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Shipping operator salary
Average shipping operator salary
$14.36
Average Shipping Operator Salary
The average salary for a Shipping Operator in the United States stands at approximately $29,878 annually, equating to around $14 per hour. This figure can vary depending on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and specific industry. For instance, Shipping Operators in metropolitan areas often earn higher wages due to the cost of living and demand for skilled labor.
Shipping Operator Salaries by Experience Level
Entry-level Shipping Operators typically start with salaries around $25,000, while those with more experience can earn upwards of $35,000 annually. With the right training and advancement opportunities, many professionals can increase their earnings significantly.
Highest Paying States and Cities
Some of the highest-paying states for Shipping Operators include California, New York, and Texas. Cities like San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles tend to offer the highest salaries, reflecting the local demand for logistics professionals.
Career Advancement Opportunities
As a Shipping Operator, you may explore advancement into supervisory roles or related fields such as logistics management. Continuous professional development and gaining experience in the industry can lead to better job prospects and higher salaries.
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Where can a Shipping Operator earn more?
Shipping operator salaries by experience level
Average shipping operator salary by state
The highest-paying states for shipping operators are North Dakota, Washington, and Hawaii. The lowest average shipping operator salary states are Oklahoma, Michigan, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for shipping operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | $31,796 | $15.29 |
| 2 | Iowa | $30,003 | $14.42 |
| 3 | North Dakota | $35,892 | $17.26 |
| 4 | Indiana | $28,721 | $13.81 |
| 5 | Arizona | $31,338 | $15.07 |
| 6 | Washington | $33,175 | $15.95 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $29,272 | $14.07 |
| 8 | Alaska | $29,914 | $14.38 |
| 9 | Nevada | $30,819 | $14.82 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $29,844 | $14.35 |
| 11 | Utah | $29,645 | $14.25 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $28,972 | $13.93 |
| 13 | Oregon | $30,762 | $14.79 |
| 14 | Wyoming | $31,111 | $14.96 |
| 15 | Ohio | $28,661 | $13.78 |
| 16 | Hawaii | $32,562 | $15.65 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $28,867 | $13.88 |
| 18 | New York | $32,045 | $15.41 |
| 19 | South Dakota | $28,990 | $13.94 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $28,774 | $13.83 |
| 21 | California | $30,539 | $14.68 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $27,413 | $13.18 |
| 23 | Missouri | $28,329 | $13.62 |
| 24 | District of Columbia | $30,684 | $14.75 |
| 25 | Kansas | $27,830 | $13.38 |
| 26 | Colorado | $29,827 | $14.34 |
| 27 | Maryland | $30,860 | $14.84 |
| 28 | New Jersey | $28,012 | $13.47 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $28,935 | $13.91 |
| 30 | Montana | $28,886 | $13.89 |
| 31 | Illinois | $27,916 | $13.42 |
| 32 | Maine | $28,033 | $13.48 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $25,980 | $12.49 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | $26,733 | $12.85 |
| 35 | Georgia | $26,645 | $12.81 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $26,504 | $12.74 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $26,132 | $12.56 |
| 38 | Connecticut | $27,952 | $13.44 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $24,920 | $11.98 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $25,226 | $12.13 |
| 41 | Delaware | $27,756 | $13.34 |
| 42 | Idaho | $26,978 | $12.97 |
| 43 | Florida | $26,390 | $12.69 |
| 44 | West Virginia | $26,041 | $12.52 |
| 45 | Michigan | $25,241 | $12.14 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $26,395 | $12.69 |
| 47 | Vermont | $25,815 | $12.41 |
| 48 | Alabama | $25,023 | $12.03 |
| 49 | Virginia | $26,820 | $12.89 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $25,588 | $12.30 |
| 51 | Texas | $24,947 | $11.99 |
Highest paying cities for shipping operators
The highest-paying cities for shipping operators are Seattle, WA, Reno, NV, and Richmond, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $33,218 | $15.97 |
| 2 | Reno, NV | $31,463 | $15.13 |
| 3 | Richmond, CA | $31,388 | $15.09 |
| 4 | Hagerstown, MD | $30,957 | $14.88 |
| 5 | South Bend, IN | $29,282 | $14.08 |
| 6 | Asheville, NC | $29,086 | $13.98 |
| 7 | Horsham, PA | $28,964 | $13.93 |
| 8 | Mansfield, OH | $28,766 | $13.83 |
| 9 | Meridian, ID | $27,205 | $13.08 |
| 10 | Blacksburg, VA | $26,758 | $12.86 |
| 11 | Peachtree City, GA | $26,704 | $12.84 |
| 12 | Spring Hill, FL | $26,635 | $12.81 |
| 13 | Charleston, SC | $26,370 | $12.68 |
| 14 | Paragould, AR | $26,056 | $12.53 |
| 15 | Flint, MI | $25,407 | $12.21 |
| 16 | Gallatin, TN | $24,952 | $12.00 |
| 17 | Wichita Falls, TX | $24,934 | $11.99 |
Shipping operator salary details
A shipping operator's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $37,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a shipping operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| 75th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| Average | $29,878 | $2,490 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $26,000 | $2,167 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying shipping operator jobs
The highest paying types of shipping operators are terminal operator, mill operator, and operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material Handler/Forklift Operator | $36,453 | $3,038 | $17.53 | 168,379 |
| Machine Operator/Forklift Operator | $32,452 | $2,704 | $15.60 | 120,073 |
| Shipping And Receiving Clerk | $33,438 | $2,787 | $16.08 | 224,166 |
| Reach Truck Operator | $34,625 | $2,885 | $16.65 | 137,300 |
| Lift Truck Operator | $36,973 | $3,081 | $17.78 | 103,337 |
| Warehouse Machine Operator | $33,796 | $2,816 | $16.25 | 229,051 |
Top companies hiring shipping operators now:
Which companies pay shipping operators the most?
