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Lead operator/machine operator salary
Average lead operator/machine operator salary
$39,819
Understanding Lead Operator/Machine Operator Salaries
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Lead Operator/Machine Operator stands at $39,819 per year or about $19 an hour. These professionals play a vital role in overseeing machinery operations across various industries, including manufacturing and construction.
Factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry can significantly influence salary levels. For instance, operators in larger cities often earn more due to higher demand and living costs. Additionally, those with advanced skills or certifications may command higher wages.
Here are some key points to consider:
- Average Salary by Experience: Entry-level positions typically offer lower wages, while experienced operators can see salaries rise substantially.
- Highest Paying States: States with robust manufacturing sectors often provide the best compensation for Lead Operators.
- Job Opportunities: Exploring higher-paying positions can also lead to increased earnings.
Overall, a career as a Lead Operator/Machine Operator presents an opportunity for stable employment with potential for growth, especially for those willing to enhance their skills and seek out optimal job markets.
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Where can a Lead Operator/Machine Operator earn more?
Lead operator/machine operator salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level lead operator/machine operator | $30,200 | $14.54 |
| Mid-level lead operator/machine operator | $38,600 | $18.56 |
| Senior-level lead operator/machine operator | $46,900 | $22.55 |
Average lead operator/machine operator salary by state
The average lead operator/machine operator salary in California, Delaware, and Pennsylvania are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average lead operator/machine operator salary states are Utah, New Mexico, and West Virginia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lead operator/machine operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas | $43,684 | $21.00 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $44,164 | $21.23 |
| 3 | Minnesota | $43,616 | $20.97 |
| 4 | Kentucky | $40,205 | $19.33 |
| 5 | South Carolina | $38,995 | $18.75 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $41,676 | $20.04 |
| 7 | Delaware | $44,177 | $21.24 |
| 8 | Missouri | $40,763 | $19.60 |
| 9 | Idaho | $39,265 | $18.88 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $42,899 | $20.62 |
| 11 | Ohio | $38,209 | $18.37 |
| 12 | Indiana | $37,907 | $18.22 |
| 13 | Mississippi | $39,063 | $18.78 |
| 14 | Illinois | $39,762 | $19.12 |
| 15 | Arizona | $41,706 | $20.05 |
| 16 | Nevada | $39,081 | $18.79 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $37,658 | $18.10 |
| 18 | Maine | $39,668 | $19.07 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $42,536 | $20.45 |
| 20 | Michigan | $37,678 | $18.11 |
| 21 | California | $44,300 | $21.30 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $38,356 | $18.44 |
| 23 | Georgia | $37,511 | $18.03 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $36,464 | $17.53 |
| 25 | Alaska | $39,031 | $18.76 |
| 26 | Montana | $35,938 | $17.28 |
| 27 | Massachusetts | $39,617 | $19.05 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $36,915 | $17.75 |
| 29 | New Hampshire | $37,518 | $18.04 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $42,476 | $20.42 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $35,893 | $17.26 |
| 32 | Texas | $37,951 | $18.25 |
| 33 | Colorado | $39,903 | $19.18 |
| 34 | Oregon | $39,210 | $18.85 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $35,387 | $17.01 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $42,923 | $20.64 |
| 37 | Virginia | $39,556 | $19.02 |
| 38 | Maryland | $41,077 | $19.75 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $44,091 | $21.20 |
| 40 | Iowa | $35,296 | $16.97 |
| 41 | Vermont | $36,774 | $17.68 |
| 42 | Washington | $38,670 | $18.59 |
| 43 | New York | $40,300 | $19.38 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $34,093 | $16.39 |
| 45 | Utah | $35,179 | $16.91 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $35,727 | $17.18 |
| 47 | West Virginia | $34,529 | $16.60 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $34,898 | $16.78 |
| 49 | Florida | $35,861 | $17.24 |
| 50 | Alabama | $32,629 | $15.69 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $23,115 | $11.11 |
Highest paying cities for lead operator/machine operators
The highest-paying cities for lead operator/machine operators are San Jose, CA, Dover, DE, and Eden Prairie, MN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $45,223 | $21.74 |
| 2 | Dover, DE | $44,188 | $21.24 |
| 3 | Eden Prairie, MN | $43,518 | $20.92 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $43,006 | $20.68 |
| 5 | Bridgeport, CT | $42,900 | $20.63 |
| 6 | Bayonne, NJ | $42,439 | $20.40 |
| 7 | Fargo, ND | $41,747 | $20.07 |
| 8 | Tempe, AZ | $41,691 | $20.04 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $40,534 | $19.49 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $39,850 | $19.16 |
| 11 | Raleigh, NC | $38,737 | $18.62 |
| 12 | Greer, SC | $38,597 | $18.56 |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $38,544 | $18.53 |
| 14 | Green Bay, WI | $38,261 | $18.39 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $37,998 | $18.27 |
| 16 | Lawrenceville, GA | $37,318 | $17.94 |
| 17 | Battle Creek, MI | $37,171 | $17.87 |
| 18 | Tampa, FL | $36,018 | $17.32 |
| 19 | Jackson, TN | $35,871 | $17.25 |
| 20 | Albuquerque, NM | $34,851 | $16.76 |
Lead operator/machine operator salary details
A lead operator/machine operator's salary ranges from $29,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $53,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lead operator/machine operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| Average | $39,819 | $3,318 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
Highest paying lead operator/machine operator jobs
The highest paying types of lead operator/machine operators are lead operator, senior operator, and production leader.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production Leader | $44,563 | $3,714 | $21.42 | 107,578 |
| Production Operator | $35,185 | $2,932 | $16.92 | 117,254 |
| Packaging Operator | $34,269 | $2,856 | $16.48 | 85,698 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
| Pack Out Operator | $33,217 | $2,768 | $15.97 | 73,108 |
| Relief Operator | $42,693 | $3,558 | $20.53 | 64,469 |
Top companies hiring lead operator/machine operators now:
Which companies pay lead operator/machine operators the most?
