Best states for a unit operator

Q: What is the best state for unit operators?

The best state to be a unit operator is New Jersey based on unit operator salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for unit operators?

The highest paying state for unit operators is Kansas based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for unit operators?

The worst state for unit operators is Illinois, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Unit operator opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for unit operators, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for unit operators.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of unit operators in America is $62,000.

To that end, we dove into our dataset of job and salary numbers to figure out which states have the best opportunities for unit operators. New Jersey is the best state for unit operators, where the median salary is $53,144.If you are currently seeking employment as a unit operator, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for unit operators in 2025

1. New Jersey
Total unit operator jobs: 1,230
Average annual salary: $53,144
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000
Location Quotient:
3.33
Unit operator jobs in New Jersey
2. Massachusetts
Total unit operator jobs: 1,514
Average annual salary: $50,492
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000
Location Quotient:
3.54
Unit operator jobs in Massachusetts
3. Tennessee
Total unit operator jobs: 259
Average annual salary: $48,295
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000
Location Quotient:
0.95
Unit operator jobs in Tennessee
4. Minnesota
Total unit operator jobs: 252
Average annual salary: $54,024
Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000
Location Quotient:
0.82
Unit operator jobs in Minnesota
5. New Mexico
Total unit operator jobs: 122
Average annual salary: $45,157
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Location Quotient:
1.34
Unit operator jobs in New Mexico
6. Missouri
Total unit operator jobs: 220
Average annual salary: $52,236
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000
Location Quotient:
0.81
Unit operator jobs in Missouri
7. Delaware
Total unit operator jobs: 81
Average annual salary: $46,312
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000
Location Quotient:
1.39
Unit operator jobs in Delaware
8. New York
Total unit operator jobs: 529
Average annual salary: $51,558
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000
Location Quotient:
0.89
Unit operator jobs in New York
9. Louisiana
Total unit operator jobs: 225
Average annual salary: $43,734
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000
Location Quotient:
1.51
Unit operator jobs in Louisiana
10. Alaska
Total unit operator jobs: 131
Average annual salary: $46,364
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Location Quotient:
3.37
Unit operator jobs in Alaska

Unit operator jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a unit operator

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a unit operator

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Jersey	$53,144	$33,000	9,005,644	1,230
2	Massachusetts	$50,492	$31,000	6,859,819	1,514
3	Tennessee	$48,295	$31,000	6,715,984	259
4	Minnesota	$54,024	$36,000	5,576,606	252
5	New Mexico	$45,157	$29,000	2,088,070	122
6	Missouri	$52,236	$34,000	6,113,532	220
7	Delaware	$46,312	$29,000	961,939	81
8	New York	$51,558	$32,000	19,849,399	529
9	Louisiana	$43,734	$28,000	4,684,333	225
10	Alaska	$46,364	$37,000	739,795	131
11	Wyoming	$42,083	$28,000	579,315	54
12	Arkansas	$45,955	$30,000	3,004,279	93
13	West Virginia	$41,173	$26,000	1,815,857	104
14	Nevada	$44,584	$29,000	2,998,039	80
15	Alabama	$42,322	$27,000	4,874,747	186
16	North Dakota	$40,092	$27,000	755,393	57
17	Utah	$44,586	$29,000	3,101,833	74
18	California	$48,035	$32,000	39,536,653	595
19	Rhode Island	$38,678	$23,000	1,059,639	197
20	District of Columbia	$41,523	$26,000	693,972	165
21	Mississippi	$37,625	$24,000	2,984,100	208
22	Ohio	$41,032	$26,000	11,658,609	335
23	Nebraska	$40,736	$27,000	1,920,076	73
24	Wisconsin	$40,176	$26,000	5,795,483	198
25	North Carolina	$40,091	$26,000	10,273,419	333
26	Colorado	$43,203	$28,000	5,607,154	135
27	Connecticut	$40,025	$24,000	3,588,184	148
28	Hawaii	$36,364	$30,000	1,427,538	147
29	Pennsylvania	$37,061	$23,000	12,805,537	531
30	New Hampshire	$36,688	$23,000	1,342,795	132
31	Michigan	$36,728	$24,000	9,962,311	353
32	Iowa	$37,212	$25,000	3,145,711	146
33	Oregon	$40,261	$26,000	4,142,776	135
34	Arizona	$39,353	$26,000	7,016,270	148
35	Texas	$37,326	$24,000	28,304,596	970
36	Kentucky	$36,019	$23,000	4,454,189	191
37	South Dakota	$35,591	$24,000	869,666	61
38	Maine	$35,532	$23,000	1,335,907	108
39	Montana	$36,429	$24,000	1,050,493	68
40	Vermont	$35,677	$23,000	623,657	66
41	Maryland	$38,281	$24,000	6,052,177	237
42	Washington	$38,959	$25,000	7,405,743	223
43	Oklahoma	$36,132	$23,000	3,930,864	116
44	Florida	$35,975	$23,000	20,984,400	665
45	Idaho	$36,551	$24,000	1,716,943	39
46	South Carolina	$35,276	$23,000	5,024,369	169
47	Georgia	$36,165	$23,000	10,429,379	298
48	Indiana	$35,059	$23,000	6,666,818	211
49	Kansas	$34,041	$22,000	2,913,123	147
50	Virginia	$36,862	$23,000	8,470,020	232
51	Illinois	$35,828	$23,000	12,802,023	299

Highest paying states for unit operators

Rank	State	Avg. Unit Operator Salary
1	New Jersey	$53,144
2	Massachusetts	$50,492
3	Tennessee	$48,295
4	Minnesota	$54,024
5	New Mexico	$45,157
6	Missouri	$52,236
7	Delaware	$46,312
8	New York	$51,558
9	Louisiana	$43,734
10	Alaska	$46,364
11	Wyoming	$42,083
12	Arkansas	$45,955
13	West Virginia	$41,173
14	Nevada	$44,584
15	Alabama	$42,322
16	North Dakota	$40,092
17	Utah	$44,586
18	California	$48,035
19	Rhode Island	$38,678
20	District of Columbia	$41,523
21	Mississippi	$37,625
22	Ohio	$41,032
23	Nebraska	$40,736
24	Wisconsin	$40,176
25	North Carolina	$40,091
26	Colorado	$43,203
27	Connecticut	$40,025
28	Hawaii	$36,364
29	Pennsylvania	$37,061
30	New Hampshire	$36,688
31	Michigan	$36,728
32	Iowa	$37,212
33	Oregon	$40,261
34	Arizona	$39,353
35	Texas	$37,326
36	Kentucky	$36,019
37	South Dakota	$35,591
38	Maine	$35,532
39	Montana	$36,429
40	Vermont	$35,677
41	Maryland	$38,281
42	Washington	$38,959
43	Oklahoma	$36,132
44	Florida	$35,975
45	Idaho	$36,551
46	South Carolina	$35,276
47	Georgia	$36,165
48	Indiana	$35,059
49	Kansas	$34,041
50	Virginia	$36,862
51	Illinois	$35,828

Unit operator best states FAQs

What is the best state for unit operators?

What is the highest paying state for unit operators?

What is the worst state for unit operators?

Have more questions? See all answers to common construction and extraction questions.

Search for unit operator jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse construction and extraction jobs

Total unit operator jobs:	1,230
Average annual salary:	$53,144
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$33,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$84,000
Location Quotient:	3.33

Best states for a unit operator

10 best states for unit operators in 2025

1. New Jersey

2. Massachusetts

3. Tennessee

4. Minnesota

5. New Mexico

6. Missouri

7. Delaware

8. New York

9. Louisiana

10. Alaska