Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for lead computer operators in the United States
Lead computer operator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected lead computer operator job growth rate is 10% from 2018-2028.
About 83,100 new jobs for lead computer operators are projected over the next decade.
Lead computer operator salaries have increased 16% for lead computer operators in the last 5 years.
There are over 24,477 lead computer operators currently employed in the United States.
There are 40,541 active lead computer operator job openings in the US.
The average lead computer operator salary is $82,824.
Are lead computer operator jobs in demand?
Lead computer operator job and salary trends over time
Lead computer operator jobs over time
Lead computer operator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24,477 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 34,520 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 21,010 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 28,917 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 33,572 | 0.01% |
Average lead computer operator salary over time
Lead computer operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $82,824 | $39.82 | +3.5% |
| 2025 | $80,053 | $38.49 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $77,628 | $37.32 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $74,970 | $36.04 | +4.7% |
| 2022 | $71,583 | $34.41 | +4.6% |
Lead computer operator jobs by state
Most common states for lead computer operators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | 739,795 | 235 | 32% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 177 | 26% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,437 | 21% |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 186 | 18% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 184 | 18% |
| 6 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 264 | 15% |
| 7 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 134 | 15% |
| 8 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 266 | 14% |
| 9 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 281 | 13% |
| 10 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,199 | 12% |
| 11 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 361 | 12% |
| 12 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 351 | 12% |
| 13 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 985 | 11% |
| 14 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 155 | 11% |
| 15 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 376 | 10% |
| 16 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 308 | 10% |
| 17 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 336 | 6% |
| 18 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 34 | 6% |
| 19 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 67 | 5% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 32 | 5% |
Most common cities for lead computer operators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rockville | 1 | 1% | $85,404 |
Lead Computer Operator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of lead computer operator experts
The University of Maine
Dr. Jon Ippolito
Professor of New MediaThe University of Maine
School of Computing and Information Science
What skills stand out on Lead Computer Operator resumes?
Dr. Jon Ippolito: Although we often hear about positions in urban centers like San Francisco, online job listings, as well as a survey of New Media alumni, affirm that even in a rural state like Maine, many businesses and organizations seek workers with new media skills, from web and mobile developers to user interface and experience designers to digital storytellers capable of crafting compelling videos and social media campaigns.
As of this writing, Google (https://jobs.google.com) reports 133 jobs in Maine for a data scientist, 130 openings for a web developer, 100 for an AI scientist, 80 for a web designer, 72 for a UX/UI designer, 58 for a mobile developer, 43 for a social media manager, and 16 for a video producer/editor. This does not count the increasing number of jobs that permit remote work, which accounts for 75% of programming listings in 2021, according to The Economist (https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/08/11/for-programmers-remote-working-is-becoming-the-norm).