Key Factors That Influence Graveyard Shift Salaries
A Graveyard Shift'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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Graveyard Shift Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Graveyard Shift'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): $45,259
Early Career (1-2 years): $52,321
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $71,919
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $84,887
Expert (over 8 years): $84,324
Levels
Salary
Laborator... Level Graveyard Shift
$45,259
Graveyard... Level Graveyard Shift
$52,321
Laborator... Level Graveyard Shift
$71,919
Laborator... Level Graveyard Shift
$84,887
Laborator... Level Graveyard Shift
$84,324
$45,2590 yr
$52,321< 2 yrs
$71,9192-4 yrs
$84,8875-8 yrs
$84,324> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Graveyard Shift 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 Graveyard Shifts.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $57,005.
California: $56,789.
Massachusetts: $56,032.
District of Columbia$57,005
California$56,789
Massachusetts$56,032
Washington$55,826
New Jersey$55,805
Alaska$55,733
Connecticut$55,023
New York$54,735
Hawaii$53,813
Rhode Island$53,380
Maryland$53,087
Minnesota$52,685
Colorado$52,531
Illinois$52,479
Oregon$52,284
Delaware$52,140
New Hampshire$52,049
Virginia$51,846
Pennsylvania$51,254
Nevada$50,955
North Dakota$50,858
Michigan$50,703
Wisconsin$50,647
Vermont$50,533
Texas$50,219
Maine$50,199
Arizona$50,168
Ohio$50,132
Georgia$49,658
Indiana$49,421
Wyoming$49,375
Utah$49,303
Iowa$49,272
Kansas$49,025
Louisiana$48,953
North Carolina$48,927
Missouri$48,917
Florida$48,716
Montana$48,608
Nebraska$48,505
Kentucky$48,448
South Carolina$48,242
Tennessee$48,113
Idaho$48,062
New Mexico$47,686
Oklahoma$47,604
Alabama$47,300
South Dakota$46,790
Arkansas$46,512
West Virginia$46,363
Mississippi$45,915
Top Paying Cities for Graveyard Shifts
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: $64,939
San Francisco: $64,228
Oakland: $62,874
San Jose, CA$64,939
San Francisco, CA$64,228
Oakland, CA$62,874
New York, NY$59,280
Paramus, NJ$58,559
Queens Village, NY$58,557
Passaic, NJ$58,508
Bergenfield, NJ$58,503
Stamford, CT$58,390
Huntington, NY$58,369
Newark, NJ$57,988
Bridgeport, CT$57,880
Vallejo, CA$57,777
New Brunswick, NJ$57,757
Petaluma, CA$57,726
Middlesex, NJ$57,628
Somerset, NJ$57,592
Santa Cruz, CA$57,525
Boston, MA$57,211
Monterey, CA$57,030
Seattle, WA$56,912
Santa Rosa, CA$56,902
Los Angeles, CA$56,887
Juneau, AK$56,753
Washington, DC$56,696
Orange, CA$56,513
Santa Ana, CA$56,377
Long Beach, CA$56,325
Anaheim, CA$56,315
Anchorage, AK$56,289
Santa Maria, CA$56,135
Everett, WA$56,125
Danbury, CT$55,943
Bremerton, WA$55,872
Tacoma, WA$55,687
New Suffolk, NY$55,686
Sacramento, CA$55,672
Santa Barbara, CA$55,615
Trenton, NJ$55,558
San Diego, CA$55,558
Brockton, MA$55,502
Fairbanks, AK$55,376
Lompoc, CA$55,244
Lowell, MA$55,203
Ventura, CA$55,193
Nashua, NH$55,182
Stockton, CA$55,177
Modesto, CA$54,801
Poughkeepsie, NY$54,688
Olympia, WA$54,590
Kennewick, WA$54,590
New Haven, CT$54,570
Lawrence, MA$54,384
Hartford, CT$54,333
Riverside, CA$54,323
New Bedford, MA$54,271
Richland, WA$54,271
Bakersfield, CA$54,199
San Bernardino, CA$54,179
New Britain, CT$54,173
Atlantic City, NJ$54,173
New London, CT$54,153
Norwich, CT$54,137
Portsmouth, NH$54,127
Boulder, CO$54,018
Portland, OR$53,947
Worcester, MA$53,942
Minneapolis, MN$53,782
Philadelphia, PA$53,710
Honolulu, HI$53,540
Saint Paul, MN$53,515
Vineland, NJ$53,504
Providence, RI$53,355
Chicago, IL$53,205
Bellingham, WA$53,144
Springfield, MA$53,102
Baltimore, MD$53,087
Chico, CA$52,958
Pittsfield, MA$52,819
Manchester, NH$52,721
Spokane, WA$52,495
Denver, CO$52,490
Albany, NY$52,248
Troy, NY$52,227
Nassau, NY$52,172
Schenectady, NY$52,119
Wilmington, DE$52,078
