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: a Apprentice Operator (0-1 years)earns $37,169, a Proof Operator, Sr. (1-3 years)earns $46,462, a Proof Supervisor (3+ years)earns $64,492, a Proof Department Manager (3-5 years)earns $76,493,

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 $41,372, California $41,215, Massachusetts $40,666. 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: $77,699; Apprentice Power Plant Operator: $73,658; Lineman Apprentice: $63,011; Apprentice Terminal Operator: $60,370; 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 May 01, 2026, the average salary for an Apprentice Operator in the United States is $37,366 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): $42,479
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $33,411 to $40,042
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $29,810

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Apprentice Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$40,042	$3,337	$770	$19
Average	$37,366	$3,114	$719	$18
25th Percentile	$33,411	$2,784	$643	$16

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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 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: $41,372.
California: $41,215.
Massachusetts: $40,666.

District of Columbia $41,372

California $41,215

Massachusetts $40,666

Washington $40,516

New Jersey $40,501

Alaska $40,449

Connecticut $39,933

New York $39,724

Hawaii $39,055

Rhode Island $38,741

Maryland $38,528

Minnesota $38,237

Colorado $38,125

Illinois $38,087

Oregon $37,945

Delaware $37,841

New Hampshire $37,775

Virginia $37,628

Pennsylvania $37,198

Nevada $36,981

North Dakota $36,910

Michigan $36,798

Wisconsin $36,757

Vermont $36,675

Texas $36,447

Maine $36,432

Arizona $36,410

Ohio $36,383

Georgia $36,040

Indiana $35,868

Wyoming $35,834

Utah $35,782

Iowa $35,759

Kansas $35,580

Louisiana $35,528

North Carolina $35,509

Missouri $35,502

Florida $35,356

Montana $35,277

Nebraska $35,203

Kentucky $35,162

South Carolina $35,012

Tennessee $34,919

Idaho $34,881

New Mexico $34,608

Oklahoma $34,549

Alabama $34,328

South Dakota $33,958

Arkansas $33,757

West Virginia $33,648

Mississippi $33,323

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: $47,130
San Francisco: $46,614
Oakland: $45,631

