What are the main factors that influence a Laborer/Operator's salary?

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

How does experience change a Laborer/Operator's salary?

A Laborer/Operator's salary grows with experience: starting around $44,088 for beginners, reaching about $46,435 at mid-level, and approach $47,090 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Laborer/Operator?

Laborer/Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Laborer/Operator roles are District of Columbia $49,870, California $49,681, Massachusetts $49,019. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How do different companies affect a Laborer/Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Laborer/Operator roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Laborer/Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Laborer/Operator make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Laborer/Operator in the United States is $45,042 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $22.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $55,684
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $41,864 to $50,613
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $38,970

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Laborer/Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,613	$4,218	$973	$24
Average	$45,042	$3,753	$866	$22
25th Percentile	$41,864	$3,489	$805	$20

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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): $44,088
Early Career (1-2 years): $44,632
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $46,435
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $46,680
Expert (over 8 years): $47,090

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Laborer/Operator	$44,088
Intermediate Level Laborer/Operator	$44,632
Senior Level Laborer/Operator	$46,435
Specialist Level Laborer/Operator	$46,680
Expert Level Laborer/Operator	$47,090

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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: $49,870.
California: $49,681.
Massachusetts: $49,019.

District of Columbia $49,870

California $49,681

Massachusetts $49,019

Washington $48,839

New Jersey $48,821

Alaska $48,758

Connecticut $48,136

New York $47,884

Hawaii $47,078

Rhode Island $46,699

Maryland $46,443

Minnesota $46,091

Colorado $45,956

Illinois $45,911

Oregon $45,740

Delaware $45,614

New Hampshire $45,535

Virginia $45,357

Pennsylvania $44,839

Nevada $44,578

North Dakota $44,492

Michigan $44,357

Wisconsin $44,308

Vermont $44,209

Texas $43,934

Maine $43,916

Arizona $43,889

Ohio $43,857

Georgia $43,443

Indiana $43,236

Wyoming $43,195

Utah $43,132

Iowa $43,105

Kansas $42,889

Louisiana $42,826

North Carolina $42,803

Missouri $42,794

Florida $42,619

Montana $42,524

Nebraska $42,434

Kentucky $42,384

South Carolina $42,204

Tennessee $42,092

Idaho $42,047

New Mexico $41,718

Oklahoma $41,646

Alabama $41,380

South Dakota $40,934

Arkansas $40,691

West Virginia $40,560

Mississippi $40,168

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: $56,811
San Francisco: $56,253
Oakland: $55,005

