What are the main factors that influence a CNC Laser Machine Operator I's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change a CNC Laser Machine Operator I's salary?

A CNC Laser Machine Operator I's salary grows with experience: starting around $40,665 for beginners, reaching about $42,053 at mid-level, and approach $42,374 for experts.

What are the highest paying cities for a CNC Laser Machine Operator I?

CNC Laser Machine Operator I salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in South Dakota for CNC Laser Machine Operator I roles are San Jose $62,500, San Francisco $61,900, Oakland $60,500.

How much do different types of CNC Laser Machine Operator roles make?

Salaries for CNC Laser Machine Operator level roles vary by specialization: CNC Laser Machine Operator III: $71,300; CNC Machine Operator III: $71,254; Cnc Machine Operator: $63,931; CNC Machine Programmer I: $63,386; CNC Laser Machine Operator II: $62,700.

What specialized skills increase a CNC Laser Machine Operator I's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Collaboration (up to 4% premium), Verbal Communication (up to 4% premium), CAD (up to 4% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

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CNC Laser Machine Operator I Salary in Java, SD

How much does a CNC Laser Machine Operator I make in Java, SD?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a CNC Laser Machine Operator I in Java, SD is $41,000 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $20.

However, a CNC Laser Machine Operator I's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $49,215
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $37,000 to $45,300
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $33,358

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CNC Laser Machine Operator I Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$45,300	$3,775	$871	$22
Average	$41,000	$3,417	$788	$20
25th Percentile	$37,000	$3,083	$712	$18

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Key Factors That Influence CNC Laser Machine Operator I Salaries

A CNC Laser Machine Operator I's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects CNC Laser Machine Operator I Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a CNC Laser Machine Operator I's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $40,665
Early Career (1-2 years): $41,411
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $42,053
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $42,246
Expert (over 8 years): $42,374

Levels	Salary
Entry Level CNC Laser Machine Operator I	$40,665
Intermediate Level CNC Laser Machine Operator I	$41,411
Senior Level CNC Laser Machine Operator I	$42,053
Specialist Level CNC Laser Machine Operator I	$42,246
Expert Level CNC Laser Machine Operator I	$42,374

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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for CNC Laser Machine Operator Is

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $62,500
San Francisco: $61,900
Oakland: $60,500

