Machine Operator, 3rd Shift Salary in the United States
How much does a Machine Operator, 3rd Shift make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Machine Operator, 3rd Shift in the United States is $53,191 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $26.
However, a Machine Operator, 3rd Shift's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $65,094
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $48,184 to $59,422
Key Factors That Influence Machine Operator, 3rd Shift Salaries
A Machine Operator, 3rd Shift'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 Machine Operator, 3rd Shift Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Machine Operator, 3rd Shift'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): $41,823
Early Career (1-2 years): $46,479
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $52,733
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $56,676
Expert (over 8 years): $82,320
Levels
Salary
Machine O... Level Machine Operator, 3rd Shift
$41,823
Machine O... Level Machine Operator, 3rd Shift
$46,479
Machine O... Level Machine Operator, 3rd Shift
$52,733
Machine O... Level Machine Operator, 3rd Shift
$56,676
Machine O... Level Machine Operator, 3rd Shift
$82,320
$41,8230 yr
$46,479< 2 yrs
$52,7332-4 yrs
$56,6765-8 yrs
$82,320> 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?
How Do Machine Operator, 3rd Shift 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 Machine Operator, 3rd Shifts.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $58,893.
California: $58,670.
Massachusetts: $57,888.
District of Columbia$58,893
California$58,670
Massachusetts$57,888
Washington$57,675
New Jersey$57,654
Alaska$57,580
Connecticut$56,846
New York$56,548
Hawaii$55,596
Rhode Island$55,149
Maryland$54,846
Minnesota$54,431
Colorado$54,271
Illinois$54,218
Oregon$54,016
Delaware$53,867
New Hampshire$53,773
Virginia$53,564
Pennsylvania$52,952
Nevada$52,643
North Dakota$52,542
Michigan$52,383
Wisconsin$52,324
Vermont$52,207
Texas$51,883
Maine$51,862
Arizona$51,830
Ohio$51,792
Georgia$51,303
Indiana$51,058
Wyoming$51,010
Utah$50,936
Iowa$50,904
Kansas$50,649
Louisiana$50,574
North Carolina$50,548
Missouri$50,537
Florida$50,330
Montana$50,218
Nebraska$50,112
Kentucky$50,053
South Carolina$49,840
Tennessee$49,707
Idaho$49,654
New Mexico$49,266
Oklahoma$49,181
Alabama$48,867
South Dakota$48,340
Arkansas$48,053
West Virginia$47,899
Mississippi$47,436
Top Paying Cities for Machine Operator, 3rd Shifts
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: $67,090
San Francisco: $66,356
Oakland: $64,957
San Jose, CA$67,090
San Francisco, CA$66,356
Oakland, CA$64,957
New York, NY$61,244
Paramus, NJ$60,499
Queens Village, NY$60,497
Passaic, NJ$60,446
Bergenfield, NJ$60,441
Stamford, CT$60,324
Huntington, NY$60,302
Newark, NJ$59,909
Bridgeport, CT$59,797
Vallejo, CA$59,691
New Brunswick, NJ$59,670
Petaluma, CA$59,638
Middlesex, NJ$59,537
Somerset, NJ$59,500
Santa Cruz, CA$59,431
Boston, MA$59,106
Monterey, CA$58,919
Seattle, WA$58,798
Santa Rosa, CA$58,787
Los Angeles, CA$58,771
Juneau, AK$58,633
Washington, DC$58,574
Orange, CA$58,385
Santa Ana, CA$58,244
Long Beach, CA$58,191
Anaheim, CA$58,181
Anchorage, AK$58,154
Santa Maria, CA$57,994
Everett, WA$57,984
Danbury, CT$57,797
Bremerton, WA$57,723
Tacoma, WA$57,532
New Suffolk, NY$57,531
Sacramento, CA$57,516
Santa Barbara, CA$57,457
Trenton, NJ$57,399
San Diego, CA$57,399
Brockton, MA$57,340
Fairbanks, AK$57,210
Lompoc, CA$57,074
Lowell, MA$57,031
Ventura, CA$57,021
Nashua, NH$57,010
Stockton, CA$57,005
Modesto, CA$56,617
Poughkeepsie, NY$56,500
Olympia, WA$56,399
Kennewick, WA$56,399
New Haven, CT$56,377
Lawrence, MA$56,186
Hartford, CT$56,133
Riverside, CA$56,122
New Bedford, MA$56,069
Richland, WA$56,069
Bakersfield, CA$55,994
San Bernardino, CA$55,973
New Britain, CT$55,968
Atlantic City, NJ$55,968
New London, CT$55,947
Norwich, CT$55,931
Portsmouth, NH$55,920
Boulder, CO$55,807
Portland, OR$55,734
Worcester, MA$55,729
Minneapolis, MN$55,564
Philadelphia, PA$55,489
Honolulu, HI$55,314
Saint Paul, MN$55,288
Vineland, NJ$55,276
Providence, RI$55,122
Chicago, IL$54,968
Bellingham, WA$54,904
