Best states for a machine tool operator

Q: What is the best state for machine tool operators?

The best state to be a machine tool operator is Massachusetts based on machine tool operator salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for machine tool operators?

The highest paying state for machine tool operators is North Dakota based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for machine tool operators?

The worst state for machine tool operators is North Dakota, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for machine tool operators? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for machine tool operator jobs.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for machine tool operator jobs.

Massachusetts is the best state for jobs for machine tool operators, and North Dakota is the worst. The most common pay in Massachusetts is $48,744, while the median pay in North Dakota is $24,286.We found that Massachusetts is the best state for machine tool operator jobs, whereas North Dakota is the worst.

10 best states for machine tool operators in 2026

1. Massachusetts
Total machine tool operator jobs: 1,171
Average annual salary: $48,744
Lowest 10 percent earn: $18,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000
Location Quotient:
2.7
Machine tool operator jobs in Massachusetts
2. Rhode Island
Total machine tool operator jobs: 155
Average annual salary: $45,165
Lowest 10 percent earn: $16,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $122,000
Location Quotient:
2.7
Machine tool operator jobs in Rhode Island
3. Connecticut
Total machine tool operator jobs: 179
Average annual salary: $47,333
Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Machine tool operator jobs in Connecticut
4. New Jersey
Total machine tool operator jobs: 863
Average annual salary: $45,469
Lowest 10 percent earn: $16,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000
Location Quotient:
2.31
Machine tool operator jobs in New Jersey
5. Pennsylvania
Total machine tool operator jobs: 521
Average annual salary: $45,836
Lowest 10 percent earn: $17,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000
Location Quotient:
0.95
Machine tool operator jobs in Pennsylvania
6. Maryland
Total machine tool operator jobs: 921
Average annual salary: $43,019
Lowest 10 percent earn: $16,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $114,000
Location Quotient:
3.08
Machine tool operator jobs in Maryland
7. California
Total machine tool operator jobs: 885
Average annual salary: $54,455
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000
Location Quotient:
0.64
Machine tool operator jobs in California
8. New Hampshire
Total machine tool operator jobs: 167
Average annual salary: $41,045
Lowest 10 percent earn: $14,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000
Location Quotient:
2.02
Machine tool operator jobs in New Hampshire
9. Arizona
Total machine tool operator jobs: 184
Average annual salary: $44,862
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000
Location Quotient:
0.67
Machine tool operator jobs in Arizona
10. Nevada
Total machine tool operator jobs: 41
Average annual salary: $43,636
Lowest 10 percent earn: $19,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $98,000
Location Quotient:
0.42
Machine tool operator jobs in Nevada

Machine tool operator jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a machine tool operator

