What are the main factors that influence an Apprentice Operator's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change an Apprentice Operator's salary?

An Apprentice Operator's salary grows with experience: starting around $36,453 for beginners, reaching about $38,379 at mid-level, and approach $38,577 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for an Apprentice Operator?

Apprentice Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Apprentice Operator roles are District of Columbia $41,396, California $41,239, Massachusetts $40,689. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Apprentice Operator roles make?

Salaries for Apprentice Operator level roles vary by specialization: Apprentice Mobile Equipment Operator: $77,621; Apprentice Power Plant Operator: $73,586; Lineman Apprentice: $62,983; Apprentice Terminal Operator: $60,310; Electrician - Apprentice: $55,600.

How do different companies affect an Apprentice Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Apprentice Operator roles. Large, established industry leaders like Kpmg Us LLP ($114,295) and Warner Bros Discovery ($114,096) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $88,138.

Apprentice Operator Salary in the United States

How much does an Apprentice Operator make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for an Apprentice Operator in the United States is $37,388 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $18.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $42,536
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $33,443 to $40,083
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $29,850

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Apprentice Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$40,083	$3,340	$771	$19
Average	$37,388	$3,116	$719	$18
25th Percentile	$33,443	$2,787	$643	$16

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Check out Apprentice Operator Job Openings in the United States

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Key Factors That Influence Apprentice Operator Salaries

An Apprentice 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 Apprentice Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Apprentice 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:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $36,453
Early Career (1-2 years): $37,269
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $38,379
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $38,498
Expert (over 8 years): $38,577

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Apprentice Operator	$36,453
Intermediate Level Apprentice Operator	$37,269
Senior Level Apprentice Operator	$38,379
Specialist Level Apprentice Operator	$38,498
Expert Level Apprentice Operator	$38,577

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Apprentice 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 Apprentice Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $41,396.
California: $41,239.
Massachusetts: $40,689.

District of Columbia $41,396

California $41,239

Massachusetts $40,689

Washington $40,540

New Jersey $40,525

Alaska $40,472

Connecticut $39,956

New York $39,747

Hawaii $39,078

Rhode Island $38,764

Maryland $38,551

Minnesota $38,259

Colorado $38,147

Illinois $38,109

Oregon $37,967

Delaware $37,863

New Hampshire $37,797

Virginia $37,650

Pennsylvania $37,220

Nevada $37,003

North Dakota $36,932

Michigan $36,820

Wisconsin $36,778

Vermont $36,696

Texas $36,468

Maine $36,453

Arizona $36,431

Ohio $36,405

Georgia $36,061

Indiana $35,889

Wyoming $35,855

Utah $35,803

Iowa $35,780

Kansas $35,601

Louisiana $35,548

North Carolina $35,530

Missouri $35,522

Florida $35,376

Montana $35,298

Nebraska $35,223

Kentucky $35,182

South Carolina $35,032

Tennessee $34,939

Idaho $34,902

New Mexico $34,629

Oklahoma $34,569

Alabama $34,348

South Dakota $33,978

Arkansas $33,776

West Virginia $33,668

Mississippi $33,343

Top Paying Cities for Apprentice 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: $47,157
San Francisco: $46,694
Oakland: $45,658

