Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The average salary for a Machine Helper in the United States stands at $31,968 annually, translating to about $15 per hour. Salaries can vary based on factors such as location, industry, and experience level. For instance, machine helpers in manufacturing and construction tend to earn higher wages compared to those in retail or service sectors.
Machine Helpers can find lucrative opportunities in states like California, Texas, and New York where demand is high. Cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles often list higher hourly rates due to the cost of living and competitive job markets. Understanding these dynamics can help job seekers target their efforts effectively.
In these sectors, machine helpers are essential for maintaining operations, which can lead to better pay and advancement opportunities. By aligning career goals with industry trends, job seekers can enhance their earning potential.
Let Zippia find your next machine helper job
Let Zippia find your next machine helper job
The average machine helper salary in Maine, Minnesota, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average machine helper salary states are Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Georgia.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $36,980 | $17.78 |
| 2 | Maine | $37,354 | $17.96 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $34,897 | $16.78 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $34,785 | $16.72 |
| 5 | Ohio | $33,332 | $16.02 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $35,699 | $17.16 |
| 7 | Michigan | $33,971 | $16.33 |
| 8 | Vermont | $34,607 | $16.64 |
| 9 | Illinois | $33,762 | $16.23 |
| 10 | Iowa | $32,684 | $15.71 |
| 11 | Indiana | $32,317 | $15.54 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $34,578 | $16.62 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $35,722 | $17.17 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $34,823 | $16.74 |
| 15 | New York | $35,579 | $17.11 |
| 16 | Delaware | $34,440 | $16.56 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $33,808 | $16.25 |
| 18 | Kansas | $31,349 | $15.07 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $30,106 | $14.47 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $32,753 | $15.75 |
| 21 | Arizona | $32,023 | $15.40 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $31,800 | $15.29 |
| 23 | Utah | $29,641 | $14.25 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $29,881 | $14.37 |
| 25 | Nevada | $31,391 | $15.09 |
| 26 | Idaho | $31,677 | $15.23 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $27,918 | $13.42 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $33,615 | $16.16 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $28,582 | $13.74 |
| 30 | Washington | $31,913 | $15.34 |
| 31 | Missouri | $29,590 | $14.23 |
| 32 | California | $32,578 | $15.66 |
| 33 | Maryland | $31,771 | $15.27 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $26,121 | $12.56 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $26,896 | $12.93 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $26,952 | $12.96 |
| 37 | Virginia | $30,024 | $14.43 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $28,276 | $13.59 |
| 39 | Texas | $28,097 | $13.51 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $27,801 | $13.37 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $26,545 | $12.76 |
| 42 | Alaska | $27,079 | $13.02 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $28,691 | $13.79 |
| 44 | Montana | $27,985 | $13.45 |
| 45 | Georgia | $25,119 | $12.08 |
| 46 | Colorado | $29,264 | $14.07 |
| 47 | Hawaii | $29,291 | $14.08 |
| 48 | Oregon | $23,877 | $11.48 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $25,575 | $12.30 |
| 50 | Florida | $21,570 | $10.37 |
| 51 | Alabama | $22,165 | $10.66 |
The highest-paying cities for machine helpers are Coon Rapids, MN, Appleton, WI, and Rochester, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coon Rapids, MN | $37,100 | $17.84 |
| 2 | Appleton, WI | $35,520 | $17.08 |
