Machine Operator Salary
Machine Operator Salary Estimate
$15.80hourly
How much does a Machine Operator make?
The average salary for a machine operator in the United States is $32,874. Machine operator salaries typically range between $26,000 and $40,000 a year. The average hourly rate for machine operators is $15.8 per hour.
Location, education, and experience impacts how much a machine operator can expect to make. Machine operators make the most in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Washington, Idaho, and Maine.
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The average salary for a machine operator is $32,874 in the US. -
The average machine operator salary ranges between $26,000 and $40,000 in the US. -
Hourly rates for machine operators in the US typically range between $12 and $19 an hour. -
The average machine operator salary is $36,966 in Minnesota, $35,869 in Wisconsin, and $35,676 in Washington. These are the three highest-paying states for machine operators in the US. -
BD has the highest average salary for machine operators. -
Automotive is the highest-paying industry for machine operators in the US.
Highest Paying States For Machine Operators
- State View
- County View
Machine Operator average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $35,869 | $17.24 | 1,010 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $36,966 | $17.77 | 801 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $34,945 | $16.80 | 1,122 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $34,607 | $16.64 | 152 |
| 5 | Indiana | $33,724 | $16.21 | 977 |
| 6 | Kentucky | $34,074 | $16.38 | 407 |
| 7 | Ohio | $33,641 | $16.17 | 1,272 |
| 8 | Maine | $35,169 | $16.91 | 117 |
| 9 | Idaho | $35,212 | $16.93 | 114 |
| 10 | Iowa | $33,229 | $15.98 | 453 |
| 11 | North Dakota | $34,740 | $16.70 | 42 |
| 12 | Missouri | $34,312 | $16.50 | 457 |
| 13 | Oregon | $34,859 | $16.76 | 277 |
| 14 | Illinois | $33,711 | $16.21 | 1,258 |
| 15 | Washington | $35,676 | $17.15 | 327 |
| 16 | Nevada | $33,913 | $16.30 | 110 |
| 17 | Utah | $33,090 | $15.91 | 291 |
| 18 | Kansas | $32,830 | $15.78 | 248 |
| 19 | Michigan | $32,615 | $15.68 | 679 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $32,539 | $15.64 | 216 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $32,778 | $15.76 | 1,287 |
| 22 | Maryland | $32,969 | $15.85 | 965 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $33,618 | $16.16 | 860 |
| 24 | California | $34,272 | $16.48 | 1,680 |
| 25 | Delaware | $33,924 | $16.31 | 48 |
| 26 | Vermont | $32,409 | $15.58 | 61 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $31,668 | $15.22 | 215 |
| 28 | Alaska | $30,862 | $14.84 | 105 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $32,231 | $15.50 | 65 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $33,563 | $16.14 | 110 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $32,720 | $15.73 | 93 |
| 32 | Colorado | $32,967 | $15.85 | 267 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $30,308 | $14.57 | 627 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $32,211 | $15.49 | 48 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $31,565 | $15.18 | 319 |
| 36 | Arizona | $32,045 | $15.41 | 317 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $30,358 | $14.60 | 169 |
| 38 | Georgia | $30,322 | $14.58 | 949 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $30,025 | $14.44 | 831 |
| 40 | Connecticut | $32,154 | $15.46 | 248 |
| 41 | New York | $32,241 | $15.50 | 533 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $28,776 | $13.83 | 139 |
| 43 | Alabama | $28,264 | $13.59 | 264 |
| 44 | Virginia | $30,693 | $14.76 | 382 |
| 45 | Texas | $28,517 | $13.71 | 989 |
| 46 | Montana | $29,626 | $14.24 | 34 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $28,380 | $13.64 | 98 |
| 48 | Florida | $27,421 | $13.18 | 879 |
| 49 | New Mexico | $28,108 | $13.51 | 30 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $27,029 | $12.99 | 119 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $20,035 | $9.63 | 8 |
Highest Paying Cities For Machine Operators
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis, MN | $37,003 | $17.79 | 27 |
| 2 | Green Bay, WI | $36,213 | $17.41 | 15 |
| 3 | Kent, WA | $35,702 | $17.16 | 4 |
| 4 | Portland, ME | $35,220 | $16.93 | 8 |
| 5 | Allentown, PA | $35,165 | $16.91 | 24 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $34,877 | $16.77 | 8 |
| 7 | Fargo, ND | $34,839 | $16.75 | 6 |
| 8 | Richmond, CA | $34,803 | $16.73 | |
| 9 | Florence, KY | $34,550 | $16.61 | 37 |
| 10 | Kansas City, MO | $34,471 | $16.57 | 5 |
| 11 | Fort Wayne, IN | $34,177 | $16.43 | 14 |
| 12 | Cleveland, OH | $34,131 | $16.41 | 8 |
| 13 | Elgin, IL | $33,845 | $16.27 | 6 |
| 14 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $33,362 | $16.04 | 5 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $33,040 | $15.88 | 14 |
Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now:
Machine Operator Salary by Years of Experience
Machine Operator Salary By Experience Level
| Experience Level | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level | $25,000 | $12.00 |
| Mid Level | $31,900 | $15.32 |
| Senior Level | $38,700 | $18.62 |
Machine Operators Salary Details
What is a Machine Operator's Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| Average | $32,874 | $2,740 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest Paying Types of Machine Operators
