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Numerical control operator salary
Average numerical control operator salary
$38,280
Understanding Numerical Control Operator Salaries
Numerical Control Operators (NCOs) play a crucial role in the manufacturing sector, responsible for programming and operating CNC machines. As of October 2025, the average salary for NCOs is $38,280 per year or approximately $18 per hour. Salaries can vary based on factors such as location, experience, and industry, with some operators earning significantly more in specialized fields.
Salary Variation by State
In states like California and Texas, NCOs frequently enjoy higher salaries due to the concentration of manufacturing industries. For instance, operators in California can earn upwards of $45,000, reflecting the demand for skilled labor in high-tech manufacturing.
Opportunities for Growth
Experience plays an essential role in salary progression. Entry-level operators may start at lower wages, but with additional training and experience, many advance to supervisory roles or specialized positions, significantly increasing their earning potential.
Industries with High Pay
Industries such as aerospace, automotive, and medical device manufacturing often offer competitive salaries for NCOs. Job seekers should research local job markets and consider industries that align with their skills to maximize their earnings.
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Where can a Numerical Control Operator earn more?
Average numerical control operator salary by state
The average numerical control operator salary in West Virginia, Maryland, and Idaho are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average numerical control operator salary states are Louisiana, Hawaii, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for numerical control operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $39,855 | $19.16 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $40,408 | $19.43 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $38,663 | $18.59 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $40,821 | $19.63 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $42,499 | $20.43 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $40,332 | $19.39 |
| 7 | Idaho | $40,866 | $19.65 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $37,789 | $18.17 |
| 9 | Ohio | $37,428 | $17.99 |
| 10 | Kentucky | $37,246 | $17.91 |
| 11 | Alaska | $39,730 | $19.10 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $37,087 | $17.83 |
| 13 | Oregon | $40,088 | $19.27 |
| 14 | Mississippi | $37,142 | $17.86 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $38,006 | $18.27 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $39,499 | $18.99 |
| 17 | Maryland | $41,846 | $20.12 |
| 18 | Michigan | $37,101 | $17.84 |
| 19 | Alabama | $37,233 | $17.90 |
| 20 | Utah | $37,651 | $18.10 |
| 21 | Nevada | $38,582 | $18.55 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $35,839 | $17.23 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $38,657 | $18.59 |
| 24 | Illinois | $37,936 | $18.24 |
| 25 | Kansas | $36,904 | $17.74 |
| 26 | New York | $40,098 | $19.28 |
| 27 | California | $39,127 | $18.81 |
| 28 | Washington | $39,602 | $19.04 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $36,029 | $17.32 |
| 30 | Virginia | $38,056 | $18.30 |
| 31 | Vermont | $37,923 | $18.23 |
| 32 | Iowa | $36,017 | $17.32 |
| 33 | Colorado | $38,939 | $18.72 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $35,966 | $17.29 |
| 35 | Indiana | $35,756 | $17.19 |
| 36 | Maine | $36,904 | $17.74 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $35,603 | $17.12 |
| 38 | South Dakota | $35,540 | $17.09 |
| 39 | Texas | $36,413 | $17.51 |
| 40 | Arizona | $36,934 | $17.76 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $35,102 | $16.88 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $35,699 | $17.16 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $35,389 | $17.01 |
| 44 | Missouri | $35,724 | $17.18 |
| 45 | Georgia | $34,875 | $16.77 |
| 46 | Montana | $35,763 | $17.19 |
| 47 | Delaware | $35,554 | $17.09 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $35,301 | $16.97 |
| 49 | Florida | $34,625 | $16.65 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $34,828 | $16.74 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $33,939 | $16.32 |
Highest paying cities for numerical control operators
The highest-paying cities for numerical control operators are Tualatin, OR, Lancaster, PA, and Syracuse, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tualatin, OR | $40,115 | $19.29 |
| 2 | Lancaster, PA | $39,972 | $19.22 |
| 3 | Syracuse, NY | $39,272 | $18.88 |
| 4 | San Diego, CA | $38,549 | $18.53 |
| 5 | Elk Grove Village, IL | $38,001 | $18.27 |
| 6 | Saint Paul, MN | $37,985 | $18.26 |
| 7 | Euclid, OH | $37,885 | $18.21 |
| 8 | Milwaukee, WI | $37,088 | $17.83 |
| 9 | Wichita, KS | $36,906 | $17.74 |
| 10 | Grand Rapids, MI | $36,840 | $17.71 |
| 11 | Houston, TX | $36,516 | $17.56 |
| 12 | Fort Wayne, IN | $36,043 | $17.33 |
| 13 | Knoxville, TN | $36,020 | $17.32 |
| 14 | Charlotte, NC | $35,652 | $17.14 |
| 15 | Kearney, NE | $35,333 | $16.99 |
| 16 | Tampa, FL | $34,556 | $16.61 |
| 17 | Tulsa, OK | $33,973 | $16.33 |
Numerical Control Operators are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Numerical control operator salary details
A numerical control operator's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $50,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a numerical control operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 75th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| Average | $38,280 | $3,190 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying numerical control operator jobs
The highest paying types of numerical control operators are numerical control programmer, maintenance machinist, and control operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machinist | $42,147 | $3,512 | $20.26 | 15,448 |
| Maintenance Machinist | $52,077 | $4,340 | $25.04 | 83,042 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
| Machine Operator | $32,874 | $2,740 | $15.80 | 96,834 |
| Press Brake Operator | $36,359 | $3,030 | $17.48 | 57,264 |
| Process Operator | $37,996 | $3,166 | $18.27 | 83,478 |
Top companies hiring numerical control operators now:
Which companies pay numerical control operators the most?
