Plastics Technician Salary in the United States

How much does a Plastics Technician make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Plastics Technician in the United States is $42,481 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $20.

However, a Plastics Technician's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $55,104
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $37,726 to $49,088
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $33,396

Key Factors That Influence Plastics Technician Salaries

A Plastics Technician'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 Plastics Technician Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Plastics Technician'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): $41,820
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $42,018
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $43,009
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $45,420
  • Expert (over 8 years): $46,337
Levels Salary
Entry Level Plastics Technician$41,820
Intermediate Level Plastics Technician$42,018
Senior Level Plastics Technician$43,009
Specialist Level Plastics Technician$45,420
Expert Level Plastics Technician$46,337

How Do Plastics Technician 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 Plastics Technicians. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $47,035.
  • California: $46,856.
  • Massachusetts: $46,232.

Top Paying Cities for Plastics Technicians

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: $53,581
  • San Francisco: $52,994
  • Oakland: $51,877

What Skills Can Increase a Plastics Technician's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 9.56% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Restaurant Operation (Mentioned in 4.12% Job Postings): Restaurant operations are various activities that are carried out in a restaurant to run the business. These include all activities involved in the preparation of food, customer service, cleaning, purchasing raw materials, accounting, reporting, etc.
  • Preventive Maintenance (Mentioned in 1.79% Job Postings): Preventive maintenance is the act of performing regularly scheduled maintenance activities to help prevent unexpected failures in the future. Put simply, it's about fixing things before they break.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 9.56%
Restaurant Operation 4.12%
Preventive Maintenance 1.79%

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 Plastics Technician's salary.

  • Management Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 31%.
  • Hard Working: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
  • Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 26%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Management Skills $55,650
31%
Hard Working $53,526
26%
Products and Services $53,526
26%

Plastics Technician Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Plastics Technician 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 Financial Services and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Plastics Technician positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Plastics Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Plastics Technician

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$50,977$25.020%
Energy & Utilities$48,853$23.015%
Internet$48,853$23.015%
Chemicals$46,729$22.010%
Software & Networking$46,729$22.010%

Plastics Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Plastics Technician'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 October 01, 2026
$37,726
Average $42,481/year
$49,088
$3,144
Average $3,540/month
$4,091
$725
Average $817/week
$944
$18
Average $20/hour
$24
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $49,088 $4,091 $944 $24
Average $42,481 $3,540 $817 $20
25th Percentile $37,726 $3,144 $725 $18

Most common benefits for Plastics Technician

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Plastics Technician

Here are companies hiring for Plastics Technician and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Plastics Technician

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Plastics Technician?

The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Plastics Technician 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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