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Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I Salary in Appleton, WI

How much does a Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I make in Appleton, WI?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I in Appleton, WI is $34,726 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $17.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $39,806
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $31,859 to $37,385
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $29,248
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View as table View as graph 25% $31,859 10% $29,248 90% $39,806 75% $37,385 $34,726 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $37,385 $3,115 $719 $18
Average $34,726 $2,894 $668 $17
25th Percentile $31,859 $2,655 $613 $15
Check out Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I Job Openings in Appleton, WI
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Key Factors That Influence Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I Salaries

A Surface Mount Tech 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 Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Surface Mount Tech 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): $34,512
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $34,806
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $35,401
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $35,520
  • Expert (over 8 years): $35,599
Levels Salary
Entry Level Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I$34,512
Intermediate Level Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I$34,806
Senior Level Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I$35,401
Specialist Level Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I$35,520
Expert Level Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I$35,599
$34,512 0 yr
$34,806 < 2 yrs
$35,401 2-4 yrs
$35,520 5-8 yrs
$35,599 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Surface Mount Tech 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: $45,272
  • San Francisco: $44,827
  • Oakland: $43,833

What Skills Can Increase a Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I'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 a Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I'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
$42,366
22%
Inventory Control
$40,630
17%
Initiative
$37,505
8%
Innovation
$36,810
6%
ISO
$36,463
5%
Assembler
$35,768
3%
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Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Surface Mount Tech 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

Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I Salary Growth & Career Path

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Surface Mount Tech 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.

Surface Mount Tech Machine Operator I Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Extrusion Operator, Sr. $52,752 52%
Injection Molding Machine Operator II $46,908 35%
Machine Operator II $43,991 27%
Milling Machine Operator II $55,712 60%

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