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Computer operator salary
Average computer operator salary
$42,722
Average Computer Operator Salary
The average salary for a computer operator in the United States is currently $42,722 per year, translating to about $21 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the industry of employment. For instance, operators in states like California and New York tend to earn higher wages compared to those in other regions.
Regional Salary Differences
Understanding salary estimates by state can provide valuable insights for aspiring computer operators. States with the highest average salaries for this role include:
- California
- New York
- Washington
Additionally, industries such as technology and finance often offer higher compensation compared to sectors like education or retail. For those seeking to maximize their earning potential, targeting roles in these high-paying industries is advantageous.
Career Advancement Opportunities
With the right skills and experience, computer operators can progress to roles such as systems analysts or IT managers, which typically feature higher salaries and more responsibilities. As technology continues to evolve, opportunities for growth within this field remain promising, making it an attractive choice for those interested in a long-term career.
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Where can a Computer Operator earn more?
Computer operator salary estimates from across the web
Average computer operator salary by state
The highest-paying states for computer operators are New York, Massachusetts, and Washington. The lowest average computer operator salary states are Tennessee, New Mexico, and Texas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for computer operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $51,463 | $24.74 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $48,845 | $23.48 |
| 3 | Vermont | $49,068 | $23.59 |
| 4 | Idaho | $47,700 | $22.93 |
| 5 | Maine | $47,842 | $23.00 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $45,512 | $21.88 |
| 7 | New York | $52,420 | $25.20 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $47,503 | $22.84 |
| 9 | Arizona | $47,174 | $22.68 |
| 10 | Iowa | $47,257 | $22.72 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $42,673 | $20.52 |
| 12 | Kansas | $45,856 | $22.05 |
| 13 | Virginia | $47,151 | $22.67 |
| 14 | Delaware | $46,037 | $22.13 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $46,939 | $22.57 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $48,042 | $23.10 |
| 17 | Washington | $49,391 | $23.75 |
| 18 | Hawaii | $46,037 | $22.13 |
| 19 | Alaska | $43,556 | $20.94 |
| 20 | Maryland | $46,241 | $22.23 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $45,954 | $22.09 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $40,423 | $19.43 |
| 23 | Colorado | $44,645 | $21.46 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $43,559 | $20.94 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $41,541 | $19.97 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $44,096 | $21.20 |
| 27 | Nevada | $41,320 | $19.87 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $44,190 | $21.25 |
| 29 | Montana | $40,954 | $19.69 |
| 30 | Michigan | $41,207 | $19.81 |
| 31 | Ohio | $41,512 | $19.96 |
| 32 | Alabama | $40,511 | $19.48 |
| 33 | California | $44,631 | $21.46 |
| 34 | Illinois | $43,481 | $20.90 |
| 35 | Utah | $39,874 | $19.17 |
| 36 | Indiana | $40,772 | $19.60 |
| 37 | Oregon | $39,985 | $19.22 |
| 38 | Georgia | $40,089 | $19.27 |
| 39 | New Mexico | $37,177 | $17.87 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $37,978 | $18.26 |
| 41 | North Carolina | $39,764 | $19.12 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $37,897 | $18.22 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $35,889 | $17.25 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $37,485 | $18.02 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $38,352 | $18.44 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $37,761 | $18.15 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $37,298 | $17.93 |
| 48 | Texas | $37,175 | $17.87 |
| 49 | Missouri | $37,793 | $18.17 |
| 50 | Florida | $35,917 | $17.27 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $36,459 | $17.53 |
Highest paying cities for computer operators
The highest-paying cities for computer operators are New York, NY, Philadelphia, PA, and Annandale, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $52,624 | $25.30 |
| 2 | Philadelphia, PA | $48,584 | $23.36 |
| 3 | Annandale, VA | $48,146 | $23.15 |
| 4 | Phoenix, AZ | $47,198 | $22.69 |
| 5 | Des Moines, IA | $47,116 | $22.65 |
| 6 | Annapolis, MD | $46,493 | $22.35 |
| 7 | Leavenworth, KS | $46,180 | $22.20 |
| 8 | Richmond, CA | $45,928 | $22.08 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | $44,680 | $21.48 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $44,189 | $21.24 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $43,614 | $20.97 |
| 12 | Strongsville, OH | $42,474 | $20.42 |
| 13 | Milwaukee, WI | $41,513 | $19.96 |
| 14 | Lansing, MI | $40,953 | $19.69 |
| 15 | Indianapolis, IN | $40,572 | $19.51 |
| 16 | Columbus, GA | $40,176 | $19.32 |
| 17 | Salt Lake City, UT | $39,900 | $19.18 |
| 18 | Corpus Christi, TX | $38,188 | $18.36 |
| 19 | Oklahoma City, OK | $37,974 | $18.26 |
| 20 | Kansas City, MO | $37,919 | $18.23 |
Computer Operators are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Computer operator salary details
A computer operator's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $63,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a computer operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $63,000 | $5,250 | $30 |
| 75th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| Average | $42,722 | $3,560 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying computer operator jobs
The highest paying types of computer operators are senior operator, lead computer operator, and computer analyst.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Technician | $39,767 | $3,314 | $19.12 | 95,688 |
| Computer Programmer | $70,979 | $5,915 | $34.12 | 205,491 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
| Systems Operator | $38,182 | $3,182 | $18.36 | 91,037 |
| Computer Analyst | $75,852 | $6,321 | $36.47 | 75,369 |
| Data Center Operator | $46,763 | $3,897 | $22.48 | 120,016 |
Top companies hiring computer operators now:
Which companies pay computer operators the most?
