Key Factors That Influence Laborer/Operator Salaries
A Laborer/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 Laborer/Operator Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Laborer/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): $44,094
Early Career (1-2 years): $44,638
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $46,453
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $46,701
Expert (over 8 years): $47,113
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Laborer/Operator
$44,094
Intermediate Level Laborer/Operator
$44,638
Senior Level Laborer/Operator
$46,453
Specialist Level Laborer/Operator
$46,701
Expert Level Laborer/Operator
$47,113
$44,0940 yr
$44,638< 2 yrs
$46,4532-4 yrs
$46,7015-8 yrs
$47,113> 8 yrs
View as Table
View as Graph
What Am I Worth?
How Do Laborer/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 Laborer/Operators.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $49,880.
California: $49,691.
Massachusetts: $49,029.
District of Columbia$49,880
California$49,691
Massachusetts$49,029
Washington$48,849
New Jersey$48,831
Alaska$48,768
Connecticut$48,146
New York$47,894
Hawaii$47,087
Rhode Island$46,709
Maryland$46,452
Minnesota$46,101
Colorado$45,965
Illinois$45,920
Oregon$45,749
Delaware$45,623
New Hampshire$45,544
Virginia$45,366
Pennsylvania$44,848
Nevada$44,587
North Dakota$44,501
Michigan$44,366
Wisconsin$44,317
Vermont$44,217
Texas$43,943
Maine$43,925
Arizona$43,898
Ohio$43,866
Georgia$43,452
Indiana$43,244
Wyoming$43,204
Utah$43,141
Iowa$43,114
Kansas$42,897
Louisiana$42,834
North Carolina$42,812
Missouri$42,803
Florida$42,627
Montana$42,533
Nebraska$42,442
Kentucky$42,393
South Carolina$42,213
Tennessee$42,100
Idaho$42,055
New Mexico$41,726
Oklahoma$41,654
Alabama$41,388
South Dakota$40,942
Arkansas$40,699
West Virginia$40,568
Mississippi$40,176
Top Paying Cities for Laborer/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: $56,823
San Francisco: $56,201
Oakland: $55,016
San Jose, CA$56,823
San Francisco, CA$56,201
Oakland, CA$55,016
New York, NY$51,871
Paramus, NJ$51,240
Queens Village, NY$51,238
Passaic, NJ$51,195
Bergenfield, NJ$51,191
Stamford, CT$51,092
Huntington, NY$51,074
Newark, NJ$50,741
Bridgeport, CT$50,646
Vallejo, CA$50,556
New Brunswick, NJ$50,538
Petaluma, CA$50,511
Middlesex, NJ$50,425
Somerset, NJ$50,394
Santa Cruz, CA$50,335
Boston, MA$50,061
Monterey, CA$49,902
Seattle, WA$49,799
Santa Rosa, CA$49,790
Los Angeles, CA$49,777
Juneau, AK$49,660
Washington, DC$49,610
Orange, CA$49,450
Santa Ana, CA$49,331
Long Beach, CA$49,286
Anaheim, CA$49,277
Anchorage, AK$49,254
Santa Maria, CA$49,119
Everett, WA$49,110
Danbury, CT$48,951
Bremerton, WA$48,889
Tacoma, WA$48,727
New Suffolk, NY$48,726
Sacramento, CA$48,714
Santa Barbara, CA$48,664
Trenton, NJ$48,614
San Diego, CA$48,614
Brockton, MA$48,565
Fairbanks, AK$48,454
Lompoc, CA$48,340
Lowell, MA$48,303
Ventura, CA$48,295
Nashua, NH$48,286
Stockton, CA$48,281
Modesto, CA$47,952
Poughkeepsie, NY$47,853
Olympia, WA$47,767
Kennewick, WA$47,767
New Haven, CT$47,749
Lawrence, MA$47,587
Hartford, CT$47,542
Riverside, CA$47,533
New Bedford, MA$47,488
Richland, WA$47,488
Bakersfield, CA$47,425
San Bernardino, CA$47,407
New Britain, CT$47,403
Atlantic City, NJ$47,403
New London, CT$47,385
Norwich, CT$47,371
Portsmouth, NH$47,362
Boulder, CO$47,267
Portland, OR$47,204
Worcester, MA$47,200
Minneapolis, MN$47,060
Philadelphia, PA$46,997
Honolulu, HI$46,848
Saint Paul, MN$46,827
Vineland, NJ$46,817
Providence, RI$46,686
Chicago, IL$46,556
Bellingham, WA$46,502
Springfield, MA$46,465
Baltimore, MD$46,452
Chico, CA$46,339
Pittsfield, MA$46,218
Manchester, NH$46,132
Spokane, WA$45,934
Denver, CO$45,929
Albany, NY$45,718
Troy, NY$45,700
Nassau, NY$45,651
Schenectady, NY$45,605
Wilmington, DE$45,569
Burlington, VT$45,506
Salem, OR$45,488
Portland, ME$45,348
Yakima, WA$45,303
Rochester, MN$45,164
Reno, NV$45,141
Fresno, CA$45,141
Milwaukee, WI$45,100
Detroit, MI$45,055
Ann Arbor, MI$45,048
Allentown, PA$45,042
Colorado Springs, CO$44,965
Syracuse, NY$44,943
Carson City, NV$44,943
