How much does a clamp operator make?

The average clamp operator salary in the United States is $32,832. Clamp operator salaries typically range between $27,000 and $39,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for clamp operators is $15.78 per hour. Clamp operator salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Clamp operators earn the highest average salary in Colorado.

Clamp operator salary

Q: What state pays Clamp Operators the most?

Colorado pays Clamp Operators the most in the United States, with an average salary of $39,557 per year, or $19.02 per hour.

Q: How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a clamp operator?

You know if you are being paid fairly as a clamp operator if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in New York you should be paid close to $39,109 per year.

Average clamp operator salary

$15.78

$32,832 yearly

Entry-level clamp operator salary

$27,000 yearly salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Understanding Clamp Operator Salaries

Clamp operators play a critical role in manufacturing environments, utilizing specialized machinery to secure and transport materials. As of October 2025, the average annual salary for this position stands at $32,832, translating to about $16 per hour. Salaries can vary based on factors such as location, experience, and the specific industry.

Salary by Experience Level

Entry-level positions typically start around $15.78 per hour, while experienced clamp operators can earn significantly more, with potential salaries exceeding $40,000 annually in high-demand regions. Additionally, operators with specialized skills may command higher wages due to the complexity of their tasks.

Highest Paying States

The highest paying states for clamp operators often include regions with strong manufacturing bases. States like California and Texas typically offer competitive salaries, reflecting the demand for skilled labor in these areas. Understanding the salary landscape can help job seekers make informed decisions about their career paths.

Job Opportunities

Various industries are in need of clamp operators, including automotive, aerospace, and construction. Job seekers can explore opportunities through platforms like Zippia, which provide real-time job listings and salary insights.

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Where can a Clamp Operator earn more?

Compare salary by location

60k

40k

20k

-200

Columbus, OH$39,539

Clarksville, TN$29,800

Compare salary by company

63k

43k

23k

American Woodmark$39,605

SelecSource$32,889

Clamp operator salaries by experience level

Clamp operator salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Glassdoor and SalaryExpert, the average salary for a clamp operator typically falls between $32,832 and $40,691.

zippia

$32,832yearly

glassdoor[1]

$40,691yearly

SalaryExpert[2]

$38,710yearly

Average clamp operator salary by state

The average clamp operator salary in Colorado, New York, and Alaska are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average clamp operator salary states are Ohio, Michigan, and Alabama.

State view
County view

Average salary:

Highest paying states for clamp operators

Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Alaska	$38,597	$18.56
2	Rhode Island	$36,016	$17.32
3	Nebraska	$37,077	$17.83
4	Massachusetts	$36,687	$17.64
5	Iowa	$35,287	$16.96
6	Pennsylvania	$35,106	$16.88
7	Maryland	$37,438	$18.00
8	Indiana	$34,323	$16.50
9	North Dakota	$36,045	$17.33
10	Colorado	$39,557	$19.02
11	New York	$39,109	$18.80
12	Washington	$36,700	$17.64
13	District of Columbia	$37,274	$17.92
14	Arizona	$34,726	$16.70
15	Hawaii	$36,484	$17.54
16	Wyoming	$35,532	$17.08
17	Maine	$34,640	$16.65
18	New Jersey	$34,225	$16.45
19	Utah	$33,106	$15.92
20	Idaho	$34,355	$16.52
21	Nevada	$33,783	$16.24
22	South Dakota	$33,886	$16.29
23	Missouri	$33,369	$16.04
24	Wisconsin	$32,297	$15.53
25	Minnesota	$33,762	$16.23
26	Illinois	$33,070	$15.90
27	Kansas	$32,465	$15.61
28	Oregon	$34,339	$16.51
29	Montana	$33,570	$16.14
30	Delaware	$33,823	$16.26
31	Connecticut	$34,290	$16.49
32	Georgia	$32,051	$15.41
33	North Carolina	$32,152	$15.46
34	California	$33,470	$16.09
35	New Hampshire	$32,908	$15.82
36	Kentucky	$31,102	$14.95
37	South Carolina	$32,103	$15.43
38	Ohio	$30,415	$14.62
39	Arkansas	$30,697	$14.76
40	Tennessee	$29,739	$14.30
41	Vermont	$31,649	$15.22
42	West Virginia	$31,370	$15.08
43	Virginia	$32,763	$15.75
44	Florida	$32,136	$15.45
45	New Mexico	$32,428	$15.59
46	Texas	$31,250	$15.02
47	Mississippi	$29,772	$14.31
48	Alabama	$29,815	$14.33
49	Michigan	$29,976	$14.41
50	Louisiana	$30,792	$14.80
51	Oklahoma	$29,739	$14.30

Top clamp operator jobs near you

Highest paying cities for clamp operators

The highest-paying cities for clamp operators are Aurora, CO, New York, NY, and Lakewood, WA.

