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Labour operator salary
Average labour operator salary
$16.43
Average Labour Operator Salary
The average salary for a Labour Operator as of October 2025 is approximately $34,180 annually or $16 hourly. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and industry specialization.
Salary by State
Labour Operators in certain states tend to earn more due to the cost of living and demand for skilled workers. For instance:
- California: $40,000
- New York: $38,500
- Texas: $34,000
Experience Level
Those new to the field may start at lower wages, while experienced Labour Operators can command higher salaries. For example, entry-level positions may offer about $30,000, while seasoned professionals can earn upwards of $45,000.
Job Opportunities
Top-paying cities for Labour Operators include metropolitan areas where industrial work is prevalent. Pursuing a career in sectors such as construction, manufacturing, and logistics can enhance earning potential. Explore listings on Zippia to find your next opportunity!
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Where can a Labour Operator earn more?
Labour operator salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level labour operator | $23,200 | $11.14 |
| Mid-level labour operator | $34,600 | $16.65 |
| Senior-level labour operator | $46,500 | $22.35 |
Average labour operator salary by state
The highest-paying states for labour operators are Alaska, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. The lowest average labour operator salary states are Florida, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for labour operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $52,762 | $25.37 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $48,942 | $23.53 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $44,802 | $21.54 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $49,170 | $23.64 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $44,018 | $21.16 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $36,837 | $17.71 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $50,084 | $24.08 |
| 8 | Wisconsin | $40,146 | $19.30 |
| 9 | Indiana | $36,417 | $17.51 |
| 10 | Montana | $36,258 | $17.43 |
| 11 | California | $44,752 | $21.52 |
| 12 | Utah | $36,314 | $17.46 |
| 13 | New York | $45,207 | $21.73 |
| 14 | Oregon | $43,474 | $20.90 |
| 15 | Missouri | $37,746 | $18.15 |
| 16 | Illinois | $38,674 | $18.59 |
| 17 | Iowa | $34,435 | $16.56 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $35,700 | $17.16 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania | $34,686 | $16.68 |
| 20 | Nevada | $36,429 | $17.51 |
| 21 | Washington | $39,124 | $18.81 |
| 22 | Maryland | $38,188 | $18.36 |
| 23 | Colorado | $37,249 | $17.91 |
| 24 | Michigan | $35,893 | $17.26 |
| 25 | Texas | $34,642 | $16.65 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $34,929 | $16.79 |
| 27 | Ohio | $34,810 | $16.74 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $33,217 | $15.97 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $34,281 | $16.48 |
| 30 | Vermont | $35,764 | $17.19 |
| 31 | Idaho | $33,019 | $15.87 |
| 32 | Kansas | $31,968 | $15.37 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $33,848 | $16.27 |
| 34 | Arizona | $33,124 | $15.93 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $30,258 | $14.55 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $32,884 | $15.81 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $32,310 | $15.53 |
| 38 | Maine | $33,005 | $15.87 |
| 39 | Delaware | $33,391 | $16.05 |
| 40 | Georgia | $31,072 | $14.94 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $33,140 | $15.93 |
| 42 | Virginia | $33,489 | $16.10 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $30,781 | $14.80 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $29,625 | $14.24 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $29,674 | $14.27 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $31,788 | $15.28 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $29,039 | $13.96 |
| 48 | Florida | $29,755 | $14.31 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $31,255 | $15.03 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $27,732 | $13.33 |
| 51 | Alabama | $28,166 | $13.54 |
Highest paying cities for labour operators
The highest-paying cities for labour operators are Oakland, CA, Albany, NY, and Saint Paul, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $46,031 | $22.13 |
| 2 | Albany, NY | $44,626 | $21.45 |
| 3 | Saint Paul, MN | $43,998 | $21.15 |
| 4 | West Bend, WI | $40,216 | $19.33 |
| 5 | Belvidere, IL | $38,820 | $18.66 |
| 6 | Spokane, WA | $38,458 | $18.49 |
| 7 | Saint Joseph, MO | $38,074 | $18.30 |
| 8 | Brighton, CO | $37,296 | $17.93 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $36,280 | $17.44 |
| 10 | Indianapolis, IN | $36,258 | $17.43 |
| 11 | Provo, UT | $36,205 | $17.41 |
| 12 | Billings, MT | $35,829 | $17.23 |
| 13 | Grand Rapids, MI | $35,786 | $17.20 |
| 14 | Waterloo, IA | $34,672 | $16.67 |
| 15 | San Antonio, TX | $34,671 | $16.67 |
| 16 | Pittsburgh, PA | $34,325 | $16.50 |
| 17 | Aberdeen, SD | $34,279 | $16.48 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $33,189 | $15.96 |
| 19 | Independence, KY | $32,704 | $15.72 |
| 20 | Tulsa, OK | $31,798 | $15.29 |
Labour operator salary details
A labour operator's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $43,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a labour operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| Average | $34,180 | $2,848 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying labour operator jobs
The highest paying types of labour operators are road machine runner, heavy equipment operator and foreman, and foreman/operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prestressed Concrete Labour | $34,147 | $2,846 | $16.42 | 27,259 |
| Airport Maintenance Labour | $30,898 | $2,575 | $14.85 | 109,171 |
| Crew Foreman | $51,929 | $4,327 | $24.97 | 70,468 |
| Engineering Equipment Operator | $43,840 | $3,653 | $21.08 | 98,148 |
| Equipment Operator/Labour | $33,959 | $2,830 | $16.33 | 60,770 |
| Lighting Equipment Operator | $38,105 | $3,175 | $18.32 | 44,772 |
Top companies hiring labour operators now:
Which companies pay labour operators the most?