Springfield, MA$54,862
Baltimore, MD$54,846
Chico, CA$54,713
Pittsfield, MA$54,569
Manchester, NH$54,468
Spokane, WA$54,234
Denver, CO$54,229
Albany, NY$53,979
Troy, NY$53,957
Nassau, NY$53,900
Schenectady, NY$53,846
Wilmington, DE$53,803
Burlington, VT$53,729
Salem, OR$53,707
Portland, ME$53,542
Yakima, WA$53,489
Rochester, MN$53,324
Reno, NV$53,298
Fresno, CA$53,298
Milwaukee, WI$53,250
Detroit, MI$53,197
Ann Arbor, MI$53,188
Allentown, PA$53,181
Colorado Springs, CO$53,090
Syracuse, NY$53,064
Carson City, NV$53,064
Houston, TX$52,989
Eugene, OR$52,963
Gary, IN$52,899
Springfield, OR$52,856
Bismarck, ND$52,846
Galveston, TX$52,808
Medford, OR$52,729
Fort Collins, CO$52,707
Concord, NH$52,681
Austin, TX$52,665
Mesa, AZ$52,553
Reading, PA$52,548
Phoenix, AZ$52,542
Dallas, TX$52,526
Saint Cloud, MN$52,475
Madison, WI$52,404
Utica, NY$52,260
Rochester, NY$52,175
Des Moines, IA$52,170
Raleigh, NC$52,165
Atlanta, GA$52,085
Battle Creek, MI$52,069
Salt Lake City, UT$52,053
Lancaster, PA$51,973
Harrisburg, PA$51,899
Kansas City, MO$51,846
Champaign, IL$51,835
Kansas City, KS$51,835
Fort Worth, TX$51,830
Columbus, OH$51,821
Boca Raton, FL$51,808
Pittsburgh, PA$51,787
Richmond, VA$51,766
Indianapolis, IN$51,755
Cleveland, OH$51,750
Las Vegas, NV$51,686
Cincinnati, OH$51,686
Petersburg, VA$51,606
Huntsville, AL$51,526
Lansing, MI$51,491
Lebanon, PA$51,484
Pueblo, CO$51,479
Appleton, WI$51,463
Buffalo, NY$51,441
Dayton, OH$51,425
Racine, WI$51,415
Charlotte, NC$51,409
Saint Louis, MO$51,393
York, PA$51,362
Elkhart, IN$51,362
Gastonia, NC$51,351
Billings, MT$51,339
Beaumont, TX$51,324
Lorain, OH$51,314
Benton Harbor, MI$51,303
Toledo, OH$51,292
Binghamton, NY$51,266
Rock Hill, SC$51,260
Rockford, IL$51,234
Springfield, IL$51,213
Elyria, OH$51,207
Fargo, ND$51,207
Flagstaff, AZ$51,170
Fort Lauderdale, FL$51,138
Duluth, MN$51,106
Miami, FL$51,106
Cheyenne, WY$51,069
Grand Forks, ND$51,069
Bangor, ME$50,952
Cedar Rapids, IA$50,893
Durham, NC$50,871
Louisville, KY$50,867
Grand Rapids, MI$50,856
Hialeah, FL$50,851
Casper, WY$50,776
Scranton, PA$50,713
New Orleans, LA$50,697
Virginia Beach, VA$50,691
Akron, OH$50,665
Peoria, IL$50,596
Sarasota, FL$50,585
Nashville, TN$50,548
Omaha, NE$50,548
Green Bay, WI$50,548
Baton Rouge, LA$50,521
Charleston, SC$50,510
Jamestown, NY$50,484
Davenport, IA$50,484
Tucson, AZ$50,457
Saint Petersburg, FL$50,425
Tampa, FL$50,415
Evansville, IN$50,383
Port Arthur, TX$50,383
Bradenton, FL$50,362
Santa Fe, NM$50,266
Orlando, FL$50,170
Clearwater, FL$50,154
Canton, OH$50,042
La Crosse, WI$50,042
Albuquerque, NM$50,010
Newport News, VA$50,005
High Point, NC$49,989
Ogden, UT$49,968
Corpus Christi, TX$49,925
Norfolk, VA$49,893
Laramie, WY$49,893
Rock Island, IL$49,862
Saginaw, MI$49,851
Jacksonville, FL$49,846
Salisbury, NC$49,835
Boise, ID$49,824
Moline, IL$49,798
Fort Myers, FL$49,782
Memphis, TN$49,771
Tulsa, OK$49,745
Waterloo, IA$49,713
Spartanburg, SC$49,659
Lincoln, NE$49,633
Fort Wayne, IN$49,622
Provo, UT$49,617
Cedar Falls, IA$49,553
San Antonio, TX$49,532
Greensboro, NC$49,510
South Bend, IN$49,505
Savannah, GA$49,447
Muskegon, MI$49,425
Birmingham, AL$49,420
Winston Salem, NC$49,394
Lake Charles, LA$49,266
Anderson, IN$49,255
Lexington, KY$49,239
Augusta, GA$49,223
Greenville, SC$49,223
Lima, OH$49,181
Wichita, KS$49,175
Tuscaloosa, AL$49,175
Columbia, SC$49,127
Springfield, OH$49,117
Asheville, NC$49,032
Bloomington, IN$48,995
Knoxville, TN$48,803
Shreveport, LA$48,798
Wilmington, NC$48,729
Roanoke, VA$48,729
Topeka, KS$48,633
Frankfort, KY$48,627
Oklahoma City, OK$48,590
Chillicothe, OH$48,569
Longview, TX$48,564
Melbourne, FL$48,558
Sioux Falls, SD$48,473
Mobile, AL$48,468
Terre Haute, IN$48,447
Altoona, PA$48,415
Amarillo, TX$48,377
Killeen, TX$48,362
Fayetteville, AR$48,319
Chattanooga, TN$48,303
Sioux City, IA$48,255
Idaho Falls, ID$48,245
Lynchburg, VA$48,202
Gainesville, FL$48,133
Portsmouth, OH$48,106
Little Rock, AR$48,096
Lafayette, LA$48,074
Youngstown, OH$48,074
Daytona Beach, FL$48,042
Clarksville, TN$48,037
Pensacola, FL$48,032
Temple, TX$48,028
Hopkinsville, KY$47,872
Erie, PA$47,862
Florence, SC$47,840
Charleston, WV$47,755
Great Falls, MT$47,729
Macon, GA$47,654
