Roller Coaster Operator Salary in the United States
How much does a Roller Coaster Operator make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Roller Coaster Operator in the United States is $48,902 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $24.
However, a Roller Coaster Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $59,917
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $43,825 to $54,668
Key Factors That Influence Roller Coaster Operator Salaries
A Roller Coaster Operator'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 Roller Coaster Operator Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Roller Coaster Operator'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 Roller Coaster Operator 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 Roller Coaster Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $54,144.
California: $53,939.
Massachusetts: $53,220.
District of Columbia$54,144
California$53,939
Massachusetts$53,220
Washington$53,024
New Jersey$53,005
Alaska$52,936
Connecticut$52,261
New York$51,987
Hawaii$51,112
Rhode Island$50,701
Maryland$50,423
Minnesota$50,041
Colorado$49,894
Illinois$49,846
Oregon$49,660
Delaware$49,523
New Hampshire$49,437
Virginia$49,244
Pennsylvania$48,682
Nevada$48,398
North Dakota$48,305
Michigan$48,158
Wisconsin$48,105
Vermont$47,997
Texas$47,699
Maine$47,679
Arizona$47,650
Ohio$47,616
Georgia$47,166
Indiana$46,941
Wyoming$46,897
Utah$46,828
Iowa$46,799
Kansas$46,564
Louisiana$46,496
North Carolina$46,471
Missouri$46,462
Florida$46,271
Montana$46,168
Nebraska$46,070
Kentucky$46,016
South Carolina$45,821
Tennessee$45,699
Idaho$45,650
New Mexico$45,293
Oklahoma$45,215
Alabama$44,926
South Dakota$44,442
Arkansas$44,178
West Virginia$44,036
Mississippi$43,611
Top Paying Cities for Roller Coaster Operators
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: $61,680
San Francisco: $61,004
Oakland: $59,719
San Jose, CA$61,680
San Francisco, CA$61,004
Oakland, CA$59,719
New York, NY$56,305
Paramus, NJ$55,620
Queens Village, NY$55,618
Passaic, NJ$55,571
Bergenfield, NJ$55,567
Stamford, CT$55,459
Huntington, NY$55,439
Newark, NJ$55,078
Bridgeport, CT$54,975
Vallejo, CA$54,877
New Brunswick, NJ$54,858
Petaluma, CA$54,829
Middlesex, NJ$54,736
Somerset, NJ$54,701
Santa Cruz, CA$54,638
Boston, MA$54,340
Monterey, CA$54,168
Seattle, WA$54,056
Santa Rosa, CA$54,046
Los Angeles, CA$54,031
Juneau, AK$53,904
Washington, DC$53,851
Orange, CA$53,676
Santa Ana, CA$53,547
Long Beach, CA$53,498
Anaheim, CA$53,489
Anchorage, AK$53,464
Santa Maria, CA$53,318
Everett, WA$53,308
Danbury, CT$53,136
Bremerton, WA$53,068
Tacoma, WA$52,892
New Suffolk, NY$52,891
Sacramento, CA$52,877
Santa Barbara, CA$52,824
Trenton, NJ$52,770
San Diego, CA$52,770
Brockton, MA$52,716
Fairbanks, AK$52,596
Lompoc, CA$52,472
Lowell, MA$52,432
Ventura, CA$52,423
Nashua, NH$52,413
Stockton, CA$52,408
Modesto, CA$52,051
Poughkeepsie, NY$51,943
Olympia, WA$51,850
Kennewick, WA$51,850
New Haven, CT$51,831
Lawrence, MA$51,655
Hartford, CT$51,606
Riverside, CA$51,596
New Bedford, MA$51,547
Richland, WA$51,547
Bakersfield, CA$51,479
San Bernardino, CA$51,459
New Britain, CT$51,454
Atlantic City, NJ$51,454
New London, CT$51,435
Norwich, CT$51,420
Portsmouth, NH$51,410
Boulder, CO$51,307
Portland, OR$51,239
Worcester, MA$51,234
Minneapolis, MN$51,083
Philadelphia, PA$51,014
Honolulu, HI$50,853
Saint Paul, MN$50,829
Vineland, NJ$50,819
Providence, RI$50,677
Chicago, IL$50,535
Bellingham, WA$50,476
Springfield, MA$50,437
Baltimore, MD$50,423
Chico, CA$50,300
Pittsfield, MA$50,168
Manchester, NH$50,075
Spokane, WA$49,860
Denver, CO$49,855
Albany, NY$49,625
Troy, NY$49,606
Nassau, NY$49,554
Schenectady, NY$49,503
Wilmington, DE$49,464
Burlington, VT$49,396
Salem, OR$49,376
Portland, ME$49,224
Yakima, WA$49,176
Rochester, MN$49,024
Reno, NV$49,000
Fresno, CA$49,000
Milwaukee, WI$48,955
Detroit, MI$48,907
Ann Arbor, MI$48,898
Allentown, PA$48,892
Colorado Springs, CO$48,809
