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Operator trainee salary
Average operator trainee salary
$36,978
The average Operator Trainee salary stands at $36,978 per year, translating to around $18 per hour. This role primarily serves as an entry point into various operational fields, providing training and hands-on experience. Depending on your geographical location, the salary can significantly differ. For instance, states such as California and Texas typically offer higher wages due to their robust job markets.
Experience plays a critical role in salary determination. Those with more years in the field often command higher pay. Additionally, advancement opportunities, such as becoming a certified operator or moving into supervisory roles, can further increase earning potential. According to industry reports, operators with specialized skills often see enhanced salary packages, making continued education and training essential.
To maximize your earning potential as an Operator Trainee, consider targeting industries that consistently pay well and exploring regions with a higher demand for skilled operators. Researching salary estimates from various sources can also provide a clearer picture of what to expect in your specific area. Understanding these salary dynamics will empower you to make informed career decisions and pursue the right opportunities.
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Where can an Operator Trainee earn more?
Operator trainee salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level operator trainee | $28,100 | $13.50 |
| Mid-level operator trainee | $35,900 | $17.24 |
| Senior-level operator trainee | $43,600 | $20.94 |
Operator trainee salary estimates from across the web
Average operator trainee salary by state
The highest-paying states for operators trainee are Hawaii, Washington, and Connecticut. The lowest average operator trainee salary states are Vermont, Virginia, and Oklahoma.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for operators trainee
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $40,183 | $19.32 |
| 2 | North Carolina | $40,372 | $19.41 |
| 3 | Kentucky | $37,879 | $18.21 |
| 4 | Indiana | $38,440 | $18.48 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $38,064 | $18.30 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $43,842 | $21.08 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $40,043 | $19.25 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $37,646 | $18.10 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $40,613 | $19.53 |
| 10 | Kansas | $39,521 | $19.00 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $36,764 | $17.68 |
| 12 | Missouri | $38,944 | $18.72 |
| 13 | Texas | $39,448 | $18.97 |
| 14 | Ohio | $36,378 | $17.49 |
| 15 | Alaska | $38,717 | $18.61 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $37,056 | $17.82 |
| 17 | Washington | $41,271 | $19.84 |
| 18 | Georgia | $36,757 | $17.67 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $35,176 | $16.91 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $36,164 | $17.39 |
| 21 | Arizona | $37,677 | $18.11 |
| 22 | Colorado | $39,135 | $18.81 |
| 23 | Illinois | $37,204 | $17.89 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $34,858 | $16.76 |
| 25 | California | $39,771 | $19.12 |
| 26 | New Hampshire | $35,419 | $17.03 |
| 27 | Idaho | $36,616 | $17.60 |
| 28 | Delaware | $36,653 | $17.62 |
| 29 | Nevada | $36,246 | $17.43 |
| 30 | Oregon | $37,885 | $18.21 |
| 31 | Utah | $35,012 | $16.83 |
| 32 | Iowa | $33,482 | $16.10 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $34,905 | $16.78 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $36,628 | $17.61 |
| 35 | Maryland | $36,914 | $17.75 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $33,828 | $16.26 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $35,296 | $16.97 |
| 38 | Florida | $35,578 | $17.10 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $33,066 | $15.90 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $31,400 | $15.10 |
| 41 | Maine | $34,172 | $16.43 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $33,434 | $16.07 |
| 43 | Michigan | $32,185 | $15.47 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $30,269 | $14.55 |
| 45 | New York | $34,996 | $16.82 |
| 46 | Montana | $32,098 | $15.43 |
| 47 | Alabama | $30,477 | $14.65 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $30,948 | $14.88 |
| 49 | Vermont | $31,265 | $15.03 |
| 50 | Virginia | $31,009 | $14.91 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $22,740 | $10.93 |
Highest paying cities for operators trainee
The highest-paying cities for operators trainee are Middletown, CT, Charlotte, NC, and Lancaster, PA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middletown, CT | $40,539 | $19.49 |
| 2 | Charlotte, NC | $40,521 | $19.48 |
| 3 | Lancaster, PA | $40,215 | $19.33 |
| 4 | Midland, TX | $39,925 | $19.19 |
| 5 | San Diego, CA | $39,799 | $19.13 |
| 6 | Boulder, CO | $39,163 | $18.83 |
| 7 | Saint Louis, MO | $38,754 | $18.63 |
| 8 | Fort Wayne, IN | $38,542 | $18.53 |
| 9 | Williston, ND | $38,212 | $18.37 |
| 10 | Madison, WI | $38,015 | $18.28 |
| 11 | Chicago Heights, IL | $37,193 | $17.88 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $36,754 | $17.67 |
| 13 | Newark, DE | $36,687 | $17.64 |
| 14 | Northampton, MA | $36,349 | $17.48 |
| 15 | Dublin, OH | $36,275 | $17.44 |
| 16 | Idaho Falls, ID | $36,215 | $17.41 |
| 17 | Pensacola, FL | $35,909 | $17.26 |
| 18 | Albuquerque, NM | $35,288 | $16.97 |
| 19 | Salt Lake City, UT | $34,944 | $16.80 |
| 20 | Albany, NY | $34,939 | $16.80 |
Operator trainee salary details
An operator trainee's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $45,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an operator trainee's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| Average | $36,978 | $3,082 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying operator trainee jobs
The highest paying types of operators trainee are plant operator, relief operator, and chemical operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Handle Machine Operator | $29,598 | $2,467 | $14.23 | 110,258 |
| Pack Machine Operator | $35,157 | $2,930 | $16.90 | 68,876 |
| Machine Operator/Forklift Operator | $32,452 | $2,704 | $15.60 | 120,073 |
| Packaging Operator | $34,269 | $2,856 | $16.48 | 85,698 |
| Chemical Operator | $40,526 | $3,377 | $19.48 | 36,522 |
| Pack Out Operator | $33,217 | $2,768 | $15.97 | 73,108 |
Top companies hiring operators trainee now:
Which companies pay operators trainee the most?