San Jose, CA $56,811

San Francisco, CA $56,253

Oakland, CA $55,005

New York, NY $52,199

Queens Village, NY $51,861

Paramus, NJ $51,501

Passaic, NJ $51,456

Bergenfield, NJ $51,411

Stamford, CT $51,343

Huntington, NY $51,298

Newark, NJ $51,005

Bridgeport, CT $50,915

New Brunswick, NJ $50,767

Vallejo, CA $50,672

Middlesex, NJ $50,645

Somerset, NJ $50,605

Petaluma, CA $50,501

Santa Cruz, CA $50,325

Boston, MA $50,235

Monterey, CA $50,010

Fairbanks, AK $49,978

Los Angeles, CA $49,893

Washington, DC $49,870

Seattle, WA $49,789

Santa Rosa, CA $49,780

Juneau, AK $49,650

Orange, CA $49,501

Anchorage, AK $49,420

Anaheim, CA $49,388

Santa Ana, CA $49,321

Nassau, NY $49,294

Long Beach, CA $49,276

Danbury, CT $49,262

Santa Maria, CA $49,109

Everett, WA $49,100

Bremerton, WA $48,879

Trenton, NJ $48,794

Sacramento, CA $48,776

San Diego, CA $48,753

Brockton, MA $48,735

Tacoma, WA $48,717

Santa Barbara, CA $48,654

Lowell, MA $48,474

New Suffolk, NY $48,456

Nashua, NH $48,402

Lompoc, CA $48,330

Ventura, CA $48,285

Stockton, CA $48,271

New Haven, CT $48,181

Atlantic City, NJ $48,064

Hartford, CT $47,965

Modesto, CA $47,943

Poughkeepsie, NY $47,844

New Britain, CT $47,821

Olympia, WA $47,758

Kennewick, WA $47,758

New London, CT $47,749

Norwich, CT $47,735

Lawrence, MA $47,713

Bakersfield, CA $47,587

Riverside, CA $47,524

New Bedford, MA $47,524

Richland, WA $47,479

Portsmouth, NH $47,443

Vineland, NJ $47,434

San Bernardino, CA $47,398

Boulder, CO $47,271

Worcester, MA $47,235

Portland, OR $47,195

Saint Paul, MN $47,141

Minneapolis, MN $47,141

Philadelphia, PA $47,078

Honolulu, HI $46,839

Springfield, MA $46,681

Providence, RI $46,677

Chicago, IL $46,546

Bellingham, WA $46,492

Baltimore, MD $46,443

Chico, CA $46,330

Wilmington, DE $46,254

Pittsfield, MA $46,208

Manchester, NH $46,123

Spokane, WA $45,925

Denver, CO $45,920

Albany, NY $45,709

Troy, NY $45,691

Schenectady, NY $45,596

Burlington, VT $45,497

Portland, ME $45,339

Salem, OR $45,303

Yakima, WA $45,294

Ann Arbor, MI $45,281

Rochester, MN $45,155

Fresno, CA $45,132

Reno, NV $45,132

Milwaukee, WI $45,091

Detroit, MI $45,046

Allentown, PA $45,033

Carson City, NV $45,028

Houston, TX $44,961

Colorado Springs, CO $44,956

Syracuse, NY $44,934

Eugene, OR $44,848

Bismarck, ND $44,794

Gary, IN $44,794

Galveston, TX $44,794

Springfield, OR $44,758

Medford, OR $44,650

Fort Collins, CO $44,632

Austin, TX $44,596

Mesa, AZ $44,501

Phoenix, AZ $44,492

Dallas, TX $44,479

Reading, PA $44,452

Saint Cloud, MN $44,434

Concord, NH $44,393

Madison, WI $44,375

Utica, NY $44,254

Raleigh, NC $44,218

Las Vegas, NV $44,213

Rochester, NY $44,182

Des Moines, IA $44,177

Atlanta, GA $44,105

Battle Creek, MI $44,092

Salt Lake City, UT $44,078

Lancaster, PA $44,010

Champaign, IL $44,001

Harrisburg, PA $43,947

Durham, NC $43,907

Kansas City, MO $43,902

Kansas City, KS $43,893

Fort Worth, TX $43,889

Boca Raton, FL $43,871

Cleveland, OH $43,866

Columbus, OH $43,857

Pittsburgh, PA $43,853

Richmond, VA $43,835

Indianapolis, IN $43,826

Cincinnati, OH $43,767

Petersburg, VA $43,700

Billings, MT $43,601

Lansing, MI $43,601

Huntsville, AL $43,601

Lebanon, PA $43,596

Dayton, OH $43,592

Pueblo, CO $43,592

Appleton, WI $43,578

Buffalo, NY $43,560

Racine, WI $43,538

Charlotte, NC $43,533

Saint Louis, MO $43,519

Springfield, IL $43,501

Elkhart, IN $43,492

York, PA $43,492

Gastonia, NC $43,488

Benton Harbor, MI $43,488

Beaumont, TX $43,461

Lorain, OH $43,452

Toledo, OH $43,434

Binghamton, NY $43,411

Rock Hill, SC $43,407

Rockford, IL $43,384

Fargo, ND $43,362

Elyria, OH $43,362

Flagstaff, AZ $43,330

Fort Lauderdale, FL $43,303

Miami, FL $43,276

Duluth, MN $43,204

Bangor, ME $43,146

Cedar Rapids, IA $43,096

Louisville, KY $43,074

Grand Rapids, MI $43,065

Hialeah, FL $43,060

Casper, WY $42,997

Scranton, PA $42,943

New Orleans, LA $42,929

Virginia Beach, VA $42,925

Akron, OH $42,902

Peoria, IL $42,844

Sarasota, FL $42,835

Green Bay, WI $42,803

Baton Rouge, LA $42,781