| 3 | Rochester, NY | $35,475 | $17.06 |
| 4 | Mundelein, IL | $34,115 | $16.40 |
| 5 | Richmond, KY | $30,107 | $14.47 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $29,255 | $14.06 |
| 7 | Greensboro, NC | $28,098 | $13.51 |
| 8 | Houston, TX | $27,961 | $13.44 |
| 9 | Harrisburg, PA | $26,851 | $12.91 |
| 10 | Lebanon, TN | $26,278 | $12.63 |
| 11 | Tulsa, OK | $25,584 | $12.30 |
| 12 | Dalton, GA | $25,400 | $12.21 |
| 13 | Athens, AL | $22,419 | $10.78 |
| 14 | Weston, FL | $21,402 | $10.29 |
A machine helper's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $39,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 75th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| Average | $31,968 | $2,664 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
The highest paying types of machine helpers are drilling assistant, mill operator helper, and blaster helper.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helper | $31,331 | $2,611 | $15.06 | 29,873 |
| General Helper | $35,793 | $2,983 | $17.21 | 69,738 |
| Driller Helper | $34,737 | $2,895 | $16.70 | 15,169 |
| Machine Operator | $32,874 | $2,740 | $15.80 | 96,834 |
Top companies hiring machine helpers now:
Machine helper salaries at Argonne National Laboratory and Johnson Controls are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average machine helper salary at companies like Amcor and VT Industries are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argonne National Laboratory | $57,398 | $27.60 |
| 2 | Johnson Controls | $39,526 | $19.00 |
| 3 | Amcor | $37,510 | $18.03 |
| 4 | VT Industries | $35,039 | $16.85 |
| 5 | Green Bay Packaging | $34,874 | $16.77 |
| 6 | WestRock | $34,794 | $16.73 |
| 7 | International Paper | $34,523 | $16.60 |
| 8 | Kelly Services | $32,861 | $15.80 |
| 9 | Remedy Intelligent Staffing | $32,670 | $15.71 |
| 10 | acloch | $32,594 | $15.67 |
| 11 | Medical Billing | $32,568 | $15.66 |
| 12 | Aerotek | $32,453 | $15.60 |
| 13 | The Employment Solutions | $32,235 | $15.50 |
| 14 | ManpowerGroup | $32,147 | $15.46 |
| 15 | RESOURCE | $32,133 | $15.45 |
| 16 | Adecco | $32,050 | $15.41 |
| 17 | Staffmark | $31,936 | $15.35 |
| 18 | TPI | $31,540 | $15.16 |
| 19 | The Reserves Network | $31,509 | $15.15 |
| 20 | SmartTalent | $31,458 | $15.12 |
The average machine helper salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $34,450 | $16.56 |
| 2 | Media | $33,342 | $16.03 |
| 3 | Transportation | $31,782 | $15.28 |
| 4 | Retail | $29,298 | $14.09 |
The average machine helper salary has risen by $4,214 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average machine helper earned $27,754 annually, but today, they earn $31,968 a year. That works out to a 6% change in pay for machine helpers over the last decade.
Compare machine helper salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare machine helper salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $32,000 | $15.37 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $31,300 | $15.07 | +2.1% |
| 2023 | $30,700 | $14.76 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $30,200 | $14.50 | -0.2% |
| 2021 | $30,200 | $14.53 | +0.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mativ Holdings Inc. | Converting Machine Helper | Neenah, WI | 06/27/2025 | $48,001 |
| Hood Container Corp | Machine Helper/Manufacturing Plant | Atlanta, GA | 06/16/2025 | $35,479 |
| Kelly Services | Machine Helper | Rochester, NY | 06/06/2025 | $33,392 |
| Hood Container Corporation | Machine Helper/Manufacturing Plant | Atlanta, GA | 06/02/2025 | $35,479 |
| Sealed Air Corporation | Production Machine Helper-2Nd Shift | Hudson, NC | 05/31/2025 | $44,411 |
| Mativ Holdings Inc. | Converting Machine Helper | Neenah, WI | 05/30/2025 | $48,001 |
| Kelly Services | Machine Helper | Rochester, NY | 05/24/2025 | $35,479 |
| Aerotek | Machine Helper | Orrville, OH | 05/24/2025 | $37,566 |
| Packaging Corporation of America | Machine Helper | Garland, TX | 05/23/2025 | $44,077 |
| Packaging Corporation of America | Machine Helper-2Nd Shift | Akron, OH | 05/15/2025 | $45,664 |
Search for machine helper jobs