Tallahassee, FL$47,649
Fayetteville, NC$47,638
Waco, TX$47,627
Helena, MT$47,590
Pine Bluff, AR$47,570
Vincennes, IN$47,505
Lubbock, TX$47,484
Alamogordo, NM$47,452
Twin Falls, ID$47,404
Rapid City, SD$47,388
Jackson, MS$47,292
Huntington, WV$47,289
Greenville, MS$47,287
Parkersburg, WV$47,233
Montgomery, AL$47,223
Wichita Falls, TX$47,170
Springfield, MO$47,170
Biloxi, MS$47,143
Monroe, LA$47,090
Johnstown, PA$47,053
Sumter, SC$47,032
Columbus, GA$47,026
Pascagoula, MS$46,925
Abilene, TX$46,925
Kingsport, TN$46,787
Albany, GA$46,787
Gulfport, MS$46,771
Alexandria, LA$46,596
Fort Smith, AR$46,463
El Paso, TX$46,319
Las Cruces, NM$46,080
Harlingen, TX$45,945
Pocatello, ID$45,936
Florence, AL$45,867
Brownsville, TX$45,856
Mcallen, TX$45,745
Dothan, AL$45,670
Columbus, MS$45,354
Altus, OK$45,106
Lawton, OK$45,005
Pierre, SD$44,814
What Skills Can Increase a Machine Operator, 3rd Shift's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Commitment (Mentioned in 4.3% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Machine Operation (Mentioned in 3.88% Job Postings): Applying methods and techniques to implement, maintain, repair, design, and update various machines following specific rules to ensure safety.
Food Safety (Mentioned in 2.21% Job Postings): Applying procedures during food preparation, processing, storage, and distribution to ensure consumers are safe from foodborne illnesses.
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Commitment
4.3%
Machine Operation
3.88%
Food Safety
2.21%
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 Machine Operator, 3rd Shift's salary.
Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Standard Operating Procedures: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Analysis
$59,042
11%
Standard Operating Procedures
$56,383
6%
Decision Making
$55,851
5%
Initiative
$55,851
5%
SOP
$55,319
4%
Dedication
$55,319
4%
Get Latest Data
Machine Operator, 3rd Shift Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Machine Operator, 3rd Shift roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 120% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Internet and Software & Networking
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 60% above the average.
In contrast, Machine Operator, 3rd Shift positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Machine Operator, 3rd Shift as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Machine Operator, 3rd Shift
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Internet
$85,106
$41.0
60%
Software & Networking
$79,787
$38.0
50%
Financial Services
$74,468
$36.0
40%
How Education impacts a Machine Operator, 3rd Shift's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Machine Operator, 3rd Shifts 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 Machine Operator, 3rd Shift with a No Diploma is between
$51,335
and $54,850).
Machine Operator, 3rd Shift Salaries by Degree Level
Understanding how a Machine Operator, 3rd Shift'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
$48,184
Average$53,191/year
$59,422
$4,015
Average$4,433/month
$4,952
$927
Average$1,023/week
$1,143
$23
Average$26/hour
$29
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$59,422
$4,952
$1,143
$29
Average
$53,191
$4,433
$1,023
$26
25th Percentile
$48,184
$4,015
$927
$23
Salaries of jobs related to Machine Operator, 3rd Shift
Salaries for a Machine Operator, 3rd Shift can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $48,541 in 2023
to around $48,079 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Machine Operator, 3rd Shift salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Machine Operator, 3rd Shift Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$48,541
2024
$48,401
2025
$48,079
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$48,541
2024
$48,401
2025
$48,079
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Machine Operator, 3rd Shift
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 Machine Operator, 3rd Shift
Here are companies hiring for Machine Operator, 3rd Shift 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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