Syracuse, NY$48,784
Carson City, NV$48,784
Houston, TX$48,716
Eugene, OR$48,691
Gary, IN$48,633
Springfield, OR$48,594
Bismarck, ND$48,584
Galveston, TX$48,550
Medford, OR$48,476
Fort Collins, CO$48,457
Concord, NH$48,432
Austin, TX$48,418
Mesa, AZ$48,315
Reading, PA$48,310
Phoenix, AZ$48,305
Dallas, TX$48,290
Saint Cloud, MN$48,243
Madison, WI$48,178
Utica, NY$48,046
Rochester, NY$47,968
Des Moines, IA$47,963
Raleigh, NC$47,958
Atlanta, GA$47,885
Battle Creek, MI$47,870
Salt Lake City, UT$47,855
Lancaster, PA$47,782
Harrisburg, PA$47,713
Kansas City, MO$47,664
Champaign, IL$47,655
Kansas City, KS$47,655
Fort Worth, TX$47,650
Columbus, OH$47,642
Boca Raton, FL$47,630
Pittsburgh, PA$47,611
Richmond, VA$47,591
Indianapolis, IN$47,581
Cleveland, OH$47,576
Las Vegas, NV$47,518
Cincinnati, OH$47,518
Petersburg, VA$47,444
Huntsville, AL$47,371
Lansing, MI$47,338
Lebanon, PA$47,332
Pueblo, CO$47,327
Appleton, WI$47,312
Buffalo, NY$47,293
Dayton, OH$47,278
Racine, WI$47,268
Charlotte, NC$47,263
Saint Louis, MO$47,249
York, PA$47,219
Elkhart, IN$47,219
Gastonia, NC$47,210
Billings, MT$47,198
Beaumont, TX$47,185
Lorain, OH$47,175
Benton Harbor, MI$47,166
Toledo, OH$47,156
Binghamton, NY$47,131
Rock Hill, SC$47,127
Rockford, IL$47,102
Springfield, IL$47,083
Elyria, OH$47,078
Fargo, ND$47,078
Flagstaff, AZ$47,043
Fort Lauderdale, FL$47,014
Duluth, MN$46,985
Miami, FL$46,985
Cheyenne, WY$46,951
Grand Forks, ND$46,951
Bangor, ME$46,843
Cedar Rapids, IA$46,789
Durham, NC$46,769
Louisville, KY$46,765
Grand Rapids, MI$46,755
Hialeah, FL$46,750
Casper, WY$46,682
Scranton, PA$46,623
New Orleans, LA$46,608
Virginia Beach, VA$46,603
Akron, OH$46,579
Peoria, IL$46,515
Sarasota, FL$46,506
Nashville, TN$46,471
Omaha, NE$46,471
Green Bay, WI$46,471
Baton Rouge, LA$46,447
Charleston, SC$46,437
Jamestown, NY$46,413
Davenport, IA$46,413
Tucson, AZ$46,388
Saint Petersburg, FL$46,359
Tampa, FL$46,349
Evansville, IN$46,320
Port Arthur, TX$46,320
Bradenton, FL$46,300
Santa Fe, NM$46,212
Orlando, FL$46,124
Clearwater, FL$46,109
Canton, OH$46,007
La Crosse, WI$46,007
Albuquerque, NM$45,977
Newport News, VA$45,972
High Point, NC$45,958
Ogden, UT$45,938
Corpus Christi, TX$45,899
Norfolk, VA$45,870
Laramie, WY$45,870
Rock Island, IL$45,840
Saginaw, MI$45,831
Jacksonville, FL$45,826
Salisbury, NC$45,816
Boise, ID$45,806
Moline, IL$45,782
Fort Myers, FL$45,767
Memphis, TN$45,757
Tulsa, OK$45,733
Waterloo, IA$45,704
Spartanburg, SC$45,655
Lincoln, NE$45,630
Fort Wayne, IN$45,620
Provo, UT$45,616
Cedar Falls, IA$45,557
San Antonio, TX$45,537
Greensboro, NC$45,518
South Bend, IN$45,513
Savannah, GA$45,459
Muskegon, MI$45,439
Birmingham, AL$45,435
Winston Salem, NC$45,411
Lake Charles, LA$45,293
Anderson, IN$45,283
Lexington, KY$45,268
Augusta, GA$45,254
Greenville, SC$45,254
Lima, OH$45,215
Wichita, KS$45,210
Tuscaloosa, AL$45,210
Columbia, SC$45,166
Springfield, OH$45,156
Asheville, NC$45,078
Bloomington, IN$45,043
Knoxville, TN$44,867
Shreveport, LA$44,862
Wilmington, NC$44,799
Roanoke, VA$44,799
Topeka, KS$44,711
Frankfort, KY$44,705
Oklahoma City, OK$44,672
Chillicothe, OH$44,652
Longview, TX$44,647
Melbourne, FL$44,642
Sioux Falls, SD$44,564
Mobile, AL$44,559
Terre Haute, IN$44,540
Altoona, PA$44,510
Amarillo, TX$44,476
Killeen, TX$44,461
Fayetteville, AR$44,422
Chattanooga, TN$44,408
Sioux City, IA$44,364
Idaho Falls, ID$44,354
Lynchburg, VA$44,315
Gainesville, FL$44,251
Portsmouth, OH$44,227
Little Rock, AR$44,217
Lafayette, LA$44,197
Youngstown, OH$44,197
Daytona Beach, FL$44,168
Clarksville, TN$44,163
Pensacola, FL$44,158
Temple, TX$44,155
Hopkinsville, KY$44,012
Erie, PA$44,002
Florence, SC$43,982
Charleston, WV$43,904
Great Falls, MT$43,879
Macon, GA$43,811
Tallahassee, FL$43,806
Fayetteville, NC$43,796
Waco, TX$43,787
Helena, MT$43,752
Pine Bluff, AR$43,734
Vincennes, IN$43,674
Lubbock, TX$43,655
Alamogordo, NM$43,625
Twin Falls, ID$43,581
Rapid City, SD$43,567
Jackson, MS$43,479
Huntington, WV$43,475