Burlington, VT$52,006
Salem, OR$51,985
Portland, ME$51,826
Yakima, WA$51,774
Rochester, MN$51,615
Reno, NV$51,589
Fresno, CA$51,589
Milwaukee, WI$51,542
Detroit, MI$51,491
Ann Arbor, MI$51,482
Allentown, PA$51,476
Colorado Springs, CO$51,388
Syracuse, NY$51,362
Carson City, NV$51,362
Houston, TX$51,290
Eugene, OR$51,264
Gary, IN$51,203
Springfield, OR$51,161
Bismarck, ND$51,151
Galveston, TX$51,115
Medford, OR$51,038
Fort Collins, CO$51,017
Concord, NH$50,992
Austin, TX$50,976
Mesa, AZ$50,868
Reading, PA$50,863
Phoenix, AZ$50,858
Dallas, TX$50,842
Saint Cloud, MN$50,793
Madison, WI$50,724
Utica, NY$50,585
Rochester, NY$50,502
Des Moines, IA$50,497
Raleigh, NC$50,492
Atlanta, GA$50,415
Battle Creek, MI$50,399
Salt Lake City, UT$50,384
Lancaster, PA$50,307
Harrisburg, PA$50,235
Kansas City, MO$50,183
Champaign, IL$50,173
Kansas City, KS$50,173
Fort Worth, TX$50,168
Columbus, OH$50,159
Boca Raton, FL$50,147
Pittsburgh, PA$50,127
Richmond, VA$50,106
Indianapolis, IN$50,096
Cleveland, OH$50,091
Las Vegas, NV$50,029
Cincinnati, OH$50,029
Petersburg, VA$49,952
Huntsville, AL$49,874
Lansing, MI$49,840
Lebanon, PA$49,833
Pueblo, CO$49,828
Appleton, WI$49,813
Buffalo, NY$49,792
Dayton, OH$49,776
Racine, WI$49,766
Charlotte, NC$49,761
Saint Louis, MO$49,746
York, PA$49,715
Elkhart, IN$49,715
Gastonia, NC$49,705
Billings, MT$49,693
Beaumont, TX$49,679
Lorain, OH$49,668
Benton Harbor, MI$49,658
Toledo, OH$49,648
Binghamton, NY$49,622
Rock Hill, SC$49,617
Rockford, IL$49,591
Springfield, IL$49,571
Elyria, OH$49,565
Fargo, ND$49,565
Flagstaff, AZ$49,529
Fort Lauderdale, FL$49,498
Duluth, MN$49,468
Miami, FL$49,468
Cheyenne, WY$49,432
Grand Forks, ND$49,432
Bangor, ME$49,318
Cedar Rapids, IA$49,262
Durham, NC$49,240
Louisville, KY$49,236
Grand Rapids, MI$49,226
Hialeah, FL$49,220
Casper, WY$49,148
Scranton, PA$49,087
New Orleans, LA$49,071
Virginia Beach, VA$49,066
Akron, OH$49,040
Peoria, IL$48,973
Sarasota, FL$48,963
Nashville, TN$48,927
Omaha, NE$48,927
Green Bay, WI$48,927
Baton Rouge, LA$48,901
Charleston, SC$48,891
Jamestown, NY$48,865
Davenport, IA$48,865
Tucson, AZ$48,839
Saint Petersburg, FL$48,809
Tampa, FL$48,798
Evansville, IN$48,767
Port Arthur, TX$48,767
Bradenton, FL$48,747
Santa Fe, NM$48,654
Orlando, FL$48,561
Clearwater, FL$48,546
Canton, OH$48,438
La Crosse, WI$48,438
Albuquerque, NM$48,407
Newport News, VA$48,402
High Point, NC$48,386
Ogden, UT$48,366
Corpus Christi, TX$48,325
Norfolk, VA$48,294
Laramie, WY$48,294
Rock Island, IL$48,263
Saginaw, MI$48,252
Jacksonville, FL$48,247
Salisbury, NC$48,237
Boise, ID$48,227
Moline, IL$48,201
Fort Myers, FL$48,186
Memphis, TN$48,175
Tulsa, OK$48,150
Waterloo, IA$48,119
Spartanburg, SC$48,067
Lincoln, NE$48,041
Fort Wayne, IN$48,031
Provo, UT$48,026
Cedar Falls, IA$47,964
San Antonio, TX$47,944
Greensboro, NC$47,923
South Bend, IN$47,918
Savannah, GA$47,861
Muskegon, MI$47,841
Birmingham, AL$47,835
Winston Salem, NC$47,810
Lake Charles, LA$47,686
Anderson, IN$47,676
Lexington, KY$47,660
Augusta, GA$47,645
Greenville, SC$47,645
Lima, OH$47,604
Wichita, KS$47,599
Tuscaloosa, AL$47,599
Columbia, SC$47,552
Springfield, OH$47,542
Asheville, NC$47,460
Bloomington, IN$47,424
Knoxville, TN$47,238
Shreveport, LA$47,233
Wilmington, NC$47,166
Roanoke, VA$47,166
Topeka, KS$47,073
Frankfort, KY$47,068
Oklahoma City, OK$47,032
Chillicothe, OH$47,012
Longview, TX$47,007
Melbourne, FL$47,001
Sioux Falls, SD$46,919
Mobile, AL$46,914
Terre Haute, IN$46,893
Altoona, PA$46,862
Amarillo, TX$46,826
Killeen, TX$46,811
Fayetteville, AR$46,770
Chattanooga, TN$46,754
Sioux City, IA$46,708
Idaho Falls, ID$46,698
Lynchburg, VA$46,656
Gainesville, FL$46,590
Portsmouth, OH$46,564
Little Rock, AR$46,553
Lafayette, LA$46,533
Youngstown, OH$46,533
Daytona Beach, FL$46,502
Clarksville, TN$46,497
Pensacola, FL$46,492
Temple, TX$46,488
Hopkinsville, KY$46,337