Houston, TX$44,880
Eugene, OR$44,857
Gary, IN$44,803
Springfield, OR$44,767
Bismarck, ND$44,758
Galveston, TX$44,727
Medford, OR$44,659
Fort Collins, CO$44,641
Concord, NH$44,618
Austin, TX$44,605
Mesa, AZ$44,510
Reading, PA$44,506
Phoenix, AZ$44,501
Dallas, TX$44,488
Saint Cloud, MN$44,445
Madison, WI$44,384
Utica, NY$44,263
Rochester, NY$44,190
Des Moines, IA$44,186
Raleigh, NC$44,181
Atlanta, GA$44,114
Battle Creek, MI$44,100
Salt Lake City, UT$44,087
Lancaster, PA$44,019
Harrisburg, PA$43,956
Kansas City, MO$43,911
Champaign, IL$43,902
Kansas City, KS$43,902
Fort Worth, TX$43,898
Columbus, OH$43,890
Boca Raton, FL$43,880
Pittsburgh, PA$43,862
Richmond, VA$43,844
Indianapolis, IN$43,835
Cleveland, OH$43,830
Las Vegas, NV$43,776
Cincinnati, OH$43,776
Petersburg, VA$43,708
Huntsville, AL$43,641
Lansing, MI$43,611
Lebanon, PA$43,605
Pueblo, CO$43,600
Appleton, WI$43,587
Buffalo, NY$43,569
Dayton, OH$43,555
Racine, WI$43,546
Charlotte, NC$43,542
Saint Louis, MO$43,528
York, PA$43,501
Elkhart, IN$43,501
Gastonia, NC$43,493
Billings, MT$43,482
Beaumont, TX$43,470
Lorain, OH$43,461
Benton Harbor, MI$43,452
Toledo, OH$43,443
Binghamton, NY$43,420
Rock Hill, SC$43,416
Rockford, IL$43,393
Springfield, IL$43,375
Elyria, OH$43,371
Fargo, ND$43,371
Flagstaff, AZ$43,339
Fort Lauderdale, FL$43,312
Duluth, MN$43,285
Miami, FL$43,285
Cheyenne, WY$43,253
Grand Forks, ND$43,253
Bangor, ME$43,154
Cedar Rapids, IA$43,105
Durham, NC$43,086
Louisville, KY$43,082
Grand Rapids, MI$43,073
Hialeah, FL$43,069
Casper, WY$43,006
Scranton, PA$42,952
New Orleans, LA$42,938
Virginia Beach, VA$42,934
Akron, OH$42,911
Peoria, IL$42,852
Sarasota, FL$42,843
Nashville, TN$42,812
Omaha, NE$42,812
Green Bay, WI$42,812
Baton Rouge, LA$42,789
Charleston, SC$42,780
Jamestown, NY$42,758
Davenport, IA$42,758
Tucson, AZ$42,735
Saint Petersburg, FL$42,708
Tampa, FL$42,699
Evansville, IN$42,672
Port Arthur, TX$42,672
Bradenton, FL$42,654
Santa Fe, NM$42,573
Orlando, FL$42,492
Clearwater, FL$42,478
Canton, OH$42,384
La Crosse, WI$42,384
Albuquerque, NM$42,357
Newport News, VA$42,352
High Point, NC$42,339
Ogden, UT$42,321
Corpus Christi, TX$42,285
Norfolk, VA$42,258
Laramie, WY$42,258
Rock Island, IL$42,231
Saginaw, MI$42,222
Jacksonville, FL$42,217
Salisbury, NC$42,208
Boise, ID$42,199
Moline, IL$42,177
Fort Myers, FL$42,163
Memphis, TN$42,154
Tulsa, OK$42,132
Waterloo, IA$42,105
Spartanburg, SC$42,060
Lincoln, NE$42,037
Fort Wayne, IN$42,028
Provo, UT$42,023
Cedar Falls, IA$41,969
San Antonio, TX$41,951
Greensboro, NC$41,933
South Bend, IN$41,929
Savannah, GA$41,879
Muskegon, MI$41,861
Birmingham, AL$41,857
Winston Salem, NC$41,835
Lake Charles, LA$41,726
Anderson, IN$41,717
Lexington, KY$41,704
Augusta, GA$41,690
Greenville, SC$41,690
Lima, OH$41,654
Wichita, KS$41,650
Tuscaloosa, AL$41,650
Columbia, SC$41,609
Springfield, OH$41,600
Asheville, NC$41,528
Bloomington, IN$41,496
Knoxville, TN$41,334
Shreveport, LA$41,330
Wilmington, NC$41,271
Roanoke, VA$41,271
Topeka, KS$41,190
Frankfort, KY$41,185
Oklahoma City, OK$41,154
Chillicothe, OH$41,136
Longview, TX$41,131
Melbourne, FL$41,127
Sioux Falls, SD$41,055
Mobile, AL$41,050
Terre Haute, IN$41,032
Altoona, PA$41,005
Amarillo, TX$40,974
Killeen, TX$40,960
Fayetteville, AR$40,924
Chattanooga, TN$40,911
Sioux City, IA$40,870
Idaho Falls, ID$40,861
Lynchburg, VA$40,825
Gainesville, FL$40,767
Portsmouth, OH$40,744
Little Rock, AR$40,735
Lafayette, LA$40,717
Youngstown, OH$40,717
Daytona Beach, FL$40,690
Clarksville, TN$40,685
Pensacola, FL$40,681
Temple, TX$40,678
Hopkinsville, KY$40,546
Erie, PA$40,537
Florence, SC$40,519
Charleston, WV$40,447
Great Falls, MT$40,424
Macon, GA$40,361
Tallahassee, FL$40,357
Fayetteville, NC$40,348
Waco, TX$40,339
Helena, MT$40,307
Pine Bluff, AR$40,290
Vincennes, IN$40,235
Lubbock, TX$40,217
Alamogordo, NM$40,190
Twin Falls, ID$40,149
Rapid City, SD$40,136
Jackson, MS$40,055
Huntington, WV$40,052
Greenville, MS$40,050
Parkersburg, WV$40,004
Montgomery, AL$39,996
Wichita Falls, TX$39,951
Springfield, MO$39,951
Biloxi, MS$39,929
Monroe, LA$39,884
Johnstown, PA$39,852
