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General machine operator salary
Average general machine operator salary
$15.58
Understanding General Machine Operator Salaries
The average salary for a General Machine Operator in the United States is approximately $32,414 per year. This figure can fluctuate based on various factors such as location, years of experience, and industry sector. For instance, machine operators in states like California and Texas often see higher salaries due to demand and cost of living considerations.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions may start around $15.58 per hour, while those with significant experience can command upwards of $20 per hour. This highlights the importance of gaining hands-on experience and possibly pursuing certifications to enhance earning potential.
Where to Find Higher Salaries
Industries such as manufacturing, automotive, and aerospace typically offer the most competitive salaries for general machine operators. Job seekers should focus on these sectors and consider geographic mobility to maximize their earning opportunities.
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Where can a General Machine Operator earn more?
General machine operator salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level general machine operator | $24,600 | $11.84 |
| Mid-level general machine operator | $31,400 | $15.11 |
| Senior-level general machine operator | $38,200 | $18.36 |
General machine operator salary estimates from across the web
Average general machine operator salary by state
The highest-paying states for general machine operators are Wisconsin, Kansas, and Washington. The lowest average general machine operator salary states are Arkansas, Tennessee, and Louisiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for general machine operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $36,679 | $17.63 |
| 2 | Maine | $35,129 | $16.89 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $34,032 | $16.36 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $34,257 | $16.47 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $35,032 | $16.84 |
| 6 | Washington | $35,538 | $17.09 |
| 7 | Oregon | $34,384 | $16.53 |
| 8 | Kansas | $36,062 | $17.34 |
| 9 | Minnesota | $34,859 | $16.76 |
| 10 | Ohio | $32,894 | $15.81 |
| 11 | Indiana | $33,148 | $15.94 |
| 12 | Idaho | $32,547 | $15.65 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $31,961 | $15.37 |
| 14 | Delaware | $32,218 | $15.49 |
| 15 | New York | $32,728 | $15.73 |
| 16 | Alaska | $30,909 | $14.86 |
| 17 | Michigan | $31,957 | $15.36 |
| 18 | Vermont | $32,022 | $15.40 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $31,695 | $15.24 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $31,694 | $15.24 |
| 21 | Illinois | $32,454 | $15.60 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $30,919 | $14.86 |
| 23 | California | $31,668 | $15.22 |
| 24 | Iowa | $31,171 | $14.99 |
| 25 | Missouri | $31,917 | $15.34 |
| 26 | Maryland | $32,172 | $15.47 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $30,499 | $14.66 |
| 28 | South Carolina | $31,207 | $15.00 |
| 29 | New Jersey | $30,895 | $14.85 |
| 30 | Utah | $31,000 | $14.90 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $33,188 | $15.96 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $31,670 | $15.23 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $28,634 | $13.77 |
| 34 | Nevada | $30,039 | $14.44 |
| 35 | North Carolina | $29,454 | $14.16 |
| 36 | Colorado | $30,978 | $14.89 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $28,083 | $13.50 |
| 38 | Arizona | $28,997 | $13.94 |
| 39 | Texas | $28,163 | $13.54 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $26,834 | $12.90 |
| 41 | Georgia | $27,314 | $13.13 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $25,457 | $12.24 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $26,886 | $12.93 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $28,166 | $13.54 |
| 45 | Montana | $27,642 | $13.29 |
| 46 | Florida | $26,927 | $12.95 |
| 47 | Virginia | $27,276 | $13.11 |
| 48 | Alabama | $23,570 | $11.33 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $25,150 | $12.09 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $24,602 | $11.83 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $19,138 | $9.20 |
Highest paying cities for general machine operators
The highest-paying cities for general machine operators are Oshkosh, WI, Chanhassen, MN, and Elkhart, IN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oshkosh, WI | $37,296 | $17.93 |
| 2 | Chanhassen, MN | $34,688 | $16.68 |
| 3 | Elkhart, IN | $34,344 | $16.51 |
| 4 | Reading, PA | $34,109 | $16.40 |
| 5 | Akron, OH | $33,476 | $16.09 |
| 6 | Bartlett, IL | $32,604 | $15.68 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $32,244 | $15.50 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $32,143 | $15.45 |
| 9 | Sterling Heights, MI | $32,042 | $15.40 |
| 10 | Davenport, IA | $31,142 | $14.97 |
| 11 | Statesville, NC | $29,481 | $14.17 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $27,440 | $13.19 |
| 13 | Bristol, TN | $25,684 | $12.35 |
General machine operator salary details
A general machine operator's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $39,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a general machine operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| Average | $32,414 | $2,701 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
Highest paying general machine operator jobs
The highest paying types of general machine operators are relief operator, mill operator, and grinder operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mill Operator | $39,045 | $3,254 | $18.77 | 64,574 |
| Machine Operator/Forklift Operator | $32,452 | $2,704 | $15.60 | 120,073 |
| Saw Operator | $32,319 | $2,693 | $15.54 | 58,465 |
| Relief Operator | $42,693 | $3,558 | $20.53 | 64,469 |
| Molder Operator | $31,707 | $2,642 | $15.24 | 66,217 |
| Cell Operator | $37,866 | $3,155 | $18.20 | 66,532 |
Top companies hiring general machine operators now:
Which companies pay general machine operators the most?
