Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Ride operator salary
Average ride operator salary
$16.06
Average Ride Operator Salary
The average salary for a ride operator in the United States is approximately $33,398 annually or about $16 per hour. This salary can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific amusement park or theme park where one is employed. For instance, ride operators in states with higher tourism rates, like California and Florida, tend to earn more due to the demand for skilled operators during peak seasons.
Where Can a Ride Operator Earn More?
Salary estimates indicate that the highest-paying states for ride operators include California, New York, and Texas. These states not only host some of the largest amusement parks but also offer competitive wages to attract skilled labor. Additionally, ride operators with more years of experience can command higher salaries, especially if they take on supervisory roles.
Ride Operator Job Opportunities
Job seekers interested in becoming ride operators can find opportunities through various job boards, including Zippia, where they can apply directly. Understanding salary trends and job prospects in specific regions can help applicants make informed career decisions.
Let Zippi find your next ride operator job
Let Zippi find your next ride operator job
Where can a Ride Operator earn more?
Ride operator salary estimates from across the web
Average ride operator salary by state
The highest-paying states for ride operators are North Dakota, New Hampshire, and Maine. The lowest average ride operator salary states are Georgia, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for ride operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | $41,070 | $19.75 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $42,549 | $20.46 |
| 3 | Utah | $40,253 | $19.35 |
| 4 | Maine | $41,065 | $19.74 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $35,269 | $16.96 |
| 6 | Vermont | $40,959 | $19.69 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $41,062 | $19.74 |
| 8 | California | $38,699 | $18.61 |
| 9 | Illinois | $37,754 | $18.15 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $34,950 | $16.80 |
| 11 | Idaho | $38,554 | $18.54 |
| 12 | Washington | $38,889 | $18.70 |
| 13 | West Virginia | $36,538 | $17.57 |
| 14 | Alaska | $34,987 | $16.82 |
| 15 | Oregon | $35,742 | $17.18 |
| 16 | Iowa | $31,335 | $15.06 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $33,325 | $16.02 |
| 18 | Michigan | $32,987 | $15.86 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $34,187 | $16.44 |
| 20 | Delaware | $34,221 | $16.45 |
| 21 | New York | $34,579 | $16.62 |
| 22 | Arkansas | $31,360 | $15.08 |
| 23 | Kansas | $31,286 | $15.04 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $30,909 | $14.86 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $30,396 | $14.61 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $30,099 | $14.47 |
| 27 | Indiana | $29,900 | $14.38 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $30,524 | $14.68 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $29,593 | $14.23 |
| 30 | Missouri | $28,631 | $13.76 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $28,624 | $13.76 |
| 32 | Virginia | $29,115 | $14.00 |
| 33 | Montana | $29,946 | $14.40 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $29,812 | $14.33 |
| 35 | Colorado | $29,766 | $14.31 |
| 36 | Ohio | $28,665 | $13.78 |
| 37 | Maryland | $29,045 | $13.96 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $27,799 | $13.36 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $29,241 | $14.06 |
| 40 | Nevada | $27,649 | $13.29 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $27,248 | $13.10 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $28,140 | $13.53 |
| 43 | Arizona | $27,924 | $13.43 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $26,885 | $12.93 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $23,628 | $11.36 |
| 46 | Mississippi | $25,978 | $12.49 |
| 47 | Georgia | $25,609 | $12.31 |
| 48 | Texas | $23,535 | $11.31 |
| 49 | Alabama | $23,472 | $11.28 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $23,991 | $11.53 |
| 51 | Florida | $22,909 | $11.01 |
Highest paying cities for ride operators
The highest-paying cities for ride operators are Bristol, CT, Vallejo, CA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol, CT | $41,122 | $19.77 |
| 2 | Vallejo, CA | $40,016 | $19.24 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $39,037 | $18.77 |
| 4 | Agawam Town, MA | $35,073 | $16.86 |
| 5 | Queensbury, NY | $34,980 | $16.82 |
| 6 | Oklahoma City, OK | $30,562 | $14.69 |
| 7 | Trenton, NJ | $30,222 | $14.53 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $29,809 | $14.33 |
| 9 | Indianapolis, IN | $29,722 | $14.29 |
| 10 | Bowie, MD | $28,927 | $13.91 |
| 11 | Kansas City, MO | $28,906 | $13.90 |
| 12 | Charlotte, NC | $28,434 | $13.67 |
| 13 | Albuquerque, NM | $28,272 | $13.59 |
| 14 | Mason, OH | $27,864 | $13.40 |
| 15 | Allentown, PA | $23,815 | $11.45 |
| 16 | Grapevine, TX | $23,686 | $11.39 |
| 17 | Tampa, FL | $22,973 | $11.04 |
Ride operator salary details
A ride operator's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $44,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a ride operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| Average | $33,398 | $2,783 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying ride operator jobs
The highest paying types of ride operators are operator, golf caddie, and ski lift operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cart Attendant | $28,866 | $2,405 | $13.88 | 49,045 |
| Pool Attendant | $26,675 | $2,223 | $12.82 | 45,463 |
| Club Attendant | $28,132 | $2,344 | $13.52 | 72,674 |
| Recreation Attendant | $23,732 | $1,978 | $11.41 | 97,043 |
| Golf Range Attendant | $28,102 | $2,342 | $13.51 | 45,487 |
| Gate Attendant | $28,256 | $2,355 | $13.58 | 71,470 |
Top companies hiring ride operators now:
Which companies pay ride operators the most?
