How much does an Assembly Operative make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for an Assembly Operative in the United States is $43,925 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $21.
However, an Assembly Operative's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $52,433
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $39,165 to $48,378
Key Factors That Influence Assembly Operative Salaries
An Assembly Operative'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 Operative Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of an Assembly Operative'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:
How Do Assembly Operative 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 Operatives. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $48,634.
California: $48,449.
Massachusetts: $47,803.
District of Columbia$48,634
California$48,449
Massachusetts$47,803
Washington$47,628
New Jersey$47,610
Alaska$47,549
Connecticut$46,943
New York$46,697
Hawaii$45,910
Rhode Island$45,541
Maryland$45,291
Minnesota$44,948
Colorado$44,817
Illinois$44,773
Oregon$44,606
Delaware$44,483
New Hampshire$44,405
Virginia$44,232
Pennsylvania$43,727
Nevada$43,472
North Dakota$43,389
Michigan$43,257
Wisconsin$43,209
Vermont$43,112
Texas$42,844
Maine$42,827
Arizona$42,800
Ohio$42,770
Georgia$42,366
Indiana$42,164
Wyoming$42,124
Utah$42,062
Iowa$42,036
Kansas$41,825
Louisiana$41,764
North Carolina$41,742
Missouri$41,733
Florida$41,562
Montana$41,469
Nebraska$41,382
Kentucky$41,333
South Carolina$41,158
Tennessee$41,048
Idaho$41,004
New Mexico$40,683
Oklahoma$40,613
Alabama$40,354
South Dakota$39,919
Arkansas$39,682
West Virginia$39,554
Mississippi$39,172
Top Paying Cities for Assembly Operatives
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: $55,402
San Francisco: $54,796
Oakland: $53,641
San Jose, CA$55,402
San Francisco, CA$54,796
Oakland, CA$53,641
New York, NY$50,575
Paramus, NJ$49,960
Queens Village, NY$49,958
Passaic, NJ$49,916
Bergenfield, NJ$49,912
Stamford, CT$49,815
Huntington, NY$49,797
Newark, NJ$49,473
Bridgeport, CT$49,380
Vallejo, CA$49,293
New Brunswick, NJ$49,275
Petaluma, CA$49,249
Middlesex, NJ$49,165
Somerset, NJ$49,134
Santa Cruz, CA$49,077
Boston, MA$48,809
Monterey, CA$48,655
Seattle, WA$48,555
Santa Rosa, CA$48,546
Los Angeles, CA$48,533
Juneau, AK$48,418
Washington, DC$48,370
Orange, CA$48,214
Santa Ana, CA$48,098
Long Beach, CA$48,054
Anaheim, CA$48,045
Anchorage, AK$48,023
Santa Maria, CA$47,891
Everett, WA$47,883
Danbury, CT$47,728
Bremerton, WA$47,667
Tacoma, WA$47,509
New Suffolk, NY$47,508
Sacramento, CA$47,496
Santa Barbara, CA$47,448
Trenton, NJ$47,399
San Diego, CA$47,399
Brockton, MA$47,351
Fairbanks, AK$47,243
Lompoc, CA$47,131
Lowell, MA$47,096
Ventura, CA$47,087
Nashua, NH$47,079
Stockton, CA$47,074
Modesto, CA$46,754
Poughkeepsie, NY$46,657
Olympia, WA$46,574
Kennewick, WA$46,574
New Haven, CT$46,556
Lawrence, MA$46,398
Hartford, CT$46,354
Riverside, CA$46,345
New Bedford, MA$46,301
Richland, WA$46,301
Bakersfield, CA$46,240
San Bernardino, CA$46,222
New Britain, CT$46,218
Atlantic City, NJ$46,218
New London, CT$46,200
Norwich, CT$46,187
Portsmouth, NH$46,178
Boulder, CO$46,085
Portland, OR$46,025
Worcester, MA$46,020
Minneapolis, MN$45,884
Philadelphia, PA$45,822
Honolulu, HI$45,678
Saint Paul, MN$45,656
Vineland, NJ$45,647
Providence, RI$45,519
Chicago, IL$45,392
Bellingham, WA$45,339
Springfield, MA$45,304
Baltimore, MD$45,291
Chico, CA$45,181
Pittsfield, MA$45,063
Manchester, NH$44,979
Spokane, WA$44,786
Denver, CO$44,781
Albany, NY$44,575
Troy, NY$44,557
Nassau, NY$44,510
Schenectady, NY$44,465
Wilmington, DE$44,430
Burlington, VT$44,369
Salem, OR$44,351
Portland, ME$44,215
Yakima, WA$44,171
Rochester, MN$44,035
Reno, NV$44,013
Fresno, CA$44,013
Milwaukee, WI$43,973
Detroit, MI$43,929
Ann Arbor, MI$43,922
Allentown, PA$43,916
Colorado Springs, CO$43,841
Syracuse, NY$43,819
Carson City, NV$43,819
