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Laser operator salary
Average laser operator salary
$16.74
Average Laser Operator Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Laser Operator stands at $34,813 per year. This position typically pays around $17 per hour. However, several factors can influence earnings, such as the state where you work, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Salary by State
Salaries for Laser Operators can differ significantly across states. For example, operators in states like California and Texas often earn more due to higher demand and cost of living considerations. Understanding regional salary variations can help you make informed career decisions.
Highest Paying Industries
Industries such as aerospace and medical manufacturing tend to offer the highest salaries for Laser Operators. These sectors require specialized skills and often provide additional benefits, enhancing overall compensation packages.
Job Opportunities
Many job openings for Laser Operators exist across various platforms. Zippia features a wide range of opportunities, enabling you to apply and advance your career in this essential field.
Let Zippia find your next laser operator job
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Where can a Laser Operator earn more?
Laser operator salary estimates from across the web
Average laser operator salary by state
The highest-paying states for laser operators are Oregon, Alaska, and Hawaii. The lowest average laser operator salary states are Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for laser operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $42,106 | $20.24 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $40,897 | $19.66 |
| 3 | Oregon | $43,650 | $20.99 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $39,061 | $18.78 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $37,330 | $17.95 |
| 6 | Ohio | $37,081 | $17.83 |
| 7 | Idaho | $41,194 | $19.80 |
| 8 | Indiana | $36,503 | $17.55 |
| 9 | Hawaii | $41,844 | $20.12 |
| 10 | Utah | $37,699 | $18.12 |
| 11 | West Virginia | $40,592 | $19.52 |
| 12 | New York | $41,769 | $20.08 |
| 13 | Virginia | $41,668 | $20.03 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $40,293 | $19.37 |
| 15 | Michigan | $36,549 | $17.57 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $36,375 | $17.49 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $35,821 | $17.22 |
| 18 | Washington | $40,565 | $19.50 |
| 19 | Missouri | $36,999 | $17.79 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $36,398 | $17.50 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $35,944 | $17.28 |
| 22 | California | $40,783 | $19.61 |
| 23 | Kansas | $36,061 | $17.34 |
| 24 | Iowa | $35,290 | $16.97 |
| 25 | Mississippi | $35,285 | $16.96 |
| 26 | Alabama | $35,186 | $16.92 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $37,168 | $17.87 |
| 28 | Maryland | $39,345 | $18.92 |
| 29 | Illinois | $36,094 | $17.35 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $34,993 | $16.82 |
| 31 | Maine | $35,537 | $17.09 |
| 32 | Arizona | $36,351 | $17.48 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $34,766 | $16.71 |
| 34 | Connecticut | $36,219 | $17.41 |
| 35 | Vermont | $36,385 | $17.49 |
| 36 | Texas | $34,789 | $16.73 |
| 37 | Montana | $35,946 | $17.28 |
| 38 | Nevada | $34,145 | $16.42 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $33,176 | $15.95 |
| 40 | New Jersey | $33,441 | $16.08 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $32,982 | $15.86 |
| 42 | Colorado | $35,538 | $17.09 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $34,802 | $16.73 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $32,140 | $15.45 |
| 45 | New Mexico | $33,992 | $16.34 |
| 46 | Georgia | $32,605 | $15.68 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $33,334 | $16.03 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $33,000 | $15.87 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $30,107 | $14.47 |
| 50 | Delaware | $33,263 | $15.99 |
| 51 | Florida | $29,490 | $14.18 |
Highest paying cities for laser operators
The highest-paying cities for laser operators are Oregon City, OR, Kent, WA, and Milwaukee, WI.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oregon City, OR | $43,590 | $20.96 |
| 2 | Kent, WA | $40,683 | $19.56 |
| 3 | Milwaukee, WI | $37,322 | $17.94 |
| 4 | Columbus, OH | $37,025 | $17.80 |
| 5 | Elkhart, IN | $36,732 | $17.66 |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | $36,577 | $17.59 |
| 7 | Owatonna, MN | $36,471 | $17.53 |
| 8 | Phoenix, AZ | $36,367 | $17.48 |
| 9 | Crystal Lake, IL | $36,139 | $17.37 |
| 10 | Hartford, CT | $36,123 | $17.37 |
| 11 | Olathe, KS | $36,049 | $17.33 |
| 12 | Manchester, NH | $35,955 | $17.29 |
| 13 | Colorado Springs, CO | $35,443 | $17.04 |
| 14 | Fort Worth, TX | $34,897 | $16.78 |
| 15 | Greenville, SC | $33,364 | $16.04 |
| 16 | Grand Island, NE | $33,155 | $15.94 |
| 17 | Tulsa, OK | $33,046 | $15.89 |
| 18 | Charlotte, NC | $31,872 | $15.32 |
| 19 | DeLand, FL | $29,617 | $14.24 |
Laser operator salary details
A laser operator's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $44,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a laser operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| Average | $34,813 | $2,901 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying laser operator jobs
The highest paying types of laser operators are control operator, set-up operator, and numerical control operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Numerical Control Operator | $38,280 | $3,190 | $18.40 | 85,068 |
| Production Operator | $35,185 | $2,932 | $16.92 | 117,254 |
| Extrusion Operator | $36,571 | $3,048 | $17.58 | 58,622 |
| Press Brake Operator | $36,359 | $3,030 | $17.48 | 57,264 |
| Control Operator | $42,885 | $3,574 | $20.62 | 64,435 |
| Set-Up Operator | $39,269 | $3,272 | $18.88 | 55,670 |
Top companies hiring laser operators now:
Which companies pay laser operators the most?