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a machine tool operator

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Massachusetts	$48,744	$18,000	6,859,819	1,171
2	Rhode Island	$45,165	$16,000	1,059,639	155
3	Connecticut	$47,333	$17,000	3,588,184	179
4	New Jersey	$45,469	$16,000	9,005,644	863
5	Pennsylvania	$45,836	$17,000	12,805,537	521
6	Maryland	$43,019	$16,000	6,052,177	921
7	California	$54,455	$24,000	39,536,653	885
8	New Hampshire	$41,045	$14,000	1,342,795	167
9	Arizona	$44,862	$19,000	7,016,270	184
10	Nevada	$43,636	$19,000	2,998,039	41
11	New York	$43,996	$16,000	19,849,399	336
12	Texas	$40,587	$16,000	28,304,596	546
13	Mississippi	$38,155	$15,000	2,984,100	85
14	Oregon	$40,461	$19,000	4,142,776	146
15	West Virginia	$40,570	$15,000	1,815,857	24
16	Alabama	$37,705	$15,000	4,874,747	174
17	District of Columbia	$40,471	$14,000	693,972	111
18	Ohio	$34,734	$13,000	11,658,609	631
19	Louisiana	$38,004	$15,000	4,684,333	84
20	Michigan	$35,103	$13,000	9,962,311	405
21	Hawaii	$37,404	$23,000	1,427,538	91
22	Arkansas	$34,795	$15,000	3,004,279	112
23	New Mexico	$38,882	$17,000	2,088,070	21
24	South Carolina	$35,376	$13,000	5,024,369	218
25	Vermont	$37,951	$13,000	623,657	26
26	Indiana	$33,491	$13,000	6,666,818	394
27	North Carolina	$34,649	$13,000	10,273,419	459
28	Florida	$37,503	$14,000	20,984,400	425
29	Delaware	$38,176	$13,000	961,939	30
30	Alaska	$25,799	$16,000	739,795	112
31	Wisconsin	$30,734	$13,000	5,795,483	561
32	Georgia	$33,127	$13,000	10,429,379	476
33	Utah	$32,262	$15,000	3,101,833	129
34	Maine	$36,665	$12,000	1,335,907	46
35	Virginia	$36,636	$13,000	8,470,020	210
36	Kansas	$31,341	$14,000	2,913,123	120
37	Illinois	$30,862	$13,000	12,802,023	567
38	Tennessee	$30,175	$12,000	6,715,984	308
39	Idaho	$32,242	$17,000	1,716,943	34
40	Oklahoma	$32,608	$14,000	3,930,864	71
41	Washington	$31,752	$16,000	7,405,743	187
42	Iowa	$27,649	$13,000	3,145,711	189
43	Minnesota	$26,930	$13,000	5,576,606	356
44	Missouri	$30,796	$13,000	6,113,532	221
45	Kentucky	$29,738	$12,000	4,454,189	164
46	Wyoming	$29,794	$16,000	579,315	7
47	South Dakota	$25,412	$14,000	869,666	43
48	Nebraska	$25,891	$13,000	1,920,076	98
49	Colorado	$28,814	$14,000	5,607,154	137
50	Montana	$25,024	$15,000	1,050,493	17
51	North Dakota	$24,286	$14,000	755,393	10

Highest paying states for machine tool operators

Rank	State	Avg. Machine Tool Operator Salary
1	Massachusetts	$48,744
2	Rhode Island	$45,165
3	Connecticut	$47,333
4	New Jersey	$45,469
5	Pennsylvania	$45,836
6	Maryland	$43,019
7	California	$54,455
8	New Hampshire	$41,045
9	Arizona	$44,862
10	Nevada	$43,636
11	New York	$43,996
12	Texas	$40,587
13	Mississippi	$38,155
14	Oregon	$40,461
15	West Virginia	$40,570
16	Alabama	$37,705
17	District of Columbia	$40,471
18	Ohio	$34,734
19	Louisiana	$38,004
20	Michigan	$35,103
21	Hawaii	$37,404
22	Arkansas	$34,795
23	New Mexico	$38,882
24	South Carolina	$35,376
25	Vermont	$37,951
26	Indiana	$33,491
27	North Carolina	$34,649
28	Florida	$37,503
29	Delaware	$38,176
30	Alaska	$25,799
31	Wisconsin	$30,734
32	Georgia	$33,127
33	Utah	$32,262
34	Maine	$36,665
35	Virginia	$36,636
36	Kansas	$31,341
37	Illinois	$30,862
38	Tennessee	$30,175
39	Idaho	$32,242
40	Oklahoma	$32,608
41	Washington	$31,752
42	Iowa	$27,649
43	Minnesota	$26,930
44	Missouri	$30,796
45	Kentucky	$29,738
46	Wyoming	$29,794
47	South Dakota	$25,412
48	Nebraska	$25,891
49	Colorado	$28,814
50	Montana	$25,024
51	North Dakota	$24,286

Machine tool operator best states FAQs

What is the best state for machine tool operators?

What is the highest paying state for machine tool operators?

What is the worst state for machine tool operators?

Have more questions? See all answers to common production and manufacturing questions.

Search for machine tool operator jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total machine tool operator jobs:	1,171
Average annual salary:	$48,744
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$18,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$129,000
Location Quotient:	2.7

Best states for a machine tool operator

10 best states for machine tool operators in 2026

1. Massachusetts

2. Rhode Island

3. Connecticut

4. New Jersey

5. Pennsylvania

6. Maryland

7. California

8. New Hampshire

9. Arizona

10. Nevada