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Entry SMT Machine Operator Salary in Berkeley, CA

How much does an Entry SMT Machine Operator make in Berkeley, CA?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for an Entry SMT Machine Operator in Berkeley, CA is $43,900 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $21.

However, an Entry SMT Machine Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $50,204
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $40,200 to $47,200
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $36,831
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View as table View as graph 25% $40,200 10% $36,831 90% $50,204 75% $47,200 $43,900 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Entry SMT Machine Operator Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $47,200 $3,933 $908 $23
Average $43,900 $3,658 $844 $21
25th Percentile $40,200 $3,350 $773 $19
Check out Entry SMT Machine Operator Job Openings in Berkeley, CA
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ACL Digital - San Diego, CA

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Manpower SD Metro North - San Diego, CA

Entry Level Assistant Machine Operator

WestRock - Corona, CA

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Key Factors That Influence Entry SMT Machine Operator Salaries

An Entry SMT Machine Operator'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 Entry SMT Machine Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Entry SMT Machine Operator'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 SMT Machine Operator (0-1 years): $43,814
  • Intermediate SMT Machine Operator (1-3 years): $54,299
  • Senior SMT Machine Operator (3-5 years): $60,382
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Entry SMT Machine Operator0-1 years$43,814
Intermediate SMT Machine Operator1-3 years$54,299
Senior SMT Machine Operator3-5 years$60,382
$43,814 Entry SMT...
$54,299 Intermedi...
$60,382 Senior SM...
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Entry SMT Machine Operators

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: $45,300
  • San Francisco: $44,900
  • Oakland: $43,900

What Skills Can Increase an Entry SMT Machine Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Problem Solving (Mentioned in 3.83% Job Postings): Analyzing and identifying the root cause of problems and applying critical thinking skills to solve problems.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 3.4% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
  • Inventory Control (Mentioned in 2.13% Job Postings): Inventory control or stock control can be broadly defined as "the activity of checking a shop’s stock." However, a more focused definition takes into account the more science-based, methodical practice of not only verifying a business' inventory but also focusing on the many related facets of inventory management (such as forecasting future demand) "within an organisation to meet the demand placed upon that business economically." Other facets of inventory control include supply chain management, production control, financial flexibility, and customer satisfaction. At the root of inventory control, however, is the inventory control problem, which involves determining when to order, how much to order, and the logistics (where) of those decisions. An extension of inventory control is the inventory control system. This may come in the form of a technological system and its programmed software used for managing various aspects of inventory problems , or it may refer to a methodology (which may include the use of technological barriers) for handling loss prevention in a business.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Problem Solving 3.83%
Continuous Improvement 3.4%
Inventory Control 2.13%
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 an Entry SMT Machine Operator's salary.
  • Oral Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
  • Inventory Control: Can increase your salary by up to 17%.
  • Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Oral Communication
$53,558
22%
Inventory Control
$51,363
17%
Initiative
$47,412
8%
Innovation
$46,534
6%
ISO
$46,095
5%
Assembler
$45,217
3%
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Entry SMT Machine Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Entry SMT Machine Operator'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 April 01, 2026

Entry SMT Machine Operator Salary Growth & Career Path

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As an Entry SMT Machine Operator, 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.

Entry SMT Machine Operator Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Extruder Operator II $66,700 52%
Plastic Injection Molding Operator II $59,300 35%
Intermediate Machine Operator $55,600 27%
Milling Machine Technician II $57,300 31%

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