San Jose, CA $47,130

San Francisco, CA $46,614

Oakland, CA $45,631

New York, NY $43,023

Paramus, NJ $42,500

Queens Village, NY $42,498

Passaic, NJ $42,462

Bergenfield, NJ $42,459

Stamford, CT $42,377

Huntington, NY $42,362

Newark, NJ $42,085

Bridgeport, CT $42,007

Vallejo, CA $41,932

New Brunswick, NJ $41,917

Petaluma, CA $41,895

Middlesex, NJ $41,824

Somerset, NJ $41,798

Santa Cruz, CA $41,749

Boston, MA $41,521

Monterey, CA $41,390

Seattle, WA $41,304

Santa Rosa, CA $41,297

Los Angeles, CA $41,286

Juneau, AK $41,189

Washington, DC $41,148

Orange, CA $41,015

Santa Ana, CA $40,916

Long Beach, CA $40,879

Anaheim, CA $40,871

Anchorage, AK $40,852

Santa Maria, CA $40,740

Everett, WA $40,733

Danbury, CT $40,601

Bremerton, WA $40,550

Tacoma, WA $40,415

New Suffolk, NY $40,414

Sacramento, CA $40,404

Santa Barbara, CA $40,363

Trenton, NJ $40,322

San Diego, CA $40,322

Brockton, MA $40,281

Fairbanks, AK $40,189

Lompoc, CA $40,094

Lowell, MA $40,064

Ventura, CA $40,056

Nashua, NH $40,049

Stockton, CA $40,045

Modesto, CA $39,772

Poughkeepsie, NY $39,690

Olympia, WA $39,619

Kennewick, WA $39,619

New Haven, CT $39,604

Lawrence, MA $39,470

Hartford, CT $39,432

Riverside, CA $39,425

New Bedford, MA $39,388

Richland, WA $39,388

Bakersfield, CA $39,335

San Bernardino, CA $39,320

New Britain, CT $39,317

Atlantic City, NJ $39,317

New London, CT $39,302

Norwich, CT $39,290

Portsmouth, NH $39,283

Boulder, CO $39,204

Portland, OR $39,152

Worcester, MA $39,148

Minneapolis, MN $39,033

Philadelphia, PA $38,980

Honolulu, HI $38,857

Saint Paul, MN $38,839

Vineland, NJ $38,831

Providence, RI $38,722

Chicago, IL $38,614

Bellingham, WA $38,569

Springfield, MA $38,539

Baltimore, MD $38,528

Chico, CA $38,435

Pittsfield, MA $38,334

Manchester, NH $38,263

Spokane, WA $38,098

Denver, CO $38,095

Albany, NY $37,919

Troy, NY $37,904

Nassau, NY $37,864

Schenectady, NY $37,826

Wilmington, DE $37,796

Burlington, VT $37,743

Salem, OR $37,729

Portland, ME $37,613

Yakima, WA $37,575

Rochester, MN $37,460

Reno, NV $37,441

Fresno, CA $37,441

Milwaukee, WI $37,407

Detroit, MI $37,370

Ann Arbor, MI $37,363

Allentown, PA $37,359

Colorado Springs, CO $37,295

Syracuse, NY $37,276

Carson City, NV $37,276

Houston, TX $37,224

Eugene, OR $37,205

Gary, IN $37,161

Springfield, OR $37,131

Bismarck, ND $37,123

Galveston, TX $37,097

Medford, OR $37,041

Fort Collins, CO $37,026

Concord, NH $37,007

Austin, TX $36,996

Mesa, AZ $36,918

Reading, PA $36,914

Phoenix, AZ $36,910

Dallas, TX $36,899

Saint Cloud, MN $36,863

Madison, WI $36,813

Utica, NY $36,712

Rochester, NY $36,652

Des Moines, IA $36,649

Raleigh, NC $36,645

Atlanta, GA $36,589

Battle Creek, MI $36,578

Salt Lake City, UT $36,566

Lancaster, PA $36,510

Harrisburg, PA $36,458

Kansas City, MO $36,421

Champaign, IL $36,413

Kansas City, KS $36,413

Fort Worth, TX $36,410

Columbus, OH $36,403

Boca Raton, FL $36,395

Pittsburgh, PA $36,380

Richmond, VA $36,365

Indianapolis, IN $36,357

Cleveland, OH $36,353

Las Vegas, NV $36,309

Cincinnati, OH $36,309

Petersburg, VA $36,253

Huntsville, AL $36,197

Lansing, MI $36,172

Lebanon, PA $36,167

Pueblo, CO $36,163

Appleton, WI $36,152

Buffalo, NY $36,137

Dayton, OH $36,126

Racine, WI $36,118

Charlotte, NC $36,114

Saint Louis, MO $36,103

York, PA $36,081

Elkhart, IN $36,081

Gastonia, NC $36,074

Billings, MT $36,065

Beaumont, TX $36,055

Lorain, OH $36,047

Benton Harbor, MI $36,040

Toledo, OH $36,032

Binghamton, NY $36,013

Rock Hill, SC $36,010

Rockford, IL $35,991

Springfield, IL $35,976

Elyria, OH $35,972

Fargo, ND $35,972

Flagstaff, AZ $35,946

Fort Lauderdale, FL $35,924

Duluth, MN $35,901

Miami, FL $35,901

Cheyenne, WY $35,875

Grand Forks, ND $35,875

Bangor, ME $35,793

Cedar Rapids, IA $35,752

Durham, NC $35,736

Louisville, KY $35,733

Grand Rapids, MI $35,726

Hialeah, FL $35,722

Casper, WY $35,670

Scranton, PA $35,625

New Orleans, LA $35,614

