Bloomington, IN | $26,162 | $12.58 |
| 11 | Atlanta, GA | $25,134 | $12.08 |
| 12 | Wichita, KS | $24,996 | $12.02 |
| 13 | West Fargo, ND | $24,840 | $11.94 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $24,832 | $11.94 |
| 15 | Asheville, NC | $24,522 | $11.79 |
A co-owner/operator's salary ranges from $21,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $49,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| 75th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| Average | $32,256 | $2,688 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
| 10th Percentile | $21,000 | $1,750 | $10 |
The highest paying types of co-owner/operators are owner/operator, managing partner, and head operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managing Partner | $147,401 | $12,283 | $70.87 | 66,916 |
| Store Manager | $46,950 | $3,912 | $22.57 | 446,127 |
| Entrepreneur | $70,849 | $5,904 | $34.06 | 34,711 |
| Business Manager | $83,198 | $6,933 | $40.00 | 377,191 |
| Manager | $58,651 | $4,888 | $28.20 | 1,236,194 |
| General Manager | $71,581 | $5,965 | $34.41 | 442,690 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for co-owner/operators, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Laura Lott Valenti
Assistant Professor of Marketing John C. Daigle Endowed Professor, Nicholls State University
Top companies hiring co-owner/operators now:
Co-owner/operator salaries at BorgWarner and Merck are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average co-owner/operator salary at companies like Amgen and Skyworks Solutions are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BorgWarner | $86,422 | $41.55 |
| 2 | Merck | $72,466 | $34.84 |
| 3 | Amgen | $70,525 | $33.91 |
| 4 | Skyworks Solutions | $68,980 | $33.16 |
| 5 | Nexteer Automotive | $67,598 | $32.50 |
| 6 | Health Alliance | $66,061 | $31.76 |
| 7 | Magna International | $65,980 | $31.72 |
| 8 | Battelle | $63,895 | $30.72 |
| 9 | M&T Bank | $62,437 | $30.02 |
| 10 | Dana Incorporated | $60,632 | $29.15 |
| 11 | Trojan Battery | $60,536 | $29.10 |
| 12 | Johnson & Johnson | $58,407 | $28.08 |
| 13 | ADTRAN | $54,582 | $26.24 |
| 14 | Siemens | $54,322 | $26.12 |
| 15 | rabbittransit | $53,835 | $25.88 |
| 16 | Amcor | $52,791 | $25.38 |
| 17 | Scot Forge | $51,079 | $24.56 |
| 18 | DuPont | $50,958 | $24.50 |
| 19 | Turner Construction | $50,771 | $24.41 |
| 20 | Burns & McDonnell | $50,765 | $24.41 |
The average co-owner/operator salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $49,760 | $23.92 |
| 2 | Automotive | $46,725 | $22.46 |
| 3 | Energy | $45,977 | $22.10 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $44,392 | $21.34 |
| 5 | Professional | $41,467 | $19.94 |
| 6 | Transportation | $35,191 | $16.92 |
| 7 | Hospitality | $29,000 | $13.94 |
The average co-owner/operator salary has risen by $2,645 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average co-owner/operator earned $29,611 annually, but today, they earn $32,256 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for co-owner/operators over the last decade.
Compare co-owner/operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare co-owner/operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,300 | $15.51 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $31,400 | $15.08 | -0.1% |
| 2023 | $31,400 | $15.10 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $31,200 | $15.02 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $30,900 | $14.86 | +1.6% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draper | Asic Design Co-Op, Fall Term | Cambridge, MA | 06/30/2025 | $58,436 |
| Bozeman Community Food Co-Op | Co-Op Grocery Staff | Bozeman, MT | 06/22/2025 | $41,740 |
| Haleon Plc | Operations Co-Op (July 2025 Start) | Hillcrest, NY | 06/12/2025 | $51,132 |
| Johnson & Johnson | Quality Co-Op | Irvine, CA | 05/22/2025 | $45,914 |
| Saratech | Applied AI Co-Op | Cincinnati, OH | 05/17/2025 | $41,740 |
| Saratech | Applied AI Co-Op | Mission Viejo, CA | 05/15/2025 | $41,740 |
| ALC/LVMA | ALC Lcti Co-Op Positions | Trexlertown, PA | 05/15/2025 | $25,044 |
| The Cooper Companies | EHS Co-Op | Fine, NY | 05/10/2025 | $53,219 |
| Essity Ab | Environmental Co-Op | Menasha, WI | 05/03/2025 | $43,827 |
| Entegris | EHS Co-Op | Chaska, MN | 04/29/2025 | $41,740 |
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