San Jose, CA $47,157

San Francisco, CA $46,694

Oakland, CA $45,658

New York, NY $43,329

Queens Village, NY $43,048

Paramus, NJ $42,749

Passaic, NJ $42,712

Bergenfield, NJ $42,675

Stamford, CT $42,618

Huntington, NY $42,581

Newark, NJ $42,338

Bridgeport, CT $42,263

New Brunswick, NJ $42,140

Vallejo, CA $42,061

Middlesex, NJ $42,039

Somerset, NJ $42,005

Petaluma, CA $41,919

Santa Cruz, CA $41,774

Boston, MA $41,699

Monterey, CA $41,512

Fairbanks, AK $41,486

Los Angeles, CA $41,415

Washington, DC $41,396

Seattle, WA $41,329

Santa Rosa, CA $41,321

Juneau, AK $41,213

Orange, CA $41,089

Anchorage, AK $41,022

Anaheim, CA $40,996

Santa Ana, CA $40,940

Nassau, NY $40,917

Long Beach, CA $40,902

Danbury, CT $40,891

Santa Maria, CA $40,764

Everett, WA $40,757

Bremerton, WA $40,573

Trenton, NJ $40,502

Sacramento, CA $40,487

San Diego, CA $40,469

Brockton, MA $40,454

Tacoma, WA $40,439

Santa Barbara, CA $40,386

Lowell, MA $40,237

New Suffolk, NY $40,222

Nashua, NH $40,177

Lompoc, CA $40,117

Ventura, CA $40,080

Stockton, CA $40,069

New Haven, CT $39,994

Atlantic City, NJ $39,897

Hartford, CT $39,814

Modesto, CA $39,796

Poughkeepsie, NY $39,713

New Britain, CT $39,695

Olympia, WA $39,642

Kennewick, WA $39,642

New London, CT $39,635

Norwich, CT $39,624

Lawrence, MA $39,605

Bakersfield, CA $39,500

Riverside, CA $39,448

New Bedford, MA $39,448

Richland, WA $39,411

Portsmouth, NH $39,381

Vineland, NJ $39,373

San Bernardino, CA $39,343

Boulder, CO $39,239

Worcester, MA $39,209

Portland, OR $39,175

Saint Paul, MN $39,130

Minneapolis, MN $39,130

Philadelphia, PA $39,078

Honolulu, HI $38,880

Springfield, MA $38,749

Providence, RI $38,745

Chicago, IL $38,637

Bellingham, WA $38,592

Baltimore, MD $38,551

Chico, CA $38,457

Wilmington, DE $38,394

Pittsfield, MA $38,356

Manchester, NH $38,285

Spokane, WA $38,121

Denver, CO $38,117

Albany, NY $37,941

Troy, NY $37,926

Schenectady, NY $37,848

Burlington, VT $37,766

Portland, ME $37,635

Salem, OR $37,605

Yakima, WA $37,597

Ann Arbor, MI $37,586

Rochester, MN $37,481

Fresno, CA $37,463

Reno, NV $37,463

Milwaukee, WI $37,429

Detroit, MI $37,392

Allentown, PA $37,380

Carson City, NV $37,377

Houston, TX $37,321

Colorado Springs, CO $37,317

Syracuse, NY $37,298

Eugene, OR $37,227

Bismarck, ND $37,182

Gary, IN $37,182

Galveston, TX $37,182

Springfield, OR $37,152

Medford, OR $37,063

Fort Collins, CO $37,048

Austin, TX $37,018

Mesa, AZ $36,939

Phoenix, AZ $36,932

Dallas, TX $36,921

Reading, PA $36,898

Saint Cloud, MN $36,883

Concord, NH $36,850

Madison, WI $36,835

Utica, NY $36,734

Raleigh, NC $36,704

Las Vegas, NV $36,700

Rochester, NY $36,674

Des Moines, IA $36,670

Atlanta, GA $36,610

Battle Creek, MI $36,599

Salt Lake City, UT $36,588

Lancaster, PA $36,532

Champaign, IL $36,524

Harrisburg, PA $36,479

Durham, NC $36,446

Kansas City, MO $36,442

Kansas City, KS $36,435

Fort Worth, TX $36,431

Boca Raton, FL $36,416

Cleveland, OH $36,412

Columbus, OH $36,405

Pittsburgh, PA $36,401

Richmond, VA $36,386

Indianapolis, IN $36,378

Cincinnati, OH $36,330

Petersburg, VA $36,274

Billings, MT $36,191

Lansing, MI $36,191

Huntsville, AL $36,191

Lebanon, PA $36,188

Dayton, OH $36,184

Pueblo, CO $36,184

Appleton, WI $36,173

Buffalo, NY $36,158

Racine, WI $36,139

Charlotte, NC $36,135

Saint Louis, MO $36,124

Springfield, IL $36,109

Elkhart, IN $36,102