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assembly Operator | $31,928 | $2,661 | $15.35 | 87,293 |
| Machine Operator/Forklift Operator | $32,452 | $2,704 | $15.60 | 120,073 |
| Production Operator | $35,185 | $2,932 | $16.92 | 117,254 |
| Manufacturing Operator | $34,457 | $2,871 | $16.57 | 97,656 |
| Assembling Machine Operator | $31,275 | $2,606 | $15.04 | 87,253 |
| Warehouse Machine Operator | $33,796 | $2,816 | $16.25 | 229,051 |
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay Machine Operators The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BD | $49,043 | $23.58 | 68 |
| 2 | CONMED | $45,273 | $21.77 | 4 |
| 3 | Ventura Foods | $44,852 | $21.56 | 17 |
| 4 | Anomatic | $44,501 | $21.39 | |
| 5 | Darigold | $44,432 | $21.36 | 5 |
| 6 | United Natural Foods | $44,189 | $21.24 | 43 |
| 7 | Nation Pizza | $44,115 | $21.21 | |
| 8 | Reser's Fine Foods | $43,874 | $21.09 | 6 |
| 9 | Alpenrose Dairy | $43,680 | $21.00 | 3 |
| 10 | Koch Foods | $43,672 | $21.00 | 2 |
| 11 | Dairy Farmers of America | $43,648 | $20.98 | 145 |
| 12 | West Liberty Foods | $43,587 | $20.96 | 5 |
| 13 | Medtronic | $43,464 | $20.90 | 3 |
| 14 | Uline | $43,441 | $20.89 | 6 |
| 15 | Kemps | $43,315 | $20.82 | 14 |
| 16 | Nestlé | $43,067 | $20.71 | 55 |
| 17 | Ken's Foods | $42,919 | $20.63 | |
| 18 | Clearwater Paper | $42,824 | $20.59 | 6 |
| 19 | Steel Dynamics | $42,636 | $20.50 | 33 |
| 20 | Motorola Solutions | $42,306 | $20.34 |
How Much Do Machine Operators Make In Different Industries?
Machine operator salaries can vary depending on the industry. In fact, our data shows that the automotive, manufacturing, and technology industries tend to offer much higher salaries for machine operators. For example, machine operators make a whopping average salary of $37,558 while working in the automotive industry. Meanwhile, other people in this field are making $36,050 in the manufacturing industry and $35,582 in the technology industry.
Machine operators may want to avoid working in the professional industry as it offers the lowest average salary of $33,217.
Highest Paying Industries For Machine Operators
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automotive | $37,558 | $18.06 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $36,050 | $17.33 |
| 3 | Technology | $35,582 | $17.11 |
| 4 | Retail | $33,641 | $16.17 |
| 5 | Professional | $33,217 | $15.97 |
High Paying Machine Operator Jobs
Machine Operator Pay Trends
Average Machine Operator Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Machine Operator Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $32,900 | $15.80 | +5.1% |
| 2022 | $31,200 | $15.01 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $30,400 | $14.60 | +2.7% |
| 2020 | $29,600 | $14.21 | +3.6% |
| 2019 | $28,500 | $13.70 | +4.3% |
Recently Added Machine Operator Salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockwell Automation | Machine Operator-Weekend Shift | Twinsburg, OH | 05/04/2023 | $37,566 |
| Graham Packaging | Machine Operators & Maintenance (Techs/Electricians) Walk-In Interviews | York, PA | 05/04/2023 | $62,297 |
| Pratt Industries | Machine Operator | Memphis, TN | 05/03/2023 | $48,001 |
| SSI | 2Nd Shift: 3PM To PM Machine Operator (RM) | Greenville, SC | 05/03/2023 | $33,392 |
| The Alpha Group | Machine Operator | Warwick, MA | 05/03/2023 | $37,566 |
| PDS Services | Machine Operators-All Shifts | Brighton, MI | 05/03/2023 | $41,740 |
| A-Line Staffing Solutions | Machine Operator (1ST Shift) | Mebane, NC | 05/03/2023 | $35,479 |
| CCS Construction Staffing | Machine Operators | Charlotte, NC | 05/03/2023 | $41,740 |
| Hirelevel. | Machine Operator | Saint Louis, MO | 05/03/2023 | $52,175 |
| HW Staffing Solutions | Machine Operator | Dover, NH | 05/03/2023 | $37,566 |
Machine Operator Salaries FAQs
What State Pays Machine Operators The Most?
Minnesota pays Machine Operators the most in the United States, with an average salary of $36,966 per year, or $17.77 per hour.
How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As A Machine Operator?
You know if you are being paid fairly as a Machine Operator if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Wisconsin you should be paid close to $35,869 per year.
What Is A Good Starting Salary For A Machine Operator?
A good starting salary for a machine operator is $27,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a machine operator in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for machine operators is $32,658, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a machine operator can vary by state.
How Much Do Big Machine Operators Make?
Big machine operators, also known as heavy equipment operators or construction equipment operators, make roughly $49,000.
Depending on the role, you can earn more. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pile-driver operators made about $63,370 in 2020.
How Much Do Machine Operators Make A Year?
Machine operators make $28,000 a year. A machine operator, on average, makes $28,000 a year, with salaries ranging anywhere between $23,000 and $34,000.
The barrier to entry for a machine operator is incredibly low, but sadly so is the pay rate. People with significant experience may find themselves earning more, though it is usually more beneficial to pursue advancement within the field.
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