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Machine set-up salary
Average machine set-up salary
$16.62
Average Machine Set-Up Salary
The average salary for a machine set-up professional is approximately $34,560 per year, which translates to about $17 per hour. Salaries can vary widely based on factors including geographical location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
How Salaries Vary by Experience Level
Entry-level machine set-up positions typically start at around $28,000 annually, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $45,000. This increase reflects the growing expertise and responsibility associated with the role.
Where Can You Earn More?
Regions with a high demand for skilled machine set-up workers often offer competitive salaries. States such as California and Texas lead in pay, with average salaries exceeding $40,000. Additionally, metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles and Houston feature some of the highest-paying opportunities.
Opportunities to Advance
As a machine set-up technician, there are numerous paths for career growth. Specialization in advanced machinery or obtaining certifications can lead to higher-paying positions such as machine operators or supervisors. Continual education and professional development are key to increasing your earning potential and job satisfaction.
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Where can a Machine Set-Up earn more?
Machine set-up salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level machine set-up | $29,300 | $14.10 |
| Mid-level machine set-up | $38,300 | $18.40 |
| Senior-level machine set-up | $51,100 | $24.56 |
Average machine set-up salary by state
The average machine set-up salary in New Mexico, Minnesota, and Missouri are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average machine set-up salary states are Arizona, West Virginia, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for machine set-ups
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $42,236 | $20.31 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $38,323 | $18.42 |
| 3 | Indiana | $38,170 | $18.35 |
| 4 | Missouri | $41,811 | $20.10 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $38,108 | $18.32 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $40,026 | $19.24 |
| 7 | Vermont | $38,901 | $18.70 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $42,397 | $20.38 |
| 9 | Iowa | $35,787 | $17.21 |
| 10 | Maine | $37,142 | $17.86 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $40,719 | $19.58 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $41,539 | $19.97 |
| 13 | Washington | $39,615 | $19.05 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $36,603 | $17.60 |
| 15 | Delaware | $38,344 | $18.43 |
| 16 | Oregon | $36,610 | $17.60 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $35,724 | $17.18 |
| 18 | Nevada | $37,115 | $17.84 |
| 19 | California | $39,535 | $19.01 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $35,832 | $17.23 |
| 21 | Michigan | $33,442 | $16.08 |
| 22 | Ohio | $32,457 | $15.60 |
| 23 | Kansas | $32,990 | $15.86 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $32,413 | $15.58 |
| 25 | Alabama | $33,136 | $15.93 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $32,177 | $15.47 |
| 27 | Colorado | $35,806 | $17.21 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $31,407 | $15.10 |
| 29 | New York | $36,480 | $17.54 |
| 30 | Mississippi | $32,643 | $15.69 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $32,262 | $15.51 |
| 32 | Utah | $32,520 | $15.63 |
| 33 | Texas | $33,591 | $16.15 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $32,889 | $15.81 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $31,490 | $15.14 |
| 36 | Virginia | $33,942 | $16.32 |
| 37 | Florida | $32,200 | $15.48 |
| 38 | Maryland | $35,493 | $17.06 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $29,611 | $14.24 |
| 40 | Georgia | $30,580 | $14.70 |
| 41 | Alaska | $33,306 | $16.01 |
| 42 | Montana | $32,135 | $15.45 |
| 43 | Illinois | $30,660 | $14.74 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $34,173 | $16.43 |
| 45 | West Virginia | $30,237 | $14.54 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $29,787 | $14.32 |
| 47 | Idaho | $31,769 | $15.27 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $29,081 | $13.98 |
| 49 | Arizona | $30,305 | $14.57 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $32,114 | $15.44 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $29,172 | $14.03 |
Highest paying cities for machine set-ups
The highest-paying cities for machine set-ups are Saint Paul, MN, La Puente, CA, and Goshen, IN.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Saint Paul, MN | $42,261 | $20.32 |
| 2 | La Puente, CA | $38,918 | $18.71 |
| 3 | Goshen, IN | $38,659 | $18.59 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $36,522 | $17.56 |
| 5 | Chili, NY | $35,554 | $17.09 |
| 6 | Mentor, OH | $33,506 | $16.11 |
| 7 | Athens, AL | $33,405 | $16.06 |
| 8 | Green Bay, WI | $32,613 | $15.68 |
| 9 | Hattiesburg, MS | $32,571 | $15.66 |
| 10 | Largo, FL | $32,319 | $15.54 |
| 11 | Jackson, TN | $31,295 | $15.05 |
| 12 | Waukegan, IL | $30,827 | $14.82 |
| 13 | LaGrange, GA | $30,468 | $14.65 |
Machine set-up salary details
A machine set-up's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $43,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a machine set-up's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| Average | $34,560 | $2,880 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying machine set-up jobs
The highest paying types of machine set-ups are control board operator, control operator, and lathe set up operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control Operator | $42,885 | $3,574 | $20.62 | 64,435 |
| Numerical Control Operator | $38,280 | $3,190 | $18.40 | 85,068 |
| Set Up Technician | $36,486 | $3,040 | $17.54 | 53,072 |
| Laser Operator | $34,813 | $2,901 | $16.74 | 56,479 |
| Set-Up Operator | $39,269 | $3,272 | $18.88 | 55,670 |
| Machine Operator | $32,874 | $2,740 | $15.80 | 96,834 |
Top companies hiring machine set-ups now:
Which companies pay machine set-ups the most?