York, PA $36,102

Gastonia, NC $36,098

Benton Harbor, MI $36,098

Beaumont, TX $36,076

Lorain, OH $36,068

Toledo, OH $36,053

Binghamton, NY $36,034

Rock Hill, SC $36,031

Rockford, IL $36,012

Fargo, ND $35,993

Elyria, OH $35,993

Flagstaff, AZ $35,967

Fort Lauderdale, FL $35,945

Miami, FL $35,922

Duluth, MN $35,862

Bangor, ME $35,814

Cedar Rapids, IA $35,773

Louisville, KY $35,754

Grand Rapids, MI $35,747

Hialeah, FL $35,743

Casper, WY $35,690

Scranton, PA $35,646

New Orleans, LA $35,634

Virginia Beach, VA $35,631

Akron, OH $35,612

Peoria, IL $35,563

Sarasota, FL $35,556

Green Bay, WI $35,530

Baton Rouge, LA $35,511

Charleston, SC $35,504

Nashville, TN $35,492

Jamestown, NY $35,485

Davenport, IA $35,485

Tucson, AZ $35,466

Cheyenne, WY $35,455

Saint Petersburg, FL $35,444

Tampa, FL $35,436

Omaha, NE $35,429

Port Arthur, TX $35,414

Evansville, IN $35,414

Bradenton, FL $35,399

Santa Fe, NM $35,332

Orlando, FL $35,294

Clearwater, FL $35,253

Canton, OH $35,175

La Crosse, WI $35,175

Grand Forks, ND $35,163

Albuquerque, NM $35,152

Tulsa, OK $35,152

Newport News, VA $35,148

High Point, NC $35,137

Ogden, UT $35,122

Corpus Christi, TX $35,092

Laramie, WY $35,070

Norfolk, VA $35,070

Rock Island, IL $35,047

Saginaw, MI $35,040

Jacksonville, FL $35,036

Salisbury, NC $35,029

Memphis, TN $35,021

Moline, IL $35,003

Fort Myers, FL $34,991

Waterloo, IA $34,943

Spartanburg, SC $34,905

Lincoln, NE $34,887

Fort Wayne, IN $34,879

Birmingham, AL $34,838

Cedar Falls, IA $34,831

Provo, UT $34,827

Springfield, OH $34,823

San Antonio, TX $34,816

Greensboro, NC $34,801

South Bend, IN $34,797

Winston Salem, NC $34,793

Boise, ID $34,782

Savannah, GA $34,756

Muskegon, MI $34,688

Lima, OH $34,644

Lake Charles, LA $34,629

Anderson, IN $34,621

Lexington, KY $34,610

Augusta, GA $34,599

Greenville, SC $34,599

Wichita, KS $34,565

Tuscaloosa, AL $34,565

Columbia, SC $34,531

Bloomington, IN $34,438

Roanoke, VA $34,416

Asheville, NC $34,367

Knoxville, TN $34,303

Shreveport, LA $34,300

Wilmington, NC $34,251

Frankfort, KY $34,180

Oklahoma City, OK $34,154

Chillicothe, OH $34,139

Longview, TX $34,135

Topeka, KS $34,124

Mobile, AL $34,068

Terre Haute, IN $34,053

Erie, PA $34,049

Altoona, PA $34,030

Melbourne, FL $34,019

Amarillo, TX $34,004

Killeen, TX $33,993

Fayetteville, AR $33,963

Sioux Falls, SD $33,937

Chattanooga, TN $33,915

Idaho Falls, ID $33,911

Gainesville, FL $33,832

Portsmouth, OH $33,814

Little Rock, AR $33,806

Lynchburg, VA $33,806

Lafayette, LA $33,791

Youngstown, OH $33,791

Temple, TX $33,776

Daytona Beach, FL $33,769

Clarksville, TN $33,765

Pensacola, FL $33,761

Hopkinsville, KY $33,649

Charleston, WV $33,645

Florence, SC $33,627

Sioux City, IA $33,604

Macon, GA $33,496

Tallahassee, FL $33,492

Fayetteville, NC $33,485

Waco, TX $33,477

Wichita Falls, TX $33,477

Pine Bluff, AR $33,462

Vincennes, IN $33,391

Lubbock, TX $33,376

Great Falls, MT $33,354

Alamogordo, NM $33,350

Abilene, TX $33,320

Rapid City, SD $33,271

Monroe, LA $33,271

Albany, GA $33,249

Huntington, WV $33,245

Jackson, MS $33,242

Greenville, MS $33,238

Parkersburg, WV $33,200

Montgomery, AL $33,193

Johnstown, PA $33,186

Springfield, MO $33,156

Biloxi, MS $33,137

Sumter, SC $33,058

Columbus, GA $33,055

Twin Falls, ID $33,032

Pascagoula, MS $32,984

Kingsport, TN $32,886

Gulfport, MS $32,875

Alexandria, LA $32,752

Fort Smith, AR $32,658