Greenville, MS$43,474
Parkersburg, WV$43,424
Montgomery, AL$43,415
Wichita Falls, TX$43,366
Springfield, MO$43,366
Biloxi, MS$43,342
Monroe, LA$43,293
Johnstown, PA$43,258
Sumter, SC$43,239
Columbus, GA$43,234
Pascagoula, MS$43,141
Abilene, TX$43,141
Kingsport, TN$43,014
Albany, GA$43,014
Gulfport, MS$42,999
Alexandria, LA$42,838
Fort Smith, AR$42,716
El Paso, TX$42,584
Las Cruces, NM$42,364
Harlingen, TX$42,239
Pocatello, ID$42,232
Florence, AL$42,168
Brownsville, TX$42,158
Mcallen, TX$42,055
Dothan, AL$41,987
Columbus, MS$41,697
Altus, OK$41,469
Lawton, OK$41,376
Pierre, SD$41,200
What Skills Can Increase a Roller Coaster Operator's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 4.27% 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.
Container (Mentioned in 2.85% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.
CornerStone (Mentioned in 2% Job Postings): A relational database for MS-DOS released by Infocom, a company best known in the 1980s for developing interactive fiction video games. It is generally considered a key factor in Infocom's demise.
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 Roller Coaster Operator's salary.
Confidentiality: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Roller Coaster Operator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Roller Coaster Operator roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Financial Services and Software & Networking
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Roller Coaster Operator positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Roller Coaster Operator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Roller Coaster Operator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services
$58,682
$28.0
20%
Software & Networking
$58,682
$28.0
20%
Biotechnology
$56,237
$27.0
15%
Pharmaceuticals
$56,237
$27.0
15%
Energy & Utilities
$53,792
$26.0
10%
How Education impacts a Roller Coaster Operator's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Roller Coaster Operators enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Roller Coaster Operator with a Associate's Degree is between
$47,367
and $50,672).
Understanding how a Roller Coaster Operator'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
$43,825
Average$48,902/year
$54,668
$3,652
Average$4,075/month
$4,556
$843
Average$940/week
$1,051
$21
Average$24/hour
$26
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$54,668
$4,556
$1,051
$26
Average
$48,902
$4,075
$940
$24
25th Percentile
$43,825
$3,652
$843
$21
Salaries of Jobs related to Roller Coaster Operator
Roller Hockey Instructor Summer Camp$79,372
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Technician Roller Coating$52,748
Crane Operator$52,062
Camera Operator$47,239
Operator$47,135
Asphalt Roller Operator$46,153
Roller Coaster Technician$40,072
Fingerprint Roller$38,607
Switchboard Operator$38,404
Sushi Roller$31,851
Salary Trends for Roller Coaster Operator
Salaries for a Roller Coaster Operator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $44,129 in 2023
to around $43,041 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Roller Coaster Operator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Roller Coaster Operator Over Time
$???
$44,129
$43,429
$43,041
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$44,129
2024
$43,429
2025
$43,041
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Roller Coaster Operator
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Roller Coaster Operator
Here are companies hiring for Roller Coaster Operator 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
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FAQ about Roller Coaster Operator
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Roller Coaster Operator?
The Financial Services industry offers the highest average compensation for Roller Coaster Operator 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.