Lead operator/machine operator salaries at Google and Broadridge are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead operator/machine operator salary at companies like Virtusa and JPMorgan Chase & Co. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $119,293 | $57.35 | |
| 2 | Broadridge | $80,988 | $38.94 |
| 3 | Virtusa | $75,747 | $36.42 |
| 4 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $67,703 | $32.55 |
| 5 | General Electric | $64,251 | $30.89 |
| 6 | Bank of America | $49,180 | $23.64 |
| 7 | Baxter International | $47,106 | $22.65 |
| 8 | PepsiCo | $44,927 | $21.60 |
| 9 | Shutterfly | $43,808 | $21.06 |
| 10 | TreeHouse Foods | $43,560 | $20.94 |
| 11 | Flowserve | $43,343 | $20.84 |
| 12 | Generac Holdings | $43,285 | $20.81 |
| 13 | Ferrara Candy | $41,988 | $20.19 |
| 14 | WestRock | $41,644 | $20.02 |
| 15 | Standlee | $41,318 | $19.86 |
| 16 | Newark Public Schools | $40,936 | $19.68 |
| 17 | GSP | $40,414 | $19.43 |
| 18 | 3M Company | $38,862 | $18.68 |
| 19 | Honeywell | $38,779 | $18.64 |
| 20 | Aerotek | $38,761 | $18.64 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lead Operator/Machine Operator salary by industry
The average lead operator/machine operator salary varies across industries:
- The average lead operator/machine operator salary in the technology industry is $45,342, the highest of any industry.
- The average lead operator/machine operator salary in the finance industry is $43,462.
- Lead operator/machine operators in the retail industry earn an average salary of $37,295, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for lead operator/machine operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $45,342 | $21.80 |
| 2 | Automotive | $43,462 | $20.90 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $40,333 | $19.39 |
| 4 | Transportation | $38,223 | $18.38 |
| 5 | Retail | $37,295 | $17.93 |
High paying lead operator/machine operator jobs
Lead operator/machine operator salary trends
The average lead operator/machine operator salary has risen by $8,564 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead operator/machine operator earned $31,255 annually, but today, they earn $39,819 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for lead operator/machine operators over the last decade.
Compare lead operator/machine operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lead operator/machine operator salary over time
Compare lead operator/machine operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lead operator/machine operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,800 | $19.14 | +5.1% |
| 2024 | $37,800 | $18.18 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $36,800 | $17.69 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $35,800 | $17.21 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $34,500 | $16.59 | +4.3% |
Recently added lead operator/machine operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier | Machine Learning Lead | Kennesaw, GA | 06/30/2025 | $90,263 |
| Aerotek | Lead Machine Operator | Jackson, TN | 06/26/2025 | $52,175 |
| Green Bay Packaging | Night Shift Machine Operator Lead | Aurora, IL | 06/24/2025 | $48,001 |
| Aerotek | Machine Maintenance Lead | Nunez, GA | 05/24/2025 | $63,000 |
| Aerotek | Lead Pouch Machine Operator | West Bridgewater, MA | 05/24/2025 | $45,760 |
| Refresco Group | Machine Operator Lead US | Fontana, CA | 05/21/2025 | $46,206 |
| Refresco Careers | Machine Operator Lead US | Fontana, CA | 05/21/2025 | $46,206 |
| ASC Engineered Solutions, LLC | Machine Operator-Lead (CNC Sinico) 2Nd Shift | Greencastle, PA | 05/21/2025 | $50,088 |
| The Hershey Company | Machine Operator Shift Lead-Whitestown Plant | Whitestown, IN | 05/15/2025 | $62,610 |
| Home Chef | Machine Operator Lead-1St. Shift-Days OFF: Saturday & Sunday | San Bernardino, CA | 05/14/2025 | $51,653 |
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