General machine operator salaries at Reckitt Benckiser and DuPont are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average general machine operator salary at companies like Cargill and Ferrara Candy are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reckitt Benckiser | $40,951 | $19.69 |
| 2 | DuPont | $40,516 | $19.48 |
| 3 | Cargill | $40,179 | $19.32 |
| 4 | Ferrara Candy | $38,811 | $18.66 |
| 5 | Red Gold | $38,593 | $18.55 |
| 6 | Chemtrusion | $38,510 | $18.51 |
| 7 | Interfor | $38,061 | $18.30 |
| 8 | Baxter International | $37,855 | $18.20 |
| 9 | Anheuser-Busch | $37,568 | $18.06 |
| 10 | Columbus McKinnon | $37,272 | $17.92 |
| 11 | The Kraft Heinz Company | $36,652 | $17.62 |
| 12 | Eaton | $36,549 | $17.57 |
| 13 | Tredegar | $36,414 | $17.51 |
| 14 | Axalta | $36,337 | $17.47 |
| 15 | International Paper | $35,842 | $17.23 |
| 16 | Veolia Water Tech | $35,765 | $17.19 |
| 17 | Sherwin-Williams | $35,382 | $17.01 |
| 18 | Ferrero | $35,354 | $17.00 |
| 19 | Volt Systems LLC | $35,321 | $16.98 |
| 20 | Sandvik Coromant | $35,111 | $16.88 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
General Machine Operator salary by industry
The average general machine operator salary varies across industries:
- The average general machine operator salary in the finance industry is $35,435, the highest of any industry.
- The average general machine operator salary in the finance industry is $35,376.
- General machine operators in the retail industry earn an average salary of $29,173, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for general machine operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $35,435 | $17.04 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $35,376 | $17.01 |
| 3 | Automotive | $34,164 | $16.43 |
| 4 | Construction | $33,704 | $16.20 |
| 5 | Technology | $33,473 | $16.09 |
| 6 | Professional | $31,873 | $15.32 |
| 7 | Retail | $29,173 | $14.03 |
High paying general machine operator jobs
General machine operator salary trends
The average general machine operator salary has risen by $6,971 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average general machine operator earned $25,443 annually, but today, they earn $32,414 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for general machine operators over the last decade.
Compare general machine operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average general machine operator salary over time
Compare general machine operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
General machine operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,400 | $15.58 | +5.1% |
| 2024 | $30,800 | $14.80 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $30,000 | $14.40 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $29,100 | $14.01 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $28,100 | $13.51 | +4.3% |
Recently added general machine operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schreiber Foods | General Operator | West Bend, WI | 06/29/2025 | $65,000 |
| Johnsonville Sausage LLC | General Production/Machine Operator 2Nd Shift | Sheboygan Falls, WI | 06/28/2025 | $49,608 |
| Advance Services | General Laborer | Machine Operator | Atchison, KS | 06/26/2025 | $36,523 |
| Aerotek | General Production-Machine Operator | Solon, OH | 06/21/2025 | $40,697 |
| Madison | General Machine Operator | Watertown, WI | 06/21/2025 | $35,479 |
| Nidec Motors | General Machine Operator-1St. Shift (3085) | Toone, TN | 06/19/2025 | $43,368 |
| Menasha | Assistant Machine Operator/Manufacturing General Labor | Hartford, WI | 06/09/2025 | $48,231 |
| Nidec Americas Holding | General Machine Operator-1St. Shift (3085) | Lexington, TN | 06/09/2025 | $43,368 |
| Interfor Corp | Machine Operators & General Laborers | Baxley, GA | 06/09/2025 | $38,776 |
| Nidec Americas Holding | General Machine Operator-1St. Shift (3085) | Lexington, TN | 05/25/2025 | $43,368 |
General machine operator salary FAQs
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