Virginia Beach, VA $35,610

Akron, OH $35,591

Peoria, IL $35,543

Sarasota, FL $35,535

Nashville, TN $35,509

Omaha, NE $35,509

Green Bay, WI $35,509

Baton Rouge, LA $35,490

Charleston, SC $35,483

Jamestown, NY $35,464

Davenport, IA $35,464

Tucson, AZ $35,445

Saint Petersburg, FL $35,423

Tampa, FL $35,416

Evansville, IN $35,393

Port Arthur, TX $35,393

Bradenton, FL $35,378

Santa Fe, NM $35,311

Orlando, FL $35,244

Clearwater, FL $35,232

Canton, OH $35,154

La Crosse, WI $35,154

Albuquerque, NM $35,132

Newport News, VA $35,128

High Point, NC $35,117

Ogden, UT $35,102

Corpus Christi, TX $35,072

Norfolk, VA $35,049

Laramie, WY $35,049

Rock Island, IL $35,027

Saginaw, MI $35,020

Jacksonville, FL $35,016

Salisbury, NC $35,008

Boise, ID $35,001

Moline, IL $34,982

Fort Myers, FL $34,971

Memphis, TN $34,963

Tulsa, OK $34,945

Waterloo, IA $34,922

Spartanburg, SC $34,885

Lincoln, NE $34,866

Fort Wayne, IN $34,859

Provo, UT $34,855

Cedar Falls, IA $34,810

San Antonio, TX $34,795

Greensboro, NC $34,780

South Bend, IN $34,777

Savannah, GA $34,736

Muskegon, MI $34,721

Birmingham, AL $34,717

Winston Salem, NC $34,699

Lake Charles, LA $34,608

Anderson, IN $34,601

Lexington, KY $34,590

Augusta, GA $34,579

Greenville, SC $34,579

Lima, OH $34,549

Wichita, KS $34,545

Tuscaloosa, AL $34,545

Columbia, SC $34,511

Springfield, OH $34,504

Asheville, NC $34,444

Bloomington, IN $34,418

Knoxville, TN $34,283

Shreveport, LA $34,280

Wilmington, NC $34,231

Roanoke, VA $34,231

Topeka, KS $34,164

Frankfort, KY $34,160

Oklahoma City, OK $34,134

Chillicothe, OH $34,119

Longview, TX $34,115

Melbourne, FL $34,112

Sioux Falls, SD $34,052

Mobile, AL $34,048

Terre Haute, IN $34,033

Altoona, PA $34,011

Amarillo, TX $33,984

Killeen, TX $33,973

Fayetteville, AR $33,943

Chattanooga, TN $33,932

Sioux City, IA $33,899

Idaho Falls, ID $33,891

Lynchburg, VA $33,861

Gainesville, FL $33,813

Portsmouth, OH $33,794

Little Rock, AR $33,786

Lafayette, LA $33,771

Youngstown, OH $33,771

Daytona Beach, FL $33,749

Clarksville, TN $33,745

Pensacola, FL $33,742

Temple, TX $33,739

Hopkinsville, KY $33,629

Erie, PA $33,622

Florence, SC $33,607

Charleston, WV $33,547

Great Falls, MT $33,529

Macon, GA $33,476

Tallahassee, FL $33,473

Fayetteville, NC $33,465

Waco, TX $33,458

Helena, MT $33,431

Pine Bluff, AR $33,417

Vincennes, IN $33,372

Lubbock, TX $33,357

Alamogordo, NM $33,334

Twin Falls, ID $33,301

Rapid City, SD $33,289

Jackson, MS $33,222

Huntington, WV $33,220

Greenville, MS $33,218

Parkersburg, WV $33,180

Montgomery, AL $33,174

Wichita Falls, TX $33,136

Springfield, MO $33,136

Biloxi, MS $33,118

Monroe, LA $33,080

Johnstown, PA $33,054

Sumter, SC $33,039

Columbus, GA $33,035

Pascagoula, MS $32,964

Abilene, TX $32,964

Kingsport, TN $32,867

Albany, GA $32,867

Gulfport, MS $32,856

Alexandria, LA $32,733

Fort Smith, AR $32,639

El Paso, TX $32,538

Las Cruces, NM $32,370

Harlingen, TX $32,275

Pocatello, ID $32,269

Florence, AL $32,221

Brownsville, TX $32,213

Mcallen, TX $32,135

Dothan, AL $32,083

Columbus, MS $31,861

Altus, OK $31,686

Lawton, OK $31,615

Pierre, SD $31,481

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	$49,323	32%
Presentation	$46,708	25%
Accounting	$41,476	11%
Microsoft Word	$40,729	9%
PowerPoint	$40,729	9%
Flexibility	$39,234	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 May 01, 2026

$33,411

Average $37,366/year

$40,042

$2,784

Average $3,114/month

$3,337

$643

Average $719/week

$770

$16

Average $18/hour

$19

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$40,042	$3,337	$770	$19
Average	$37,366	$3,114	$719	$18
25th Percentile	$33,411	$2,784	$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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Healthcare

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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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