San Jose, CA $62,500

San Francisco, CA $61,900

Oakland, CA $60,500

New York, NY $57,400

Queens Village, NY $57,000

Paramus, NJ $56,600

Passaic, NJ $56,600

Bergenfield, NJ $56,500

Stamford, CT $56,500

Huntington, NY $56,400

Newark, NJ $56,100

Bridgeport, CT $56,000

New Brunswick, NJ $55,800

Vallejo, CA $55,700

Middlesex, NJ $55,700

Somerset, NJ $55,700

Petaluma, CA $55,500

Santa Cruz, CA $55,300

Boston, MA $55,200

Fairbanks, AK $55,000

Monterey, CA $55,000

Los Angeles, CA $54,900

Washington, DC $54,800

Seattle, WA $54,800

Santa Rosa, CA $54,700

Juneau, AK $54,600

Orange, CA $54,400

Anchorage, AK $54,300

Anaheim, CA $54,300

Danbury, CT $54,200

Long Beach, CA $54,200

Santa Ana, CA $54,200

Nassau, NY $54,200

Santa Maria, CA $54,000

Everett, WA $54,000

Bremerton, WA $53,800

Trenton, NJ $53,700

Tacoma, WA $53,600

Brockton, MA $53,600

San Diego, CA $53,600

Sacramento, CA $53,600

Santa Barbara, CA $53,500

Lowell, MA $53,300

New Suffolk, NY $53,300

Nashua, NH $53,200

Lompoc, CA $53,200

Ventura, CA $53,100

Stockton, CA $53,100

New Haven, CT $53,000

Atlantic City, NJ $52,900

Hartford, CT $52,800

Modesto, CA $52,700

Poughkeepsie, NY $52,600

New Britain, CT $52,600

Norwich, CT $52,500

New London, CT $52,500

Lawrence, MA $52,500

Olympia, WA $52,500

Kennewick, WA $52,500

Bakersfield, CA $52,300

Riverside, CA $52,300

New Bedford, MA $52,300

Richland, WA $52,200

Portsmouth, NH $52,200

Vineland, NJ $52,200

San Bernardino, CA $52,100

Boulder, CO $52,000

Worcester, MA $51,900

Portland, OR $51,900

Saint Paul, MN $51,800

Minneapolis, MN $51,800

Philadelphia, PA $51,800

Honolulu, HI $51,500

Springfield, MA $51,300

Providence, RI $51,300

Chicago, IL $51,200

Baltimore, MD $51,100

Bellingham, WA $51,100

Chico, CA $51,000

Wilmington, DE $50,900

Pittsfield, MA $50,800

Manchester, NH $50,700

Spokane, WA $50,500

Denver, CO $50,500

Albany, NY $50,300

Troy, NY $50,300

Schenectady, NY $50,100

Burlington, VT $50,000

Portland, ME $49,900

Salem, OR $49,800

Yakima, WA $49,800

Ann Arbor, MI $49,800

Rochester, MN $49,700

Fresno, CA $49,600

Reno, NV $49,600

Milwaukee, WI $49,600

Carson City, NV $49,500

Detroit, MI $49,500

Allentown, PA $49,500

Houston, TX $49,400

Colorado Springs, CO $49,400

Syracuse, NY $49,400

Eugene, OR $49,300

Bismarck, ND $49,300

Gary, IN $49,300

Galveston, TX $49,300

Springfield, OR $49,200

Medford, OR $49,100

Fort Collins, CO $49,100

Austin, TX $49,000

Reading, PA $48,900

Dallas, TX $48,900

Saint Cloud, MN $48,900

Mesa, AZ $48,900

Phoenix, AZ $48,900

Madison, WI $48,800

Concord, NH $48,800

Utica, NY $48,700

Raleigh, NC $48,600

Las Vegas, NV $48,600

Rochester, NY $48,600

Des Moines, IA $48,600

Atlanta, GA $48,500

Battle Creek, MI $48,500

Salt Lake City, UT $48,500

Champaign, IL $48,400

Lancaster, PA $48,400

Harrisburg, PA $48,300

Durham, NC $48,300

Kansas City, MO $48,300

Kansas City, KS $48,300

Fort Worth, TX $48,300

Boca Raton, FL $48,300

Indianapolis, IN $48,200

Richmond, VA $48,200

Pittsburgh, PA $48,200

Columbus, OH $48,200

Cleveland, OH $48,200

Cincinnati, OH $48,100

Petersburg, VA $48,100

Billings, MT $48,000

Lansing, MI $48,000

Huntsville, AL $48,000

Lebanon, PA $48,000

Saint Louis, MO $47,900

Charlotte, NC $47,900

Racine, WI $47,900

Dayton, OH $47,900

Appleton, WI $47,900

Pueblo, CO $47,900

Buffalo, NY $47,900

Beaumont, TX $47,800

Lorain, OH $47,800

Benton Harbor, MI $47,800

Toledo, OH $47,800

York, PA $47,800

Springfield, IL $47,800

Gastonia, NC $47,800

Elkhart, IN $47,800

Binghamton, NY $47,700

Rock Hill, SC $47,700

Rockford, IL $47,700

Fargo, ND $47,700

Elyria, OH $47,700

Flagstaff, AZ $47,700

Miami, FL $47,600

Fort Lauderdale, FL $47,600

Duluth, MN $47,500

Bangor, ME $47,500

Cedar Rapids, IA $47,400

Louisville, KY $47,400

Grand Rapids, MI $47,400

Hialeah, FL $47,400

Casper, WY $47,300

Akron, OH $47,200

Virginia Beach, VA $47,200

Scranton, PA $47,200

New Orleans, LA $47,200

Peoria, IL $47,100

Sarasota, FL $47,100

Green Bay, WI $47,100

Baton Rouge, LA $47,100

Davenport, IA $47,000

Tampa, FL $47,000

Saint Petersburg, FL $47,000

Cheyenne, WY $47,000

Jamestown, NY $47,000

Nashville, TN $47,000

Charleston, SC $47,000

Tucson, AZ $47,000

Evansville, IN $46,900

Omaha, NE $46,900

Port Arthur, TX $46,900

Bradenton, FL $46,900

Santa Fe, NM $46,800

Orlando, FL $46,800

Clearwater, FL $46,700

La Crosse, WI $46,600

Canton, OH $46,600

Grand Forks, ND $46,600

Albuquerque, NM $46,600

Tulsa, OK $46,600

Newport News, VA $46,600

High Point, NC $46,600

Laramie, WY $46,500

Norfolk, VA $46,500

Corpus Christi, TX $46,500

Ogden, UT $46,500

Rock Island, IL $46,400

Saginaw, MI $46,400

Jacksonville, FL $46,400

Salisbury, NC $46,400

Memphis, TN $46,400

Moline, IL $46,400

Fort Myers, FL $46,400

