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Job outlook for operators in the United States
Operator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected operator job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 56,900 new jobs for operators are projected over the next decade.
Operator salaries have increased 16% for operators in the last 5 years.
There are over 835,255 operators currently employed in the United States.
There are 159,077 active operator job openings in the US.
The average operator salary is $37,928.
Are operator jobs in demand?
Yes, operator jobs are in demand. Operator demand is projected to grow 7% from 2018 to 2028.
Operator job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of operator jobs and the average operator salary over time.
Operator jobs over time
Operator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 835,255 | 0.25% |
| 2020 | 806,089 | 0.24% |
| 2019 | 826,715 | 0.25% |
| 2018 | 828,580 | 0.25% |
| 2017 | 807,970 | 0.24% |
Average operator salary over time
Operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $37,928 | $18.23 | +3.8% |
| 2024 | $36,555 | $17.57 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $35,091 | $16.87 | +3.3% |
| 2022 | $33,960 | $16.33 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $32,778 | $15.76 | +1.2% |
Operator jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of operator job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where operators earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for operators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 3,316 | 105% |
| 2 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 5,174 | 93% |
| 3 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 1,435 | 84% |
| 4 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 4,039 | 80% |
| 5 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 1,391 | 77% |
| 6 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 4,343 | 75% |
| 7 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 1,521 | 73% |
| 8 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 415 | 72% |
| 9 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 4,800 | 71% |
| 10 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 3,291 | 70% |
| 11 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 6,788 | 65% |
| 12 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 4,333 | 65% |
| 13 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 6,205 | 60% |
| 14 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 2,230 | 54% |
| 15 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 6,221 | 53% |
| 16 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 6,669 | 52% |
| 17 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 4,426 | 52% |
| 18 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 1,570 | 51% |
| 19 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 1,498 | 50% |
| 20 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 4,754 | 48% |
Most common cities for operators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Plymouth | 10 | 13% | $43,717 |
| 2 | Milpitas | 7 | 9% | $54,051 |
| 3 | Fort Collins | 11 | 7% | $42,481 |
| 4 | Lafayette | 9 | 7% | $36,251 |
| 5 | Savannah | 9 | 6% | $32,530 |
| 6 | Irvine | 12 | 5% | $43,350 |
| 7 | Atlanta | 13 | 3% | $32,964 |
| 8 | Tampa | 10 | 3% | $32,980 |
| 9 | Miami | 7 | 2% | $32,473 |
| 10 | Phoenix | 12 | 1% | $37,119 |
| 11 | Indianapolis | 9 | 1% | $36,797 |
| 12 | San Antonio | 9 | 1% | $34,989 |
| 13 | Fort Worth | 8 | 1% | $35,108 |
| 14 | Jacksonville | 8 | 1% | $33,159 |
| 15 | Boston | 7 | 1% | $43,973 |
| 16 | Houston | 10 | 0% | $34,665 |
| 17 | Los Angeles | 8 | 0% | $44,618 |
| 18 | Chicago | 7 | 0% | $40,912 |