Assembly Lead Salary in the United States

How much does an Assembly Lead make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Assembly Lead in the United States is $70,848 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $34.

However, an Assembly Lead's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $86,587
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $60,513 to $79,087
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $51,104
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View as table View as graph 25% $60,513 10% $51,104 90% $86,587 75% $79,087 $70,848 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Assembly Lead Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $79,087 $6,591 $1,521 $38
Average $70,848 $5,904 $1,362 $34
25th Percentile $60,513 $5,043 $1,164 $29
Check out Assembly Lead Job Openings in the United States
Assembly Specialist

Hill & Smith Inc. - Columbus, OH

Production Assembly

Simply EZ of Columbus, Ltd. - Columbus, OH

General Assembly

Acloche-Gahanna - Columbus, OH

Assembly Worker

Kingsman Staffing LLC - Columbus, OH

Search More Assembly Lead Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Assembly Lead Salaries

An Assembly Lead'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Assembly Lead Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Assembly Lead'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): $69,412
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $69,843
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $71,278
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $73,622
  • Expert (over 8 years): $75,485
Levels Salary
Entry Level Assembly Lead$69,412
Intermediate Level Assembly Lead$69,843
Senior Level Assembly Lead$71,278
Specialist Level Assembly Lead$73,622
Expert Level Assembly Lead$75,485
$69,412 0 yr
$69,843 < 2 yrs
$71,278 2-4 yrs
$73,622 5-8 yrs
$75,485 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Assembly Lead Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Assembly Leads. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $78,443.
  • California: $78,145.
  • Massachusetts: $77,104.

Top Paying Cities for Assembly Leads

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: $89,360
  • San Francisco: $88,382
  • Oakland: $86,519

What Skills Can Increase an Assembly Lead's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 11.47% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Lean Manufacturing (Mentioned in 2.87% Job Postings): Lean manufacturing or lean production is a systematic method originating in the Japanese manufacturing industry for the minimization of waste (無駄, muda) within a manufacturing system without sacrificing productivity, which can cause problems. Lean also takes into account waste created through overburden (無理, muri) and unevenness in work loads (斑, mura). Working from the perspective of the client who consumes a product or service, "value" is any action or process that a customer would be willing to pay for.[citation needed] Lean manufacturing attempts to make obvious what adds value, through reducing everything else (because it is not adding value). This management philosophy is derived mostly from the Toyota Production System (TPS) and identified as "lean" only in the 1990s.[page needed], TPS is renowned for its focus on reduction of the original Toyota seven wastes to improve overall customer value, but there are varying perspectives on how this is best achieved. The steady growth of Toyota, from a small company to the world's largest automaker, has focused attention on how it has achieved this success.
  • HACCP (Mentioned in 1.36% Job Postings): HACCP is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement to manufacturing and consumption of the finished product.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 11.47%
Lean Manufacturing 2.87%
HACCP 1.36%
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 Assembly Lead's salary.
  • Six Sigma: Can increase your salary by up to 20%.
  • HACCP: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
  • KPI: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Six Sigma
$85,017
20%
HACCP
$80,058
13%
KPI
$78,641
11%
Analysis
$78,641
11%
Food Safety
$78,641
11%
Production Operations
$77,933
10%
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Assembly Lead Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Assembly Lead roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Energy & Utilities and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Assembly Lead positions in Transportation or MFG Nondurable typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Assembly Lead as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Assembly Lead

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Energy & Utilities$85,017$41.020%
Pharmaceuticals$85,017$41.020%
Software & Networking$85,017$41.020%
Aerospace & Defense$77,933$37.010%
Biotechnology$77,933$37.010%

How Education impacts an Assembly Lead's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Assembly Leads enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Assembly Lead with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $70,672 and $77,761).

Assembly Lead Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Assembly Lead
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.6%
High School 42.5%
Associates 17.0%
Bachelors 30.2%
Masters 7.5%
Doctorate 0.2%
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Assembly Lead Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Assembly Lead'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 August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Assembly Lead

Salaries for an Assembly Lead can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $74,133 in 2023 to around $72,217 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Assembly Lead salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Assembly Lead Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$74,133
2024
$73,245
2025
$72,217
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $74,133
2024 $73,245
2025 $72,217
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Assembly Lead

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Assembly Lead

Here are companies hiring for Assembly Lead and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Assembly Lead Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Assembly Lead job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Trillium Staffing

    Columbus, OH

    Trillium Staffing | Columbus, OH

    Assembly Worker. Trillium Staffing is now seeking assembly technicians in the East Airport area. Assembly techs will be performing hand and light tool asse... more

    9 Days Ago

  • Wasserstrom

    Columbus, OH

    Wasserstrom | Columbus, OH

    Founded in 1902, Wasserstrom is a national leader in the manufacturing and distribution of foodservice equipment and supplies. From design through installa... more

    8 Days Ago

  • Martinizing Cleaners

    Columbus, OH

    Martinizing Cleaners | Columbus, OH

    Customer Service/Assembly PositionMartinizing's Dry Cleaning is looking for a part-time customer service/assembly position. The schedule is 8:30am-2pm Mond... more

    8 Days Ago

  • Martinizing Cleaners

    Columbus, OH

    Martinizing Cleaners | Columbus, OH

    Customer Service/Assembly Position. Martinizing's Dry cleaning looking for customer service/assembly position. Part time 8:30am-2pm Monday-Fri. NO weekends... more

    8 Days Ago

  • 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.

    Columbus, OH

    1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. | Columbus, OH

    Gift Production Associate. Join our team this season and help us bring joy to our customers. As a Gift Production Associate, you'll assemble beautifully pa... more

    6 Days Ago

  • 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc.

    Columbus, OH

    1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. | Columbus, OH

    Gift Box Assembler. This position is responsible for assembling gift boxes by placing cookies and other items according to set specifications. Essential du... more

    6 Days Ago

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FAQ about Assembly Lead

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Assembly Lead?

The Energy & Utilities industry offers the highest average compensation for Assembly Lead roles, with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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