El Paso, TX $32,557

Helena, MT $32,509

Las Cruces, NM $32,389

Harlingen, TX $32,284

Pocatello, ID $32,251

Florence, AL $32,240

Brownsville, TX $32,232

Dothan, AL $32,172

Mcallen, TX $32,154

Columbus, MS $31,877

Altus, OK $31,705

Lawton, OK $31,634

Pierre, SD $31,499

What Skills Can Increase an Apprentice Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Problem Solving (Mentioned in 9.09% Job Postings): Analyzing and identifying the root cause of problems and applying critical thinking skills to solve problems.
Bank Operations (Mentioned in 4.55% Job Postings): Banking operations are bank-specific economic activities listed in the Banking Law which involve provision of certain financial services to their recipients against payment and under an agreement concluded with the client.
Computer Knowledge (Mentioned in 4.55% Job Postings): Computer literacy is defined as the knowledge and ability to use computers and related technology efficiently, with skill levels ranging from elementary use to computer programming and advanced problem solving.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Problem Solving	9.09%
Bank Operations	4.55%
Computer Knowledge	4.55%

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 an Apprentice Operator's salary.

Listening: Can increase your salary by up to 32%.
Presentation: Can increase your salary by up to 25%.
Accounting: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Listening	$49,352	32%
Presentation	$46,735	25%
Accounting	$41,501	11%
Microsoft Word	$40,753	9%
PowerPoint	$40,753	9%
Flexibility	$39,257	5%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts an Apprentice Operator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Apprentice Operators 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 an Apprentice Operator with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $31,307 and $33,305).

Apprentice Operator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Apprentice Operator

No Diploma 50.0%

High School 50.0%

Associates 15.0%

Bachelors 30.0%

Masters 0.0%

Doctorate 5.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	50.0%
High School	50.0%
Associates	15.0%
Bachelors	30.0%
Masters	0.0%
Doctorate	5.0%

view as graph

Apprentice Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Apprentice 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.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$33,443

Average $37,388/year

$40,083

$2,787

Average $3,116/month

$3,340

$643

Average $719/week

$771

$16

Average $18/hour

$19

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$40,083	$3,340	$771	$19
Average	$37,388	$3,116	$719	$18
25th Percentile	$33,443	$2,787	$643	$16

Salaries of jobs related to Apprentice Operator

Salary Trends for Apprentice Operator

Salaries for an Apprentice Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $34,624 in 2023 to around $33,958 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Apprentice Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Apprentice Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$34,624

2024

$34,308

2025

$33,958

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$34,624
2024	$34,308
2025	$33,958
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Apprentice Operator

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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.)

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