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Best states for a set-up operator
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for set-up operators? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for set-up operator jobs.Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for set-up operators. We found that Massachusetts is the best state in the nation for set-up operators, and people in Long Beach earn the most in the field.
In order to get you the best states for set-up operators, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that the South is best for set-up operators, and the Northeast is the worst. Rochester, NY is the best city in the country for set-up operator jobs, where as Massachusetts is the best state in the country.
10 best states for set-up operators in 2025
1. Massachusetts
Total set-up operator jobs: 1,345 Average annual salary: $46,904 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 2.742. Nebraska
Total set-up operator jobs: 138 Average annual salary: $44,700 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location Quotient: 1.163. Pennsylvania
Total set-up operator jobs: 636 Average annual salary: $44,828 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.024. Alaska
Total set-up operator jobs: 97 Average annual salary: $45,028 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $54,000 Location Quotient: 2.175. New York
Total set-up operator jobs: 429 Average annual salary: $48,215 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 0.636. Rhode Island
Total set-up operator jobs: 159 Average annual salary: $41,868 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 2.457. Virginia
Total set-up operator jobs: 264 Average annual salary: $47,015 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 0.528. West Virginia
Total set-up operator jobs: 40 Average annual salary: $44,796 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 0.499. Texas
Total set-up operator jobs: 520 Average annual salary: $45,631 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location Quotient: 0.4810. Idaho
Total set-up operator jobs: 49 Average annual salary: $43,747 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location Quotient: 0.56
Set-up operator jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a set-up operator
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a set-up operator
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $46,904 | $33,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,345 |
| 2 | Nebraska | $44,700 | $32,000 | 1,920,076 | 138 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $44,828 | $31,000 | 12,805,537 | 636 |
| 4 | Alaska | $45,028 | $37,000 | 739,795 | 97 |
| 5 | New York | $48,215 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 429 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $41,868 | $29,000 | 1,059,639 | 159 |
| 7 | Virginia | $47,015 | $33,000 | 8,470,020 | 264 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $44,796 | $31,000 | 1,815,857 | 40 |
| 9 | Texas | $45,631 | $32,000 | 28,304,596 | 520 |
| 10 | Idaho | $43,747 | $31,000 | 1,716,943 | 49 |
| 11 | Florida | $44,076 | $31,000 | 20,984,400 | 452 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $40,667 | $29,000 | 1,342,795 | 213 |
| 13 | Oregon | $43,338 | $31,000 | 4,142,776 | 208 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $41,111 | $29,000 | 5,576,606 | 706 |
| 15 | Mississippi | $39,302 | $28,000 | 2,984,100 | 126 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $41,844 | $29,000 | 3,588,184 | 224 |
| 17 | Utah | $40,468 | $28,000 | 3,101,833 | 168 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $42,511 | $30,000 | 579,315 | 7 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $38,813 | $27,000 | 4,454,189 | 234 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | $42,125 | $29,000 | 693,972 | 121 |
| 21 | Michigan | $38,406 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 493 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $38,605 | $27,000 | 5,795,483 | 725 |
| 23 | Alabama | $39,203 | $28,000 | 4,874,747 | 162 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $43,186 | $35,000 | 1,427,538 | 92 |
| 25 | Maine | $39,211 | $29,000 | 1,335,907 | 95 |
| 26 | Missouri | $39,910 | $28,000 | 6,113,532 | 313 |
| 27 | Washington | $43,209 | $31,000 | 7,405,743 | 162 |
| 28 | Maryland | $44,720 | $31,000 | 6,052,177 | 146 |
| 29 | Arizona | $40,513 | $28,000 | 7,016,270 | 185 |
| 30 | Kansas | $38,973 | $27,000 | 2,913,123 | 144 |
| 31 | Vermont | $40,436 | $29,000 | 623,657 | 35 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $37,575 | $27,000 | 6,715,984 | 326 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $38,624 | $27,000 | 9,005,644 | 888 |
| 34 | Iowa | $37,637 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 289 |
| 35 | Ohio | $37,287 | $26,000 | 11,658,609 | 907 |
| 36 | California | $41,794 | $29,000 | 39,536,653 | 888 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $38,251 | $27,000 | 3,004,279 | 82 |
| 38 | Indiana | $37,289 | $26,000 | 6,666,818 | 619 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $37,478 | $26,000 | 10,273,419 | 610 |
| 40 | Colorado | $39,881 | $28,000 | 5,607,154 | 153 |
| 41 | Illinois | $37,916 | $27,000 | 12,802,023 | 698 |
| 42 | Nevada | $38,450 | $26,000 | 2,998,039 | 61 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $37,010 | $26,000 | 869,666 | 51 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $37,119 | $26,000 | 5,024,369 | 242 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $36,915 | $27,000 | 755,393 | 26 |
| 46 | Georgia | $36,531 | $26,000 | 10,429,379 | 539 |
| 47 | Delaware | $38,091 | $26,000 | 961,939 | 25 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $37,830 | $26,000 | 2,088,070 | 19 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $37,501 | $26,000 | 4,684,333 | 68 |
| 50 | Montana | $37,235 | $27,000 | 1,050,493 | 27 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $36,129 | $25,000 | 3,930,864 | 67 |
Highest paying states for set-up operators
| Rank | State | Avg. Set-Up Operator Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $46,904 |
| 2 | Nebraska | $44,700 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | $44,828 |
| 4 | Alaska | $45,028 |
| 5 | New York | $48,215 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $41,868 |
| 7 | Virginia | $47,015 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $44,796 |
| 9 | Texas | $45,631 |
| 10 | Idaho | $43,747 |
| 11 | Florida | $44,076 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $40,667 |
| 13 | Oregon | $43,338 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $41,111 |
| 15 | Mississippi | $39,302 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $41,844 |
| 17 | Utah | $40,468 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $42,511 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $38,813 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | $42,125 |
| 21 | Michigan | $38,406 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $38,605 |
| 23 | Alabama | $39,203 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $43,186 |
| 25 | Maine | $39,211 |
| 26 | Missouri | $39,910 |
| 27 | Washington | $43,209 |
| 28 | Maryland | $44,720 |
| 29 | Arizona | $40,513 |
| 30 | Kansas | $38,973 |
| 31 | Vermont | $40,436 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $37,575 |
| 33 | New Jersey | $38,624 |
| 34 | Iowa | $37,637 |
| 35 | Ohio | $37,287 |
| 36 | California | $41,794 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $38,251 |
| 38 | Indiana | $37,289 |
| 39 | North Carolina | $37,478 |
| 40 | Colorado | $39,881 |
| 41 | Illinois | $37,916 |
| 42 | Nevada | $38,450 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $37,010 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $37,119 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $36,915 |
| 46 | Georgia | $36,531 |
| 47 | Delaware | $38,091 |
| 48 | New Mexico | $37,830 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $37,501 |
| 50 | Montana | $37,235 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $36,129 |
Set-up operator best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025