Laser operator salaries at Kloeckner Metals and Complete Prototype Services are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average laser operator salary at companies like Olympic Steel and Sanmina are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kloeckner Metals | $41,875 | $20.13 |
| 2 | Complete Prototype Services | $40,792 | $19.61 |
| 3 | Olympic Steel | $40,503 | $19.47 |
| 4 | Sanmina | $40,457 | $19.45 |
| 5 | Steffes | $40,428 | $19.44 |
| 6 | Tufts Medical Center | $39,941 | $19.20 |
| 7 | Twin City Fan Companies | $39,930 | $19.20 |
| 8 | Harvey Vogel Manufacturing Co | $38,733 | $18.62 |
| 9 | Arnold Motor Supply | $38,475 | $18.50 |
| 10 | Leggett & Platt | $38,319 | $18.42 |
| 11 | Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co | $37,847 | $18.20 |
| 12 | Olympic Companies | $37,675 | $18.11 |
| 13 | SPX | $37,582 | $18.07 |
| 14 | Textron | $37,350 | $17.96 |
| 15 | rms | $37,269 | $17.92 |
| 16 | Barnes Group | $36,618 | $17.60 |
| 17 | Matcor Automotive | $36,479 | $17.54 |
| 18 | Alamo Group | $36,370 | $17.49 |
| 19 | API Technologies | $36,367 | $17.48 |
| 20 | Anchor Fabrication | $36,344 | $17.47 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Laser Operator salary by industry
The average laser operator salary varies across industries:
- The average laser operator salary in the technology industry is $36,571, the highest of any industry.
- The average laser operator salary in the finance industry is $35,000.
- Laser operators in the retail industry earn an average salary of $32,313, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for laser operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $36,571 | $17.58 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $35,000 | $16.83 |
| 3 | Professional | $34,160 | $16.42 |
| 4 | Retail | $32,313 | $15.54 |
High paying laser operator jobs
Laser operator salary trends
The average laser operator salary has risen by $5,625 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average laser operator earned $29,188 annually, but today, they earn $34,813 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for laser operators over the last decade.
Compare laser operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average laser operator salary over time
Compare laser operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Laser operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,800 | $16.74 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $33,700 | $16.19 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $33,200 | $15.97 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $32,500 | $15.63 | +3.4% |
| 2021 | $31,400 | $15.09 | +2.2% |
Recently added laser operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Origin | Welder/Laser Operator II (M&A)-(Weekend Days/C-Shift) | Arlington, WA | 06/30/2025 | $59,709 |
| Relativity | Senior Laser Tracker Operator | Long Beach, CA | 06/29/2025 | $68,871 |
| Landscape Structures | Tube Laser Operator-2Nd Shift | Delano, MN | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| R J Liebe Athletic Lettering Company | Laser Operators-Day Shift | Chesterfield, MO | 06/25/2025 | $35,479 |
| Advance Services | Laser Operator-2Nd Shift | Grand Island, NE | 06/23/2025 | $40,175 |
| Manpowergroup | Laser Operation | San Jose, CA | 06/21/2025 | $52,175 |
| Alro Steel | 2Nd Shift Tube Laser Operator | Indianapolis, IN | 06/19/2025 | $50,088 |
| Staffmark Group | Laser Operator | Paragould, AR | 06/19/2025 | $37,566 |
| Metalworks | Laser Operator | Lincoln, NE | 06/18/2025 | $39,653 |
| Lensar, Inc. | Laser Operator Trainer | Minneapolis, MN | 06/17/2025 | $65,000 |
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