Rank	City	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
1	Aurora, CO	$39,539	$19.01
2	New York, NY	$39,045	$18.77
3	Lakewood, WA	$36,750	$17.67
4	Lebanon, PA	$35,059	$16.86
5	Tracy, CA	$33,817	$16.26
6	Chicago, IL	$33,096	$15.91
7	Chesapeake, VA	$32,578	$15.66
8	Kansas City, KS	$32,540	$15.64
9	Atlanta, GA	$32,063	$15.41
10	Summerville, SC	$31,991	$15.38
11	San Antonio, TX	$31,314	$15.05
12	Clarksville, TN	$29,800	$14.33

Clamp operator salary details

A clamp operator's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $39,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average clamp operator salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a clamp operator's salary?

Percentile	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate
90th Percentile	$39,000	$3,250	$19
75th Percentile	$35,000	$2,917	$17
Average	$32,832	$2,736	$16
25th Percentile	$29,000	$2,417	$14
10th Percentile	$27,000	$2,250	$13

Highest paying clamp operator jobs

The highest paying types of clamp operators are dock worker/forklift operator, mechanical spreader operator, and terminal operator.

Job title	Annual salary	Monthly salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
Forklift Driver	$33,476	$2,790	$16.09	116,516
Machine Operator/Forklift Operator	$32,452	$2,704	$15.60	120,073
Material Handler/Forklift Operator	$36,453	$3,038	$17.53	168,379
Warehouse Machine Operator	$33,796	$2,816	$16.25	229,051
Mechanical Spreader Operator	$42,262	$3,522	$20.32	60,297
Lift Truck Operator	$36,973	$3,081	$17.78	103,337

Top companies hiring clamp operators now:

Which companies pay clamp operators the most?

Clamp operator salaries at American Woodmark and International Paper are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average clamp operator salary at companies like Ryder System and Havertys Furniture are highly competitive.

Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	American Woodmark	$39,605	$19.04
2	International Paper	$37,077	$17.83
3	Ryder System	$35,825	$17.22
4	Havertys Furniture	$35,741	$17.18
5	Snelling	$34,732	$16.70
6	Parker Global Strategies	$34,390	$16.53
7	Mattel	$33,899	$16.30
8	EFP	$33,720	$16.21
9	Elwood Staffing	$33,372	$16.04
10	Staff Management	$33,317	$16.02
11	Staffmark	$33,150	$15.94
12	PrideStaff	$33,096	$15.91
13	Aerotek	$33,041	$15.89
14	Magnum Staffing Services	$33,039	$15.88
15	The Reserves Network	$33,002	$15.87
16	Express Employment Indy South	$32,986	$15.86
17	Adecco	$32,971	$15.85
18	Full Steam Staffing	$32,950	$15.84
19	Total Staffing Solutions	$32,923	$15.83
20	SelecSource	$32,889	$15.81

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$33,000$32,800$32,600$32,400$32,200$32,000

MaleFemale

Clamp Operator salary by industry

The average clamp operator salary varies across industries:

The average clamp operator salary in the manufacturing industry is $34,233, the highest of any industry.
The average clamp operator salary in the finance industry is $33,790.
Clamp operators in the energy industry earn an average salary of $31,096, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for clamp operators

Rank	Industry	Average salary	Hourly rate
1	Manufacturing	$34,233	$16.46
2	Transportation	$33,790	$16.25
3	Retail	$33,025	$15.88
4	Professional	$32,552	$15.65
5	Energy	$31,096	$14.95

High paying clamp operator jobs

Clamp operator salary trends

The average clamp operator salary has risen by $6,599 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average clamp operator earned $26,233 annually, but today, they earn $32,832 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for clamp operators over the last decade.

Compare clamp operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average clamp operator salary over time

Compare clamp operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Clamp operator salary by year

Year	Avg. salary	Hourly rate	% Change
2025	$32,800	$15.78	+3.6%
2024	$31,600	$15.21	+4.0%
2023	$30,400	$14.60	+3.2%
2022	$29,400	$14.13	+3.5%
2021	$28,400	$13.64	+1.1%

Recently added clamp operator salaries

Company	Job	Location	Date added	Salary
Manpowergroup	Clamp Operator	Lebanon, PA	06/21/2025	$40,697
Kelly Services	Clamp Operator	Fairburn, GA	06/19/2025	$40,175
Automation Personnel Services	Bilingual Clamp Operator	Houston, TX	06/18/2025	$37,566
Staffmark Group	Clamp Operator	Fontana, CA	06/18/2025	$39,653
Automation Personnel Services	Clamp Operator	Ladson, SC	06/12/2025	$36,523
Smurfit Westrock	Roll Clamp Operator	Norcross, GA	06/12/2025	$41,928
Aerotek	Roll Clamp Operator	Savannah, GA	05/24/2025	$36,523
Axiom Staffing Group	Roll Clamp Operator-1St. and 2Nd	Port Wentworth, GA	05/23/2025	$36,523
Selecsource	Roll Clamp Operator	Savannah, GA	05/22/2025	$36,523
DHL (Deutsche Post	Clamp Operator	San Antonio, TX	05/14/2025	$40,697

Clamp operator salary FAQs

What state pays Clamp Operators the most?

How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as a clamp operator?

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Updated January 8, 2025

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