Labour operator salaries at Sierra Pacific Industries and Freeport-McMoRan are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average labour operator salary at companies like AEG and MDU Resources are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sierra Pacific Industries | $45,809 | $22.02 |
| 2 | Freeport-McMoRan | $45,274 | $21.77 |
| 3 | AEG | $44,612 | $21.45 |
| 4 | MDU Resources | $44,559 | $21.42 |
| 5 | Washington County | $44,158 | $21.23 |
| 6 | Monroe County | $43,838 | $21.08 |
| 7 | Lake County | $43,354 | $20.84 |
| 8 | Martin Marietta | $42,919 | $20.63 |
| 9 | Clean Harbors | $41,836 | $20.11 |
| 10 | Dairy Farmers of America | $41,354 | $19.88 |
| 11 | MasTec | $40,857 | $19.64 |
| 12 | Gardner Denver | $40,834 | $19.63 |
| 13 | Henkels & Mccoy Group Inc | $40,792 | $19.61 |
| 14 | National Park Foundation | $40,786 | $19.61 |
| 15 | Rich Products | $40,600 | $19.52 |
| 16 | Cemex | $40,341 | $19.39 |
| 17 | Strata | $40,229 | $19.34 |
| 18 | J.F. Shea Co | $40,109 | $19.28 |
| 19 | Oldcastle Infrastructure | $40,000 | $19.23 |
| 20 | Douglas County | $39,927 | $19.20 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Labour operator salary trends
The average labour operator salary has risen by $5,673 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average labour operator earned $28,507 annually, but today, they earn $34,180 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for labour operators over the last decade.
Compare labour operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average labour operator salary over time
Compare labour operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Labour operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,200 | $16.43 | +1.6% |
| 2024 | $33,600 | $16.17 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $32,800 | $15.79 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $32,300 | $15.53 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $31,500 | $15.15 | +2.8% |
Recently added labour operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tyson Foods | General Labor Pr01-Patty-1St. Shift (Hickman RD) | Union City, TN | 06/27/2025 | $34,436 |
| Aerotek | General Laborer/Machine OP | Ottawa, KS | 06/27/2025 | $36,001 |
| St. Paul Beverage Solutions | General Labor/Esl Master Operator 6AM-6PM | Saint Paul, MN | 06/27/2025 | $61,567 |
| Ten Mile-Washington | Asphalt Laborer/Operator | Washington, PA | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Aloha Termite & Pest Control | General Laborer Fumigation | Kailua, HI | 06/27/2025 | $50,088 |
| Republic Services, Inc. | Operations Laborer | Fort Collins, CO | 06/26/2025 | $31,138 |
| Pepsico | General Labor-Operations | Jacksonville, FL | 06/25/2025 | $45,497 |
| Pepsico | General Labor-Operations | Anchorage, AK | 06/25/2025 | $60,940 |
| Diamond Assets | General Labor AM PM) | Milton, WI | 06/25/2025 | $27,131 |
| Allstaff Careers | General Labor 2Nd or 3Rd Shift | Columbiana, OH | 06/25/2025 | $40,697 |
Labour operator salary FAQs
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