Operator trainee salaries at IBM and Halliburton are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average operator trainee salary at companies like NorthWestern Energy and JBS USA are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IBM | $57,656 | $27.72 |
| 2 | Halliburton | $48,611 | $23.37 |
| 3 | NorthWestern Energy | $44,129 | $21.22 |
| 4 | JBS USA | $44,085 | $21.19 |
| 5 | Aqua | $43,637 | $20.98 |
| 6 | New York State Restaurant Association | $43,493 | $20.91 |
| 7 | Calpine | $43,289 | $20.81 |
| 8 | Southern California Edison | $42,959 | $20.65 |
| 9 | Schreiber Foods | $42,726 | $20.54 |
| 10 | Freeport-McMoRan | $42,640 | $20.50 |
| 11 | Tetra Technologies | $42,606 | $20.48 |
| 12 | Salt River Project | $42,138 | $20.26 |
| 13 | Dominion Energy | $42,072 | $20.23 |
| 14 | City of Boulder | $41,934 | $20.16 |
| 15 | Energy Transfer | $41,675 | $20.04 |
| 16 | City of Georgetown | $41,443 | $19.92 |
| 17 | Bunge | $41,429 | $19.92 |
| 18 | Woodard & Curran | $41,322 | $19.87 |
| 19 | Coconino Community College | $41,106 | $19.76 |
| 20 | Gilbert Chamber of Commerce | $40,911 | $19.67 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Operator Trainee salary by industry
The average operator trainee salary varies across industries:
- The average operator trainee salary in the energy industry is $41,905, the highest of any industry.
- The average operator trainee salary in the finance industry is $40,764.
- Operators trainee in the transportation industry earn an average salary of $35,875, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for operators trainee
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $41,905 | $20.15 |
| 2 | Utilities | $40,764 | $19.60 |
| 3 | Government | $40,732 | $19.58 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $39,646 | $19.06 |
| 5 | Finance | $39,112 | $18.80 |
| 6 | Transportation | $35,875 | $17.25 |
High paying operator trainee jobs
Operator trainee salary trends
The average operator trainee salary has risen by $7,953 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average operator trainee earned $29,025 annually, but today, they earn $36,978 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for operators trainee over the last decade.
Compare operator trainee salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average operator trainee salary over time
Compare operator trainee salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Operator trainee salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $37,000 | $17.78 | +5.1% |
| 2024 | $35,100 | $16.88 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $34,200 | $16.43 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $33,300 | $15.99 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $32,000 | $15.41 | +4.3% |
Recently added operator trainee salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodard & Curran | Water Operator or Operator Trainee | Carlinville, IL | 06/29/2025 | $43,284 |
| Nestle International | Electrical Maintenance Trainee Job Details | Nestle Operational Services Worldwide SA | Springville, UT | 06/28/2025 | $62,610 |
| Wal-Mart | (USA) Asset Protection Operations Coach Trainee | Apple Valley, CA | 06/28/2025 | $69,247 |
| Utah Transportation Authority | Trax Operator Trainee SLC) | Salt Lake City, UT | 06/28/2025 | $41,740 |
| Energy Transfer | Operator Trainee | Baltimore, MD | 06/27/2025 | $65,949 |
| PDS Tech Commercial, Inc. | OPS Trainee | Tulsa, OK | 06/27/2025 | $40,258 |
| Walmart | Asset Protection Operations Coach Trainee | Houston, TX | 06/27/2025 | $65,219 |
| Hytek Finishes Co | Aerospace Cadmium Plating Operator (Trainee)-3Rd Shift | Kent, WA | 06/27/2025 | $38,610 |
| Handex Consulting & Remediation | Wastewater Operator Trainee | Vineland, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $45,914 |
| Aecom | Aecom Traffic Management Center Operator Trainee | Greenville, SC | 06/26/2025 | $41,740 |
Operator trainee salary FAQs
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