Machine set-up salaries at BD and Bosch USA are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average machine set-up salary at companies like Kohler Co. and Parker Hannifin are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BD | $48,814 | $23.47 |
| 2 | Bosch USA | $41,245 | $19.83 |
| 3 | Kohler Co. | $41,138 | $19.78 |
| 4 | Parker Hannifin | $40,639 | $19.54 |
| 5 | McKesson | $39,986 | $19.22 |
| 6 | Tenneco | $39,697 | $19.09 |
| 7 | Hyatt Hotels | $39,376 | $18.93 |
| 8 | Idaho Forest Group | $38,213 | $18.37 |
| 9 | Masco | $37,856 | $18.20 |
| 10 | Inteplast Group | $36,794 | $17.69 |
| 11 | Staffworks Group | $34,526 | $16.60 |
| 12 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $33,979 | $16.34 |
| 13 | Area Temps | $33,960 | $16.33 |
| 14 | HEICO | $33,923 | $16.31 |
| 15 | TEAM Industries | $33,796 | $16.25 |
| 16 | The Advance Group | $33,669 | $16.19 |
| 17 | The Reserves Network | $33,609 | $16.16 |
| 18 | DCI | $33,456 | $16.08 |
| 19 | Freudenberg-NOK | $33,348 | $16.03 |
| 20 | The Wood Company | $33,348 | $16.03 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Machine Set-Up salary by industry
The average machine set-up salary varies across industries:
- The average machine set-up salary in the transportation industry is $39,783, the highest of any industry.
- The average machine set-up salary in the finance industry is $38,848.
- Machine set-ups in the manufacturing industry earn an average salary of $37,012, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for machine set-ups
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Transportation | $39,783 | $19.13 |
| 2 | Insurance | $38,848 | $18.68 |
| 3 | Automotive | $38,639 | $18.58 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $37,012 | $17.79 |
High paying machine set-up jobs
Machine set-up salary trends
The average machine set-up salary has risen by $4,991 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average machine set-up earned $29,569 annually, but today, they earn $34,560 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for machine set-ups over the last decade.
Compare machine set-up salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average machine set-up salary over time
Compare machine set-up salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Machine set-up salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $34,600 | $16.62 | +3.1% |
| 2025 | $33,500 | $16.10 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $32,900 | $15.81 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $32,100 | $15.44 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $31,400 | $15.11 | +2.8% |
Recently added machine set-up salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal Tridon | Auto Clamp Machine Set-Up OPR-2Nd Shift | Smyrna, TN | 06/27/2025 | $47,479 |
| Parker-Hannifin, Corporation | Setup B) | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/15/2025 | $51,925 |
| Personnel Services | Urethane Machine Set Up | Hempstead, TX | 06/13/2025 | $33,392 |
| Rehlko | Machine Shop Setup | Hattiesburg, MS | 06/05/2025 | $48,001 |
| ASC Engineered Solutions, LLC | Machine Setup, Repair, and Tooling | Columbia, PA | 05/17/2025 | $47,604 |
| Ideal Tridon | Auto Clamp Machine Set-Up OPR-2Nd Shift | Smyrna, TN | 05/16/2025 | $47,479 |
| Campbell's | 2Nd Shift Bakery Rolls Machine Set-Up | Denver, PA | 04/17/2025 | $62,881 |
| Campbell Arnott | 2Nd Shift Bakery Rolls Machine Set-Up | Denver, PA | 04/17/2025 | $62,881 |
| Campbell Soup Co | 2Nd Shift Bakery Rolls Machine Set-Up | Denver, PA | 04/16/2025 | $62,881 |
| ASC Engineered Solutions, LLC | Machine Setup, Repair, and Tooling | Columbia, PA | 04/15/2025 | $47,604 |
Machine set-up salary FAQs
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