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The average salary for a Process Technician in the United States is approximately $39,462 annually, or around $19 per hour. This salary can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry where one is employed. For instance, states like Washington and California often offer higher salaries due to their demand for skilled technicians.
In addition to location, educational background and certifications can influence earnings. Process Technicians with specialized training or certifications may command higher salaries, especially in industries such as pharmaceuticals and manufacturing, which consistently seek qualified professionals. According to recent salary estimates, the highest paying industries for Process Technicians include oil and gas extraction, chemical manufacturing, and biotechnology.
This role not only provides competitive compensation but also opportunities for career advancement. Many technicians can transition into supervisory or managerial positions with additional experience and training, further enhancing their earning potential.
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The highest-paying states for process technicians are Rhode Island, Hawaii, and Connecticut. The lowest average process technician salary states are Indiana, Virginia, and Utah.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $46,098 | $22.16 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $48,117 | $23.13 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $50,761 | $24.40 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $45,014 | $21.64 |
| 5 | Illinois | $45,377 | $21.82 |
| 6 | South Carolina | $44,807 | $21.54 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $42,627 | $20.49 |
| 8 | Maine | $41,668 | $20.03 |
| 9 | Michigan | $40,092 | $19.27 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $45,548 | $21.90 |
| 11 | Georgia | $41,697 | $20.05 |
| 12 | Iowa | $39,123 | $18.81 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $45,729 | $21.99 |
| 14 | Texas | $43,286 | $20.81 |
| 15 | California | $46,171 | $22.20 |
| 16 | Kansas | $39,846 | $19.16 |
| 17 | Arkansas | $40,676 | $19.56 |
| 18 | District of Columbia | $48,960 | $23.54 |
| 19 | Hawaii | $49,763 | $23.92 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $38,005 | $18.27 |
| 21 | Maryland | $42,513 | $20.44 |
| 22 | Washington | $43,631 | $20.98 |
| 23 | Alabama | $39,046 | $18.77 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $39,355 | $18.92 |
| 25 | Vermont | $39,599 | $19.04 |
| 26 | Missouri | $39,485 | $18.98 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $40,294 | $19.37 |
| 28 | Wyoming | $40,104 | $19.28 |
| 29 | Mississippi | $39,122 | $18.81 |
| 30 | Colorado | $40,032 | $19.25 |
| 31 | Nevada | $39,958 | $19.21 |
| 32 | Alaska | $39,725 | $19.10 |
| 33 | Oregon | $39,857 | $19.16 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $37,238 | $17.90 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $37,270 | $17.92 |
| 36 | Indiana | $35,717 | $17.17 |
| 37 | Delaware | $37,162 | $17.87 |
| 38 | New York | $40,522 | $19.48 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $38,586 | $18.55 |
| 40 | Utah | $35,544 | $17.09 |
| 41 | Montana | $38,401 | $18.46 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $34,978 | $16.82 |
| 43 | Louisiana | $37,887 | $18.21 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $36,048 | $17.33 |
| 45 | Idaho | $36,510 | $17.55 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $37,007 | $17.79 |
| 47 | Florida | $36,821 | $17.70 |
| 48 | Ohio | $35,330 | $16.99 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $36,034 | $17.32 |
| 50 | Virginia | $35,670 | $17.15 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $31,152 | $14.98 |
The highest-paying cities for process technicians are Santa Clara, CA, Chicago, IL, and Camden, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Clara, CA | $45,946 | $22.09 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $45,398 | $21.83 |
| 3 | Camden, NJ | $44,889 | $21.58 |
| 4 | Andover, MA | $44,734 | $21.51 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $43,673 | $21.00 |
| 6 | Spokane, WA | $42,933 | $20.64 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $42,733 | $20.54 |
| 8 | Columbus, GA | $42,028 | $20.21 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $40,820 | $19.63 |
| 10 | Colorado Springs, CO | $40,151 | $19.30 |
| 11 | Grand Rapids, MI | $39,891 | $19.18 |