Shipping operator salaries at Mars and The Clorox Company are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average shipping operator salary at companies like Nucor and Crown Equipment are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mars | $38,053 | $18.29 |
| 2 | The Clorox Company | $36,965 | $17.77 |
| 3 | Nucor | $35,093 | $16.87 |
| 4 | Crown Equipment | $33,919 | $16.31 |
| 5 | Chevron | $33,807 | $16.25 |
| 6 | CMC Motocross | $33,071 | $15.90 |
| 7 | Koch Industries | $32,819 | $15.78 |
| 8 | Oldcastle Infrastructure | $31,094 | $14.95 |
| 9 | Georgia-Pacific | $31,066 | $14.94 |
| 10 | Kelly Services | $30,969 | $14.89 |
| 11 | Ingles Markets | $30,897 | $14.85 |
| 12 | Publix | $30,880 | $14.85 |
| 13 | TTI Maumee Equipment | $30,801 | $14.81 |
| 14 | The Timken Company | $30,732 | $14.78 |
| 15 | Automation Personnel Services | $30,574 | $14.70 |
| 16 | Peoplelink Staffing Solutions | $30,362 | $14.60 |
| 17 | Sika | $30,216 | $14.53 |
| 18 | The AZEK Company | $30,004 | $14.43 |
| 19 | ManpowerGroup | $29,941 | $14.39 |
| 20 | United Natural Foods | $29,875 | $14.36 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Shipping Operator salary by industry
The average shipping operator salary varies across industries:
- The average shipping operator salary in the technology industry is $31,206, the highest of any industry.
- The average shipping operator salary in the finance industry is $30,751.
- Shipping operators in the retail industry earn an average salary of $27,850, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for shipping operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $31,206 | $15.00 |
| 2 | Construction | $30,751 | $14.78 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $30,746 | $14.78 |
| 4 | Retail | $27,850 | $13.39 |
High paying shipping operator jobs
Shipping operator salary trends
The average shipping operator salary has risen by $6,005 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average shipping operator earned $23,873 annually, but today, they earn $29,878 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for shipping operators over the last decade.
Compare shipping operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average shipping operator salary over time
Compare shipping operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Shipping operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $29,900 | $14.36 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $28,800 | $13.84 | +4.0% |
| 2023 | $27,600 | $13.29 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $26,800 | $12.86 | +3.5% |
| 2021 | $25,800 | $12.41 | +1.1% |
Recently added shipping operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia-Pacific | Forklift/Shipping Operator (2ND Shift) | Newington, NH | 06/27/2025 | $54,262 |
| Charter Next Generation | Shipping Operator | Duluth, MN | 06/26/2025 | $39,653 |
| Charter Next Generation | Shipping Operator | Superior, WI | 06/26/2025 | $39,653 |
| Search Here for Career Opportunities With The AZEK Company | Shipping Operator I-2Nd Shift (2Pm-10Pm M-F) | Wilmington, OH | 06/19/2025 | $44,871 |
| Lanxess | Shipping Operator | Kalama, WA | 06/14/2025 | $53,219 |
| Charter Next Generation | Shipping Operator | Lexington, OH | 06/10/2025 | $37,566 |
| Vista Outdoors | Shipping Operator I | Brookhaven, MS | 05/29/2025 | $29,218 |
| Charter Next Generation | Shipping Operator | Lexington, OH | 05/28/2025 | $37,566 |
| Koch Industries, Inc. | Shipping Operator | Richburg, NY | 05/27/2025 | $37,566 |
| AZEK Company Inc. | Shipping Operator I-3Rd Shift (10Pm-6Am Sunday-Thursday) | Wilmington, OH | 05/23/2025 | $44,871 |
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