Spartanburg, SC $46,300

Waterloo, IA $46,300

Lincoln, NE $46,200

Fort Wayne, IN $46,200

Birmingham, AL $46,200

Cedar Falls, IA $46,200

South Bend, IN $46,100

Savannah, GA $46,100

Boise, ID $46,100

Winston Salem, NC $46,100

Greensboro, NC $46,100

San Antonio, TX $46,100

Springfield, OH $46,100

Provo, UT $46,100

Muskegon, MI $46,000

Lima, OH $45,900

Lake Charles, LA $45,900

Anderson, IN $45,900

Lexington, KY $45,900

Tuscaloosa, AL $45,800

Columbia, SC $45,800

Wichita, KS $45,800

Augusta, GA $45,800

Greenville, SC $45,800

Bloomington, IN $45,600

Roanoke, VA $45,600

Asheville, NC $45,500

Knoxville, TN $45,500

Shreveport, LA $45,500

Wilmington, NC $45,400

Frankfort, KY $45,300

Oklahoma City, OK $45,300

Topeka, KS $45,200

Chillicothe, OH $45,200

Longview, TX $45,200

Amarillo, TX $45,100

Mobile, AL $45,100

Terre Haute, IN $45,100

Erie, PA $45,100

Altoona, PA $45,100

Melbourne, FL $45,100

Sioux Falls, SD $45,000

Fayetteville, AR $45,000

Killeen, TX $45,000

Chattanooga, TN $44,900

Idaho Falls, ID $44,900

Youngstown, OH $44,800

Lafayette, LA $44,800

Lynchburg, VA $44,800

Temple, TX $44,800

Portsmouth, OH $44,800

Gainesville, FL $44,800

Little Rock, AR $44,800

Daytona Beach, FL $44,700

Clarksville, TN $44,700

Pensacola, FL $44,700

Hopkinsville, KY $44,600

Charleston, WV $44,600

Florence, SC $44,600

Sioux City, IA $44,500

Waco, TX $44,400

Wichita Falls, TX $44,400

Fayetteville, NC $44,400

Macon, GA $44,400

Tallahassee, FL $44,400

Pine Bluff, AR $44,300

Vincennes, IN $44,200

Lubbock, TX $44,200

Great Falls, MT $44,200

Alamogordo, NM $44,200

Abilene, TX $44,200

Jackson, MS $44,100

Huntington, WV $44,100

Albany, GA $44,100

Rapid City, SD $44,100

Monroe, LA $44,100

Greenville, MS $44,000

Parkersburg, WV $44,000

Montgomery, AL $44,000

Johnstown, PA $44,000

Biloxi, MS $43,900

Springfield, MO $43,900

Twin Falls, ID $43,800

Sumter, SC $43,800

Columbus, GA $43,800

Pascagoula, MS $43,700

Kingsport, TN $43,600

Gulfport, MS $43,600

Alexandria, LA $43,400

Fort Smith, AR $43,300

El Paso, TX $43,100

Helena, MT $43,100

Las Cruces, NM $42,900

Harlingen, TX $42,800

Pocatello, ID $42,700

Florence, AL $42,700

Brownsville, TX $42,700

Dothan, AL $42,600

Mcallen, TX $42,600

Columbus, MS $42,200

Altus, OK $42,000

Lawton, OK $41,900

Pierre, SD $41,700

What Skills Can Increase a CNC Laser Machine Operator I's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 1.81% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Machine Controls (Mentioned in 1.31% Job Postings): Machine Control is the use of positioning tools and a display to provide a construction machinery operator with a reference between the position of the bucket or blade and the target grade.
Preventive Maintenance (Mentioned in 1.02% Job Postings): Preventive maintenance is the act of performing regularly scheduled maintenance activities to help prevent unexpected failures in the future. Put simply, it's about fixing things before they break.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting	1.81%
Machine Controls	1.31%
Preventive Maintenance	1.02%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a CNC Laser Machine Operator I's salary.

Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Verbal Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
CAD: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Collaboration	$42,640	4%
Verbal Communication	$42,640	4%
CAD	$42,640	4%
Programming	$42,230	3%
Welding	$42,230	3%
Scheduling	$42,230	3%

Get Latest Data

CNC Laser Machine Operator I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a CNC Laser Machine Operator I's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$37,000

Average $41,000/year

$45,300

$3,083

Average $3,417/month

$3,775

$712

Average $788/week

$871

$18

Average $20/hour

$22

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$45,300	$3,775	$871	$22
Average	$41,000	$3,417	$788	$20
25th Percentile	$37,000	$3,083	$712	$18

CNC Laser Machine Operator I Salary Growth & Career Path

CNC Laser Machine Operator I

Plastic Injection Molding Operator III

Production Machine Operator III

General Machinist III

CNC Laser Machine Operator II

Production Machine Operations Supervisor

Machining Operations Supervisor I

CNC Laser Machine Operator III

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a CNC Laser Machine Operator I, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

CNC Laser Machine Operator I Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role	Estimate Salary	Projected Raise
Plastic Injection Molding Operator III	$46,900	14%
Production Machine Operator III	$42,700	4%
General Machinist III	$54,400	33%
CNC Laser Machine Operator II	$51,900	27%

Salaries of jobs related to CNC Laser Machine Operator I

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