Erie, PA$46,327
Florence, SC$46,306
Charleston, WV$46,224
Great Falls, MT$46,198
Macon, GA$46,126
Tallahassee, FL$46,121
Fayetteville, NC$46,111
Waco, TX$46,100
Helena, MT$46,064
Pine Bluff, AR$46,045
Vincennes, IN$45,982
Lubbock, TX$45,961
Alamogordo, NM$45,930
Twin Falls, ID$45,884
Rapid City, SD$45,869
Jackson, MS$45,776
Huntington, WV$45,772
Greenville, MS$45,771
Parkersburg, WV$45,718
Montgomery, AL$45,709
Wichita Falls, TX$45,658
Springfield, MO$45,658
Biloxi, MS$45,632
Monroe, LA$45,580
Johnstown, PA$45,544
Sumter, SC$45,524
Columbus, GA$45,519
Pascagoula, MS$45,421
Abilene, TX$45,421
Kingsport, TN$45,287
Albany, GA$45,287
Gulfport, MS$45,271
Alexandria, LA$45,102
Fort Smith, AR$44,973
El Paso, TX$44,834
Las Cruces, NM$44,602
Harlingen, TX$44,471
Pocatello, ID$44,463
Florence, AL$44,396
Brownsville, TX$44,386
Mcallen, TX$44,278
Dothan, AL$44,206
Columbus, MS$43,900
Altus, OK$43,660
Lawton, OK$43,562
Pierre, SD$43,377
What Skills Can Increase a Graveyard Shift's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 9.43% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Phlebotomy (Mentioned in 3.41% Job Postings): Phlebotomy is the process of making a puncture in a vein, usually in the arm, with a cannula for the purpose of drawing blood.
Medical Laboratory (Mentioned in 1.98% Job Postings): Testing and analyzing medical and clinical specimens to help in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Analysis
9.43%
Phlebotomy
3.41%
Medical Laboratory
1.98%
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 Graveyard Shift's salary.
Clinical Diagnostic: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Product Testing: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Clinical Diagnostic
$56,634
10%
Collaboration
$55,090
7%
Product Testing
$54,575
6%
Molecular Biology
$53,545
4%
Oral Communication
$53,545
4%
Leadership
$53,545
4%
Get Latest Data
Graveyard Shift Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Graveyard Shift roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 38% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Internet and Energy & Utilities
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Graveyard Shift positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Graveyard Shift as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Graveyard Shift
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Internet
$61,783
$30.0
20%
Energy & Utilities
$59,209
$28.0
15%
Aerospace & Defense
$57,664
$28.0
12%
Financial Services
$57,664
$28.0
12%
Pharmaceuticals
$56,634
$27.0
10%
Graveyard Shift Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Graveyard Shift'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.
Salaries for a Graveyard Shift can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $43,374 in 2023
to around $42,761 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Graveyard Shift salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Graveyard Shift Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$43,374
2024
$43,227
2025
$42,761
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$43,374
2024
$43,227
2025
$42,761
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Graveyard Shift
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
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Common company salaries for Graveyard Shift
Here are companies hiring for Graveyard Shift and their salaries, click below for more details.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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FAQ about Graveyard Shift
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Graveyard Shift?
The Internet industry offers the highest average compensation for Graveyard Shift 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.
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