Numerical control operator salaries at BWX Technologies and Architectural Design Incorporated are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average numerical control operator salary at companies like Vicor and Amphenol are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BWX Technologies | $62,918 | $30.25 |
| 2 | Architectural Design Incorporated | $55,465 | $26.67 |
| 3 | Vicor | $54,800 | $26.35 |
| 4 | Amphenol | $54,171 | $26.04 |
| 5 | Astronics | $54,027 | $25.97 |
| 6 | Cyient | $53,969 | $25.95 |
| 7 | Smiths Group | $50,326 | $24.20 |
| 8 | TMA Solutions | $49,853 | $23.97 |
| 9 | ABB | $49,442 | $23.77 |
| 10 | Twin Disc | $49,299 | $23.70 |
| 11 | General Electric | $49,263 | $23.68 |
| 12 | Sierra Pacific Industries | $48,497 | $23.32 |
| 13 | Johnson Controls | $48,419 | $23.28 |
| 14 | MDU Resources | $48,305 | $23.22 |
| 15 | Northrop Grumman | $48,052 | $23.10 |
| 16 | Volvo Trucks | $47,997 | $23.08 |
| 17 | IDEX | $47,883 | $23.02 |
| 18 | Valmont Industries | $47,584 | $22.88 |
| 19 | The Manitowoc Company | $47,455 | $22.81 |
| 20 | Siemens | $46,878 | $22.54 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Numerical Control Operator salary by industry
The average numerical control operator salary varies across industries:
- The average numerical control operator salary in the automotive industry is $41,888, the highest of any industry.
- The average numerical control operator salary in the finance industry is $40,846.
- Numerical control operators in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $38,205, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for numerical control operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Automotive | $41,888 | $20.14 |
| 2 | Technology | $40,846 | $19.64 |
| 3 | Professional | $39,469 | $18.98 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $38,205 | $18.37 |
High paying numerical control operator jobs
Numerical control operator salary trends
The average numerical control operator salary has risen by $6,185 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average numerical control operator earned $32,095 annually, but today, they earn $38,280 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for numerical control operators over the last decade.
Compare numerical control operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average numerical control operator salary over time
Compare numerical control operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Numerical control operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,300 | $18.40 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $37,000 | $17.80 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $36,500 | $17.56 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $35,700 | $17.19 | +3.4% |
| 2021 | $34,500 | $16.60 | +2.2% |
Recently added numerical control operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegion | CNC Machine Operator | Snoqualmie, WA | 06/30/2025 | $41,385 |
| Air Squared Manufacturing Inc.?Location=All%20Locations&Department=All%20Departments | CNC Machine Operator (Weekend Days Shift) | Thornton, CO | 06/30/2025 | $43,827 |
| Universal Logistics Holdings | CNC Machine Operator | Louisville, KY | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Relativity | Senior CNC Setup Operator, 1St. Shift | Long Beach, CA | 06/29/2025 | $68,182 |
| Sew-Eurodrive-USA | CNC Machine Operator-Turning | Cope, SC | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Harrington Hoists, Inc. | A-Cnc Machine Operator | York, PA | 06/29/2025 | $39,903 |
| Landscape Structures | CNC Operator | Delano, MN | 06/29/2025 | $40,697 |
| Kito Crosby | A-Cnc Machine Operator | York, PA | 06/29/2025 | $39,903 |
| General Dynamics | F/W CNC Grinder Operator | Marion, VA | 06/28/2025 | $42,658 |
| Kelly Services | CNC Mills Operator | Carson, CA | 06/28/2025 | $45,643 |
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