Houston, TX$43,758
Eugene, OR$43,736
Gary, IN$43,683
Springfield, OR$43,648
Bismarck, ND$43,639
Galveston, TX$43,609
Medford, OR$43,543
Fort Collins, CO$43,525
Concord, NH$43,503
Austin, TX$43,490
Mesa, AZ$43,398
Reading, PA$43,393
Phoenix, AZ$43,389
Dallas, TX$43,376
Saint Cloud, MN$43,334
Madison, WI$43,275
Utica, NY$43,156
Rochester, NY$43,086
Des Moines, IA$43,082
Raleigh, NC$43,077
Atlanta, GA$43,011
Battle Creek, MI$42,998
Salt Lake City, UT$42,985
Lancaster, PA$42,919
Harrisburg, PA$42,858
Kansas City, MO$42,814
Champaign, IL$42,805
Kansas City, KS$42,805
Fort Worth, TX$42,800
Columbus, OH$42,793
Boca Raton, FL$42,783
Pittsburgh, PA$42,765
Richmond, VA$42,748
Indianapolis, IN$42,739
Cleveland, OH$42,735
Las Vegas, NV$42,682
Cincinnati, OH$42,682
Petersburg, VA$42,616
Huntsville, AL$42,550
Lansing, MI$42,521
Lebanon, PA$42,515
Pueblo, CO$42,511
Appleton, WI$42,497
Buffalo, NY$42,480
Dayton, OH$42,467
Racine, WI$42,458
Charlotte, NC$42,453
Saint Louis, MO$42,440
York, PA$42,414
Elkhart, IN$42,414
Gastonia, NC$42,406
Billings, MT$42,395
Beaumont, TX$42,383
Lorain, OH$42,374
Benton Harbor, MI$42,366
Toledo, OH$42,357
Binghamton, NY$42,335
Rock Hill, SC$42,330
Rockford, IL$42,308
Springfield, IL$42,291
Elyria, OH$42,287
Fargo, ND$42,287
Flagstaff, AZ$42,256
Fort Lauderdale, FL$42,229
Duluth, MN$42,203
Miami, FL$42,203
Cheyenne, WY$42,172
Grand Forks, ND$42,172
Bangor, ME$42,076
Cedar Rapids, IA$42,027
Durham, NC$42,009
Louisville, KY$42,005
Grand Rapids, MI$41,997
Hialeah, FL$41,992
Casper, WY$41,931
Scranton, PA$41,878
New Orleans, LA$41,865
Virginia Beach, VA$41,860
Akron, OH$41,838
Peoria, IL$41,781
Sarasota, FL$41,773
Nashville, TN$41,742
Omaha, NE$41,742
Green Bay, WI$41,742
Baton Rouge, LA$41,720
Charleston, SC$41,711
Jamestown, NY$41,689
Davenport, IA$41,689
Tucson, AZ$41,667
Saint Petersburg, FL$41,641
Tampa, FL$41,632
Evansville, IN$41,606
Port Arthur, TX$41,606
Bradenton, FL$41,588
Santa Fe, NM$41,509
Orlando, FL$41,430
Clearwater, FL$41,417
Canton, OH$41,325
La Crosse, WI$41,325
Albuquerque, NM$41,298
Newport News, VA$41,294
High Point, NC$41,281
Ogden, UT$41,263
Corpus Christi, TX$41,228
Norfolk, VA$41,202
Laramie, WY$41,202
Rock Island, IL$41,175
Saginaw, MI$41,166
Jacksonville, FL$41,162
Salisbury, NC$41,153
Boise, ID$41,144
Moline, IL$41,122
Fort Myers, FL$41,109
Memphis, TN$41,101
Tulsa, OK$41,079
Waterloo, IA$41,052
Spartanburg, SC$41,008
Lincoln, NE$40,986
Fort Wayne, IN$40,978
Provo, UT$40,973
Cedar Falls, IA$40,920
San Antonio, TX$40,903
Greensboro, NC$40,885
South Bend, IN$40,881
Savannah, GA$40,833
Muskegon, MI$40,815
Birmingham, AL$40,811
Winston Salem, NC$40,789
Lake Charles, LA$40,683
Anderson, IN$40,674
Lexington, KY$40,661
Augusta, GA$40,648
Greenville, SC$40,648
Lima, OH$40,613
Wichita, KS$40,609
Tuscaloosa, AL$40,609
Columbia, SC$40,569
Springfield, OH$40,560
Asheville, NC$40,490
Bloomington, IN$40,459
Knoxville, TN$40,301
Shreveport, LA$40,297
Wilmington, NC$40,240
Roanoke, VA$40,240
Topeka, KS$40,161
Frankfort, KY$40,156
Oklahoma City, OK$40,125
Chillicothe, OH$40,108
Longview, TX$40,103
Melbourne, FL$40,099
Sioux Falls, SD$40,029
Mobile, AL$40,024
Terre Haute, IN$40,007
Altoona, PA$39,980
Amarillo, TX$39,950
Killeen, TX$39,937
Fayetteville, AR$39,901
Chattanooga, TN$39,888
Sioux City, IA$39,849
Idaho Falls, ID$39,840
Lynchburg, VA$39,805
Gainesville, FL$39,748
Portsmouth, OH$39,726
Little Rock, AR$39,717
Lafayette, LA$39,699
Youngstown, OH$39,699
Daytona Beach, FL$39,673
Clarksville, TN$39,669
Pensacola, FL$39,664
Temple, TX$39,661
Hopkinsville, KY$39,532
Erie, PA$39,524
Florence, SC$39,506
Charleston, WV$39,436
Great Falls, MT$39,414
Macon, GA$39,352
Tallahassee, FL$39,348
Fayetteville, NC$39,339
Waco, TX$39,330
Helena, MT$39,300
Pine Bluff, AR$39,283
Vincennes, IN$39,229
Lubbock, TX$39,212
Alamogordo, NM$39,185
Twin Falls, ID$39,146
Rapid City, SD$39,133
Jackson, MS$39,054
Huntington, WV$39,051
Greenville, MS$39,049