Ride operator salaries at Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County and Securitas AB are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average ride operator salary at companies like Matrix Technologies and Adia are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County | $37,637 | $18.09 |
| 2 | Securitas AB | $33,891 | $16.29 |
| 3 | Technology | $33,655 | $16.18 |
| 4 | Adia | $32,539 | $15.64 |
| 5 | Lagoon | $32,518 | $15.63 |
| 6 | Skyland | $32,518 | $15.63 |
| 7 | Trail Dust Town | $32,207 | $15.48 |
| 8 | Memphis Zoo | $31,478 | $15.13 |
| 9 | Pyramid Management Group | $30,730 | $14.77 |
| 10 | Elior North America | $30,419 | $14.62 |
| 11 | Casa de Maryland | $30,194 | $14.52 |
| 12 | California's Great America | $26,591 | $12.78 |
| 13 | Worlds of Fun | $26,474 | $12.73 |
| 14 | Indianapolis Zoo | $25,811 | $12.41 |
| 15 | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium | $25,352 | $12.19 |
| 16 | Mall of America | $24,729 | $11.89 |
| 17 | SeaWorld | $24,672 | $11.86 |
| 18 | Luna Park in Coney Island | $24,596 | $11.82 |
| 19 | Cedar Fair | $24,563 | $11.81 |
| 20 | The Hershey Company | $24,533 | $11.79 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Ride operator salary trends
The average ride operator salary has risen by $8,242 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average ride operator earned $25,156 annually, but today, they earn $33,398 a year. That works out to a 23% change in pay for ride operators over the last decade.
Compare ride operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average ride operator salary over time
Compare ride operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Ride operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,400 | $16.06 | +5.6% |
| 2024 | $31,500 | $15.16 | +4.7% |
| 2023 | $30,000 | $14.44 | +5.4% |
| 2022 | $28,400 | $13.66 | +4.3% |
| 2021 | $27,200 | $13.07 | +4.4% |
Recently added ride operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Fair | Ride Operator, Ends Only | Allentown, PA | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Six Flags, Corp | Ride Operator, Ends Only | Allentown, PA | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Speeders | Entry Ride Operator | Rockaway, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $37,566 |
| Landry's | Ride Operator | Houston, TX | 06/26/2025 | $29,218 |
| Mammoth Mountain Ski Area | Ride Operator, Woolly's Adventure | Mammoth Lakes, CA | 06/25/2025 | $41,740 |
| Indianapolis Zoo | Rides Operator | Indianapolis, IN | 06/22/2025 | $27,131 |
| Milwaukee County (Wi | Ride Operator Engineer | Milwaukee, WI | 06/22/2025 | $46,916 |
| Legoland Discovery Centre | Ride Operator Host | San Antonio, TX | 06/15/2025 | $26,088 |
| Six Flags, Corp | Ride Operator | Queensbury, NY | 06/13/2025 | $33,392 |
| Sea World | Ride Operator (Busch Gardens Williamsburg) | Williamsburg, VA | 06/13/2025 | $27,131 |
Ride operator salary FAQs
Search for ride operator jobs