| 12 | Hillsboro, OR | $39,750 | $19.11 |
| 13 | Lawrence, KS | $39,729 | $19.10 |
| 14 | Kansas City, MO | $39,514 | $19.00 |
| 15 | Oklahoma City, OK | $38,669 | $18.59 |
| 16 | Buffalo, NY | $38,171 | $18.35 |
| 17 | Durham, NC | $37,313 | $17.94 |
| 18 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $37,033 | $17.80 |
| 19 | Fremont, NE | $36,962 | $17.77 |
| 20 | Memphis, TN | $36,259 | $17.43 |
A process technician's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $51,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| 75th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| Average | $39,462 | $3,289 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
The highest paying types of process technicians are senior engineering technician, engineering assistant, and engineering technician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Operator | $34,457 | $2,871 | $16.57 | 97,656 |
| Production Operator | $35,185 | $2,932 | $16.92 | 117,254 |
| Quality Laboratory Technician | $38,902 | $3,242 | $18.70 | 104,887 |
| Manufacturing Technician | $37,853 | $3,154 | $18.20 | 76,490 |
| Process Operator | $37,996 | $3,166 | $18.27 | 83,478 |
| Quality Control Technician | $40,337 | $3,361 | $19.39 | 98,407 |
Top companies hiring process technicians now:
Process technician salaries at HP and Everspin Technologies are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average process technician salary at companies like Photronics and Jefferson Lab are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HP | $70,215 | $33.76 |
| 2 | Everspin Technologies | $67,912 | $32.65 |
| 3 | Photronics | $66,282 | $31.87 |
| 4 | Jefferson Lab | $63,877 | $30.71 |
| 5 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $63,844 | $30.69 |
| 6 | Dorsey & Whitney | $63,223 | $30.40 |
| 7 | Transphorm | $62,650 | $30.12 |
| 8 | Nektar Therapeutics | $62,213 | $29.91 |
| 9 | Micron Technology | $60,058 | $28.87 |
| 10 | Regeneron | $60,045 | $28.87 |
| 11 | Lam Research | $59,914 | $28.80 |
| 12 | Mccullough Hyde Memorial Hospital | $58,759 | $28.25 |
| 13 | National Grid plc | $57,028 | $27.42 |
| 14 | Chesapeake Regional Healthcare | $55,445 | $26.66 |
| 15 | Applied Materials | $55,274 | $26.57 |
| 16 | Church & Dwight Co. | $54,819 | $26.36 |
| 17 | Ball | $54,254 | $26.08 |
| 18 | OMNOVA Solutions | $54,184 | $26.05 |
| 19 | FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies | $53,868 | $25.90 |
| 20 | Integra LifeSciences | $53,104 | $25.53 |
The average process technician salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $46,555 | $22.38 |
| 2 | Automotive | $45,047 | $21.66 |
| 3 | Pharmaceutical | $45,013 | $21.64 |
| 4 | Health Care | $42,212 | $20.29 |
| 5 | Finance | $41,197 | $19.81 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | $40,041 | $19.25 |
The average process technician salary has risen by $5,666 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average process technician earned $33,796 annually, but today, they earn $39,462 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for process technicians over the last decade.
Compare process technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare process technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,500 | $18.97 | +1.3% |
| 2024 | $38,900 | $18.72 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $38,200 | $18.36 | +2.1% |
| 2022 | $37,400 | $17.97 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $36,700 | $17.65 | -0.8% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Astreya | Assembly Process Technician II | Mountain View, CA | 06/30/2025 | $44,390 |
| Tate & Lyle | Process Tech, Van Buren | Van Buren, AR | 06/30/2025 | $53,344 |
| Blue Origin | Materials and Processes Technician III | Seattle, WA | 06/30/2025 | $74,130 |
| Fmtkreate | Night Shift Process Technician | Nome, TX | 06/30/2025 | $79,306 |
| Coeur Mining Inc. | Process Technician | Lovelock, NV | 06/29/2025 | $55,681 |
| First Solar | Process Technician (Manufacturing Engineer Technician I; Days) | New Iberia, LA | 06/29/2025 | $39,423 |
| Weathertech | Process Technician | Bolingbrook, IL | 06/29/2025 | $52,175 |
| Dci Donor Services, Inc. | Processing Support Technician | Nashville, TN | 06/29/2025 | $38,610 |
| Mixlab | Per Diem Processing Technician | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $45,914 |
| Lyten, Inc. | Graphene Processing Technician 1-Swing | San Jose, CA | 06/29/2025 | $54,262 |
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