Parkersburg, WV$39,004
Montgomery, AL$38,997
Wichita Falls, TX$38,953
Springfield, MO$38,953
Biloxi, MS$38,931
Monroe, LA$38,887
Johnstown, PA$38,856
Sumter, SC$38,838
Columbus, GA$38,834
Pascagoula, MS$38,751
Abilene, TX$38,751
Kingsport, TN$38,636
Albany, GA$38,636
Gulfport, MS$38,623
Alexandria, LA$38,478
Fort Smith, AR$38,368
El Paso, TX$38,250
Las Cruces, NM$38,052
Harlingen, TX$37,941
Pocatello, ID$37,934
Florence, AL$37,876
Brownsville, TX$37,868
Mcallen, TX$37,775
Dothan, AL$37,714
Columbus, MS$37,453
Altus, OK$37,248
Lawton, OK$37,165
Pierre, SD$37,007
What Skills Can Increase an Assembly Operative's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 3.99% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Machine Operation (Mentioned in 3.23% Job Postings): Applying methods and techniques to implement, maintain, repair, design, and update various machines following specific rules to ensure safety.
Container (Mentioned in 2.39% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.
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 Operative's salary.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Assembly Operative Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Assembly Operative roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 60% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Media and Insurance
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average.
In contrast, Assembly Operative positions in MFG Durable or Internet typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Assembly Operative as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for an Assembly Operative
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Media
$57,102
$27.0
30%
Insurance
$54,906
$26.0
25%
Construction
$52,710
$25.0
20%
Financial Services
$50,514
$24.0
15%
Aerospace & Defense
$48,317
$23.0
10%
How Education impacts an Assembly Operative's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Assembly Operatives enter the field with a No Diploma 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 Operative with a No Diploma is between
$44,700
and $47,709).
Assembly Operative Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how an Assembly Operative'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$39,165
Average$43,925/year
$48,378
$3,264
Average$3,660/month
$4,032
$753
Average$845/week
$930
$19
Average$21/hour
$23
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$48,378
$4,032
$930
$23
Average
$43,925
$3,660
$845
$21
25th Percentile
$39,165
$3,264
$753
$19
Salaries of Jobs related to Assembly Operative
Pre-Operative Nurse$120,108
RN Pre Operative$90,472
Logistics Operative$87,645
Assembly Supervisor$61,849
Production Operative$60,514
Waste Operative$55,514
Hygiene Operative$53,451
Maintenance Operative$44,168
Assembly Work Product Assembly$40,939
Warehouse Operative$37,135
Stockroom Operative$28,367
Salary Trends for Assembly Operative
Salaries for an Assembly Operative can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $41,550 in 2023
to around $41,586 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Assembly Operative salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Assembly Operative Over Time
$???
$41,550
$41,699
$41,586
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$41,550
2024
$41,699
2025
$41,586
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Assembly Operative
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Assembly Operative
Here are companies hiring for Assembly Operative and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Assembly Operative Job
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FAQ about Assembly Operative
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Assembly Operative?
The Media industry offers the highest average compensation for Assembly Operative roles,
with salaries approximately 30% 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.