Computer operator salaries at NTT Data International L.L.C. And Vishay are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average computer operator salary at companies like DTCC and Jacobs Engineering Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTT Data International L.L.C. | $89,301 | $42.93 |
| 2 | Vishay | $64,182 | $30.86 |
| 3 | DTCC | $60,491 | $29.08 |
| 4 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $57,276 | $27.54 |
| 5 | Pamten Inc | $54,787 | $26.34 |
| 6 | One Brooklyn Health | $54,719 | $26.31 |
| 7 | Ukpeagvik IOoOupiat Corporation | $54,530 | $26.22 |
| 8 | Crest Industries | $54,076 | $26.00 |
| 9 | Tutor Perini | $53,135 | $25.55 |
| 10 | New Haven Register | $52,779 | $25.37 |
| 11 | Food City | $52,479 | $25.23 |
| 12 | Carnegie Mellon University | $50,987 | $24.51 |
| 13 | Brown University | $50,383 | $24.22 |
| 14 | BNY Mellon | $50,226 | $24.15 |
| 15 | BD | $50,140 | $24.11 |
| 16 | IDEX | $49,480 | $23.79 |
| 17 | Salient CRGT | $49,115 | $23.61 |
| 18 | Katmai Careers | $48,816 | $23.47 |
| 19 | Mohawk Valley Health System | $48,723 | $23.42 |
| 20 | ICONMA | $48,113 | $23.13 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Computer Operator salary by industry
The average computer operator salary varies across industries:
- The average computer operator salary in the technology industry is $44,432, the highest of any industry.
- The average computer operator salary in the finance industry is $43,341.
- Computer operators in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $39,881, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for computer operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $44,432 | $21.36 |
| 2 | Construction | $43,341 | $20.84 |
| 3 | Retail | $42,652 | $20.51 |
| 4 | Health Care | $41,996 | $20.19 |
| 5 | Finance | $41,647 | $20.02 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | $39,881 | $19.17 |
High paying computer operator jobs
Computer operator salary trends
The average computer operator salary has risen by $9,554 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average computer operator earned $33,168 annually, but today, they earn $42,722 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for computer operators over the last decade.
Compare computer operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average computer operator salary over time
Compare computer operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Computer operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $42,700 | $20.54 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $41,300 | $19.85 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $40,000 | $19.25 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | $38,700 | $18.59 | +4.5% |
| 2021 | $36,900 | $17.75 | +4.4% |
Recently added computer operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Dynamics | Drafter/Cad Operator I | Chesapeake, VA | 06/29/2025 | $35,938 |
| Johnson Controls, Inc. | Drafter CAD Operator II | Arlington Heights, IL | 06/28/2025 | $56,349 |
| NES Associates | Drafter/Cad Operator I | Chesapeake, VA | 06/28/2025 | $35,938 |
| External Ocean State Job Lot | Field CAD Operator-Company Car Provided!!! | North Kingstown, RI | 06/28/2025 | $45,000 |
| Ocean State Job Lot | Field CAD Operator-Company Car Provided!!! | North Kingstown, RI | 06/27/2025 | $45,000 |
| Pinnacle Partners | CAD Operator | Kentucky | 06/26/2025 | $62,610 |
| Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. | CAD Operator | Eden Prairie, MN | 06/26/2025 | $55,000 |
| Strata Networks | CAD Operator | Roosevelt, UT | 06/21/2025 | $62,610 |
| FIS Capital Markets | Computer Operator | Ojai, CA | 06/18/2025 | $52,864 |
| Indus Technology | Drafter/CAD Operator III | San Diego, CA | 06/15/2025 | $58,478 |
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