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Loader operator salary
Average loader operator salary
$36,987
Average Loader Operator Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Loader Operator stands at $36,987 per year. This figure can vary significantly based on factors such as state, experience level, and the specific industry in which one is employed.
Salary by Experience Level
Loader Operators typically see their salaries increase with experience. Entry-level operators earn approximately $30,000 annually, while those with 5-10 years of experience may earn around $40,000, and highly experienced operators can make over $50,000.
Highest Paying States
States such as California, Texas, and New York offer some of the highest salaries for Loader Operators, driven by demand and cost of living considerations. Understanding these regional differences can help job seekers target their applications effectively.
Job Opportunities
In addition to salary information, Zippia provides a comprehensive job board for Loader Operators. Browse available positions by location and industry to find the right fit for your skills and career goals.
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Where can a Loader Operator earn more?
Loader operator salaries by experience level
Loader operator salary estimates from across the web
Average loader operator salary by state
The average loader operator salary in Alaska, North Dakota, and Minnesota are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average loader operator salary states are Florida, Texas, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for loader operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $46,318 | $22.27 |
| 2 | Rhode Island | $40,472 | $19.46 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $45,250 | $21.75 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $46,250 | $22.24 |
| 5 | Kansas | $41,221 | $19.82 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $43,742 | $21.03 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $38,956 | $18.73 |
| 8 | Kentucky | $37,652 | $18.10 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $41,306 | $19.86 |
| 10 | Nebraska | $39,321 | $18.90 |
| 11 | Ohio | $36,685 | $17.64 |
| 12 | South Dakota | $40,060 | $19.26 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $36,655 | $17.62 |
| 14 | Montana | $37,049 | $17.81 |
| 15 | Utah | $37,502 | $18.03 |
| 16 | Nevada | $38,979 | $18.74 |
| 17 | Maine | $39,369 | $18.93 |
| 18 | Iowa | $36,852 | $17.72 |
| 19 | Washington | $40,156 | $19.31 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $35,777 | $17.20 |
| 21 | Michigan | $37,206 | $17.89 |
| 22 | Missouri | $37,123 | $17.85 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $35,282 | $16.96 |
| 24 | Colorado | $39,667 | $19.07 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $36,691 | $17.64 |
| 26 | Oregon | $38,564 | $18.54 |
| 27 | California | $38,802 | $18.65 |
| 28 | Delaware | $36,739 | $17.66 |
| 29 | New York | $39,419 | $18.95 |
| 30 | New Hampshire | $34,988 | $16.82 |
| 31 | Indiana | $34,120 | $16.40 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $36,210 | $17.41 |
| 33 | Illinois | $35,911 | $17.26 |
| 34 | Arizona | $36,025 | $17.32 |
| 35 | Maryland | $37,771 | $18.16 |
| 36 | Vermont | $34,926 | $16.79 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $36,458 | $17.53 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $33,121 | $15.92 |
| 39 | Connecticut | $35,835 | $17.23 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $32,511 | $15.63 |
| 41 | Idaho | $34,241 | $16.46 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $33,697 | $16.20 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $34,046 | $16.37 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $31,377 | $15.09 |
| 45 | Georgia | $30,682 | $14.75 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $33,140 | $15.93 |
| 47 | Virginia | $34,318 | $16.50 |
| 48 | Texas | $31,617 | $15.20 |
| 49 | Alabama | $30,673 | $14.75 |
| 50 | Florida | $32,057 | $15.41 |
| 51 | North Carolina | $28,451 | $13.68 |
Highest paying cities for loader operators
The highest-paying cities for loader operators are Bismarck, ND, Lawrence, KS, and Cheyenne, WY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bismarck, ND | $45,896 | $22.07 |
| 2 | Lawrence, KS | $41,318 | $19.86 |
| 3 | Cheyenne, WY | $40,755 | $19.59 |
| 4 | Des Moines, WA | $40,142 | $19.30 |
| 5 | Sioux Falls, SD | $39,885 | $19.18 |
| 6 | Longmont, CO | $39,853 | $19.16 |
| 7 | Portland, OR | $38,675 | $18.59 |
| 8 | Los Angeles, CA | $38,550 | $18.53 |
| 9 | Hagerstown, MD | $38,166 | $18.35 |
| 10 | Draper, UT | $37,506 | $18.03 |
| 11 | Sioux City, IA | $37,291 | $17.93 |
| 12 | Dayton, OH | $35,885 | $17.25 |
| 13 | Columbia, TN | $35,223 | $16.93 |
| 14 | Danville, IL | $34,686 | $16.68 |
| 15 | New Orleans, LA | $33,859 | $16.28 |
| 16 | Charleston, SC | $32,373 | $15.56 |
| 17 | Jacksonville, FL | $32,299 | $15.53 |
| 18 | Dallas, TX | $31,728 | $15.25 |
| 19 | Macon, GA | $30,602 | $14.71 |
| 20 | Greensboro, NC | $28,628 | $13.76 |
Loader operator salary details
A loader operator's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $46,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a loader operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| Average | $36,987 | $3,082 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying loader operator jobs
The highest paying types of loader operators are foreman/operator, heavy equipment operator, and truck operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machine Operator/Forklift Operator | $32,452 | $2,704 | $15.60 | 120,073 |
| Equipment Operator/Labour | $33,959 | $2,830 | $16.33 | 60,770 |
| Loader/Unloader | $31,827 | $2,652 | $15.30 | 67,063 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | $39,822 | $3,319 | $19.15 | 47,261 |
| Loader | $32,820 | $2,735 | $15.78 | 40,008 |
| Warehouse Machine Operator | $33,796 | $2,816 | $16.25 | 229,051 |
Top companies hiring loader operators now:
Which companies pay loader operators the most?
