Spotter Salary in the United States

How much does a Spotter make in the United States?

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Spotter in the United States is $53,060 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $62,438
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $47,317 to $57,969
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $42,089
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View as table View as graph 25% $47,317 10% $42,089 90% $62,438 75% $57,969 $53,060 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Spotter Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary		 Monthly
Pay		 Weekly
Pay		 Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $57,969 $4,831 $1,115 $28
Average $53,060 $4,422 $1,020 $26
25th Percentile $47,317 $3,943 $910 $23
Check out Spotter Job Openings in the United States
CDL Spotter

Ace Hardware - West Jefferson, OH

Yard Driver Spotter CDL

NFI Industries - Napoleon, OH

Non CDL Yard Driver Spotter

NFI Industries - Napoleon, OH

Machine Spotter

Innovative Cleaning Services - Johnstown, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Spotter Salaries

A Spotter'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 Do Spotter 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 Spotters. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $58,748.
  • California: $58,526.
  • Massachusetts: $57,746.

Top Paying Cities for Spotters

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: $66,925
  • San Francisco: $66,192
  • Oakland: $64,797

What Skills Can Increase a Spotter's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 7.87% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
  • Pneumatics (Mentioned in 2.84% Job Postings): Pneumatics (pronounced new-MATT-ix) is an aspect of physics and engineering that is concerned with using the energy in compressed gas to make something move or work.
  • Electrical Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 2.11% Job Postings): Electrical troubleshooting is the process of analyzing the behavior or operation of a faulty electrical circuit to determine what is wrong with the electrical circuit.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 7.87%
Pneumatics 2.84%
Electrical Troubleshooting 2.11%
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 Spotter's salary.
  • Site Survey: Can increase your salary by up to 83%.
  • Industrial Automation: Can increase your salary by up to 41%.
  • AutoCAD: Can increase your salary by up to 25%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Site Survey
 $97,100
83%
Industrial Automation
 $74,815
41%
AutoCAD
 $66,325
25%
Programming
 $60,489
14%
Electrical Engineering
 $58,897
11%
Innovation
 $58,366
10%
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Spotter Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Spotter 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 Aerospace & Defense and Pharmaceuticals sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Spotter positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Transportation typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Spotter as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Spotter

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$63,672$31.020%
Pharmaceuticals$63,672$31.020%
Energy & Utilities$61,019$29.015%
Financial Services$58,366$28.010%
Insurance$58,366$28.010%

How Education impacts a Spotter's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Spotters 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 a Spotter with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $48,768 and $52,556).

Spotter Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Spotter
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.6%
High School 13.6%
Associates 45.2%
Bachelors 37.9%
Masters 2.3%
Doctorate 0.6%
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Spotter Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Spotter'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 July 01, 2026
$47,317
Average $53,060/year
$57,969
$3,943
Average $4,422/month
$4,831
$910
Average $1,020/week
$1,115
$23
Average $26/hour
$28
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $57,969 $4,831 $1,115 $28
Average $53,060 $4,422 $1,020 $26
25th Percentile $47,317 $3,943 $910 $23

Salaries of jobs related to Spotter

Salary Trends for Spotter

Salaries for a Spotter can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $63,409 in 2023 to around $61,713 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Spotter salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Spotter Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$63,409
2024
$63,242
2025
$61,713
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $63,409
2024 $63,242
2025 $61,713
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Spotter

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

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

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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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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