Charleston, SC $42,772

Nashville, TN $42,758

Jamestown, NY $42,749

Davenport, IA $42,749

Tucson, AZ $42,727

Cheyenne, WY $42,713

Saint Petersburg, FL $42,700

Tampa, FL $42,691

Omaha, NE $42,682

Port Arthur, TX $42,664

Evansville, IN $42,664

Bradenton, FL $42,646

Santa Fe, NM $42,565

Orlando, FL $42,520

Clearwater, FL $42,470

Canton, OH $42,375

La Crosse, WI $42,375

Grand Forks, ND $42,362

Albuquerque, NM $42,348

Tulsa, OK $42,348

Newport News, VA $42,344

High Point, NC $42,330

Ogden, UT $42,312

Corpus Christi, TX $42,276

Laramie, WY $42,249

Norfolk, VA $42,249

Rock Island, IL $42,222

Saginaw, MI $42,213

Jacksonville, FL $42,209

Salisbury, NC $42,200

Memphis, TN $42,191

Moline, IL $42,168

Fort Myers, FL $42,155

Waterloo, IA $42,096

Spartanburg, SC $42,051

Lincoln, NE $42,029

Fort Wayne, IN $42,020

Birmingham, AL $41,970

Cedar Falls, IA $41,961

Provo, UT $41,957

Springfield, OH $41,952

San Antonio, TX $41,943

Greensboro, NC $41,925

South Bend, IN $41,920

Winston Salem, NC $41,916

Boise, ID $41,902

Savannah, GA $41,871

Muskegon, MI $41,790

Lima, OH $41,736

Lake Charles, LA $41,718

Anderson, IN $41,709

Lexington, KY $41,695

Augusta, GA $41,682

Greenville, SC $41,682

Wichita, KS $41,641

Tuscaloosa, AL $41,641

Columbia, SC $41,601

Bloomington, IN $41,488

Roanoke, VA $41,461

Asheville, NC $41,403

Knoxville, TN $41,326

Shreveport, LA $41,321

Wilmington, NC $41,263

Frankfort, KY $41,177

Oklahoma City, OK $41,146

Chillicothe, OH $41,128

Longview, TX $41,123

Topeka, KS $41,110

Mobile, AL $41,042

Terre Haute, IN $41,024

Erie, PA $41,020

Altoona, PA $40,997

Melbourne, FL $40,984

Amarillo, TX $40,966

Killeen, TX $40,952

Fayetteville, AR $40,916

Sioux Falls, SD $40,885

Chattanooga, TN $40,858

Idaho Falls, ID $40,853

Gainesville, FL $40,758

Portsmouth, OH $40,736

Little Rock, AR $40,727

Lynchburg, VA $40,727

Lafayette, LA $40,709

Youngstown, OH $40,709

Temple, TX $40,691

Daytona Beach, FL $40,682

Clarksville, TN $40,677

Pensacola, FL $40,673

Hopkinsville, KY $40,538

Charleston, WV $40,533

Florence, SC $40,511

Sioux City, IA $40,484

Macon, GA $40,353

Tallahassee, FL $40,349

Fayetteville, NC $40,340

Waco, TX $40,331

Wichita Falls, TX $40,331

Pine Bluff, AR $40,313

Vincennes, IN $40,227

Lubbock, TX $40,209

Great Falls, MT $40,182

Alamogordo, NM $40,177

Abilene, TX $40,141

Rapid City, SD $40,083

Monroe, LA $40,083

Albany, GA $40,056

Huntington, WV $40,051

Jackson, MS $40,047

Greenville, MS $40,042

Parkersburg, WV $39,997

Montgomery, AL $39,988

Johnstown, PA $39,979

Springfield, MO $39,943

Biloxi, MS $39,921

Sumter, SC $39,826

Columbus, GA $39,822

Twin Falls, ID $39,795

Pascagoula, MS $39,736

Kingsport, TN $39,619

Gulfport, MS $39,605

Alexandria, LA $39,457

Fort Smith, AR $39,344

El Paso, TX $39,222

Helena, MT $39,164

Las Cruces, NM $39,020

Harlingen, TX $38,894

Pocatello, ID $38,853

Florence, AL $38,840

Brownsville, TX $38,831

Dothan, AL $38,759

Mcallen, TX $38,736

Columbus, MS $38,403

Altus, OK $38,196

Lawton, OK $38,110

Pierre, SD $37,948

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	$54,501	21%
Hydraulics	$50,897	13%
Presentation	$48,195	7%
Packaging	$48,195	7%
Leadership	$47,744	6%
Communicates Effectively	$47,294	5%

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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 Diploma 8.0%

High School 74.6%

Associates 7.5%

Bachelors 8.0%

Masters 1.9%

Doctorate 0.0%

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.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$41,864

Average $45,042/year

$50,613

$3,489

Average $3,753/month

$4,218

$805

Average $866/week

$973

$20

Average $22/hour

$24

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,613	$4,218	$973	$24
Average	$45,042	$3,753	$866	$22
25th Percentile	$41,864	$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)

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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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