Loader operator salaries at Dairy Farmers of America and MDU Resources are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average loader operator salary at companies like Fluor and North American Stainless are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dairy Farmers of America | $44,179 | $21.24 |
| 2 | MDU Resources | $43,299 | $20.82 |
| 3 | Fluor Corporation | $42,662 | $20.51 |
| 4 | North American Stainless | $42,612 | $20.49 |
| 5 | Schnitzer Steel | $42,567 | $20.46 |
| 6 | Steel Dynamics | $42,475 | $20.42 |
| 7 | Walsh Electric | $42,218 | $20.30 |
| 8 | FlatironConstruction | $41,912 | $20.15 |
| 9 | Bunge | $41,721 | $20.06 |
| 10 | Calportland | $41,683 | $20.04 |
| 11 | U.S. Silica | $41,633 | $20.02 |
| 12 | Lehigh Hanson | $41,539 | $19.97 |
| 13 | Cemex | $41,510 | $19.96 |
| 14 | Allan A. Myers | $41,510 | $19.96 |
| 15 | Blythe Construction | $41,484 | $19.94 |
| 16 | Hubbard Construction | $41,480 | $19.94 |
| 17 | Clyde Companies | $41,440 | $19.92 |
| 18 | International Paper | $41,402 | $19.90 |
| 19 | Jr. Davis Construction | $41,379 | $19.89 |
| 20 | Strata | $41,362 | $19.89 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Loader Operator salary by industry
The average loader operator salary varies across industries:
- The average loader operator salary in the construction industry is $40,869, the highest of any industry.
- The average loader operator salary in the finance industry is $39,707.
- Loader operators in the retail industry earn an average salary of $37,490, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for loader operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Construction | $40,869 | $19.65 |
| 2 | Energy | $39,707 | $19.09 |
| 3 | Transportation | $38,912 | $18.71 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $38,441 | $18.48 |
| 5 | Automotive | $37,654 | $18.10 |
| 6 | Retail | $37,490 | $18.02 |
High paying loader operator jobs
Loader operator salary trends
The average loader operator salary has risen by $7,435 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average loader operator earned $29,552 annually, but today, they earn $36,987 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for loader operators over the last decade.
Compare loader operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average loader operator salary over time
Compare loader operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Loader operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $37,000 | $17.78 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $35,600 | $17.14 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | $34,200 | $16.45 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $33,100 | $15.92 | +3.5% |
| 2021 | $32,000 | $15.37 | +1.1% |
Recently added loader operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smithfieldfoods | Rendering-Operator/Loader | Milan, MO | 06/30/2025 | $46,436 |
| Watco Companies, Inc. | NGL (Natural Gas Liquids) Railcar Loading Operator | Tioga, ND | 06/29/2025 | $50,088 |
| Hadco Construction | Loader Operator | Lehi, UT | 06/29/2025 | $36,523 |
| Copart | Loader Operator | Houston, TX | 06/28/2025 | $43,931 |
| Lignetics, Inc. | Woodyard Loader Operator | White Pigeon, MI | 06/28/2025 | $39,653 |
| CRH Plc | Loader Operator-Pueblo | Caon City, CO | 06/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| Vulcan Materials Company | Yard/Loader Operator | Elk Grove, CA | 06/27/2025 | $54,283 |
| Stratas Foods | Pumper Loader Operator-Food Production) | Fresno, CA | 06/27/2025 | $42,742 |
| Vulcanmat | Loader Operator | San Bernardino, CA | 06/27/2025 | $73,045 |
| LKQ Corporation | Loader Operator | Riverside, CA | 06/26/2025 | $45,914 |
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