Sumter, SC$39,834
Columbus, GA$39,830
Pascagoula, MS$39,744
Abilene, TX$39,744
Kingsport, TN$39,627
Albany, GA$39,627
Gulfport, MS$39,613
Alexandria, LA$39,465
Fort Smith, AR$39,352
El Paso, TX$39,230
Las Cruces, NM$39,028
Harlingen, TX$38,913
Pocatello, ID$38,906
Florence, AL$38,847
Brownsville, TX$38,838
Mcallen, TX$38,744
Dothan, AL$38,681
Columbus, MS$38,413
Altus, OK$38,203
Lawton, OK$38,118
Pierre, SD$37,955
What Skills Can Increase a Laborer/Operator's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 12.76% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Packaging (Mentioned in 3.24% Job Postings): Preparing products through wrapping or bottling to protect the goods from damages during transportation and storage.
Work Ethic (Mentioned in 2.59% Job Postings): A belief that work and diligence have a moral benefit and an inherent ability, virtue or value to strengthen character and individual abilities. A set of values centered on importance of work and manifested by determination or desire to work hard.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Customer Service
12.76%
Packaging
3.24%
Work Ethic
2.59%
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 Laborer/Operator's salary.
Scheduling: Can increase your salary by up to 21%.
Hydraulics: Can increase your salary by up to 13%.
Presentation: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Scheduling
$54,512
21%
Hydraulics
$50,908
13%
Presentation
$48,204
7%
Packaging
$48,204
7%
Leadership
$47,754
6%
Communicates Effectively
$47,303
5%
Get Latest Data
Laborer/Operator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Laborer/Operator roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Aerospace & Defense
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average.
In contrast, Laborer/Operator positions in Healthcare or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Laborer/Operator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Laborer/Operator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals
$63,071
$30.0
40%
Aerospace & Defense
$60,819
$29.0
35%
Biotechnology
$58,566
$28.0
30%
Financial Services
$56,314
$27.0
25%
Insurance
$54,061
$26.0
20%
How Education impacts a Laborer/Operator's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Laborer/Operators enter the field with a No Diploma 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 Laborer/Operator with a No Diploma is between
$32,956
and $35,920).
Laborer/Operator Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Laborer/Operator
No Diploma8.0%
High School74.6%
Associates7.5%
Bachelors8.0%
Masters1.9%
Doctorate0.0%
view as table
Degree Level
% of user with this level of education
No Diploma
8.0%
High School
74.6%
Associates
7.5%
Bachelors
8.0%
Masters
1.9%
Doctorate
0.0%
view as graph
Laborer/Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Laborer/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 July 01, 2026
$41,873
Average$45,051/year
$50,661
$3,489
Average$3,754/month
$4,222
$805
Average$866/week
$974
$20
Average$22/hour
$24
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$50,661
$4,222
$974
$24
Average
$45,051
$3,754
$866
$22
25th Percentile
$41,873
$3,489
$805
$20
Salary Trends for Laborer/Operator
Salaries for a Laborer/Operator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary increased from $47,611 in 2023
to around $47,645 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Laborer/Operator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Laborer/Operator Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$47,611
2024
$47,826
2025
$47,645
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$47,611
2024
$47,826
2025
$47,645
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Laborer/Operator
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.
Compensation Planning
Common company salaries for Laborer/Operator
Here are companies hiring for Laborer/Operator and their salaries, click below for more details.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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