What are the main factors that influence a Machine Operator Lead's salary?

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

How does experience change A Machine Operator Lead's salary?

A Machine Operator Lead's salary grows with experience: a Machine Operator Lead (0-3 years)earns $80,680, a Machine Operator Senior Supervisor (3-5 years)earns $87,928, a Machine Operator Manager (5+ years)earns $100,930, a Machine Operator Senior Manager (5+ years)earns $135,816,

What are the highest paying states for a Machine Operator Lead?

Machine Operator Lead salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Machine Operator Lead roles are District of Columbia $90,278, California $89,935, Massachusetts $88,737. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Machine Operator Lead roles make?

Salaries for Machine Operator Lead level roles vary by specialization: Machine Operator IV: $55,465; Machine Operator III: $51,579; Machine Operator II: $45,471; Machine Operator: $45,112; Machine Operator I: $40,919.

How do different companies affect a Machine Operator Lead's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Machine Operator Lead 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.

Machine Operator Lead Salary in the United States

How much does a Machine Operator Lead make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Machine Operator Lead in the United States is $81,537 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $103,801
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $74,042 to $93,191
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $67,219

Compensation Planning

Develop a Job Description

Pay Equity

2025 Compensation Trend

AI-Powered HR

Recruit with AI

Salary Salary + Bonus Benefits

View as table

Machine Operator Lead Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$93,191	$7,766	$1,792	$45
Average	$81,537	$6,795	$1,568	$39
25th Percentile	$74,042	$6,170	$1,424	$36

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

Change Search Criteria

Check out Machine Operator Lead Job Openings in the United States

Production Machine Operator (2nd Shift - $1.50 Shift Diff.)

Industrial Door Co Inc. - Piqua, OH

Lead Machine Operator

Anderson Biro Staffing - Avon, OH

3rd Shift Lead Machine Operator

Alene Candles - New Albany, OH

2nd Shift Lead Machine Operator - Packaging & Setup

ITW Permatex - Solon, OH

Search More Machine Operator Lead Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Machine Operator Lead Salaries

A Machine Operator Lead'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 Machine Operator Lead 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 Leads. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $90,278.
California: $89,935.
Massachusetts: $88,737.

District of Columbia $90,278

California $89,935

Massachusetts $88,737

Washington $88,411

New Jersey $88,378

Alaska $88,264

Connecticut $87,139

New York $86,682

Hawaii $85,222

Rhode Island $84,538

Maryland $84,073

Minnesota $83,437

Colorado $83,192

Illinois $83,111

Oregon $82,801

Delaware $82,573

New Hampshire $82,429

Virginia $82,108

Pennsylvania $81,170

Nevada $80,697

North Dakota $80,542

Michigan $80,298

Wisconsin $80,208

Vermont $80,029

Texas $79,531

Maine $79,499

Arizona $79,450

Ohio $79,393

Georgia $78,642

Indiana $78,267

Wyoming $78,194

Utah $78,080

Iowa $78,031

Kansas $77,640

Louisiana $77,525

North Carolina $77,485

Missouri $77,468

Florida $77,150

Montana $76,979

Nebraska $76,816

Kentucky $76,726

South Carolina $76,400

Tennessee $76,196

Idaho $76,115

New Mexico $75,520

Oklahoma $75,389

Alabama $74,908

South Dakota $74,101

Arkansas $73,661

West Virginia $73,424

Mississippi $72,715

Top Paying Cities for Machine Operator Leads

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: $102,843
San Francisco: $101,832
Oakland: $99,573

San Jose, CA $102,843

San Francisco, CA $101,832

Oakland, CA $99,573

New York, NY $94,493

Queens Village, NY $93,882

Paramus, NJ $93,229

Passaic, NJ $93,148

Bergenfield, NJ $93,066

Stamford, CT $92,944

Huntington, NY $92,862

Newark, NJ $92,332

Bridgeport, CT $92,169

New Brunswick, NJ $91,900

Vallejo, CA $91,729

Middlesex, NJ $91,680

Somerset, NJ $91,607

Petaluma, CA $91,419

Santa Cruz, CA $91,101

Boston, MA $90,938

Monterey, CA $90,531

Fairbanks, AK $90,473

Los Angeles, CA $90,319

Washington, DC $90,278

Seattle, WA $90,131

Santa Rosa, CA $90,115

Juneau, AK $89,878

Orange, CA $89,609

Anchorage, AK $89,462

Anaheim, CA $89,405

Santa Ana, CA $89,283

Nassau, NY $89,234

Long Beach, CA $89,201

Danbury, CT $89,177

Santa Maria, CA $88,900

Everett, WA $88,883

Bremerton, WA $88,484

Trenton, NJ $88,329

Sacramento, CA $88,296

San Diego, CA $88,256

Brockton, MA $88,223

Tacoma, WA $88,190

Santa Barbara, CA $88,076

Lowell, MA $87,750

New Suffolk, NY $87,718

Nashua, NH $87,620

Lompoc, CA $87,489

Ventura, CA $87,408

Stockton, CA $87,383

New Haven, CT $87,220

Atlantic City, NJ $87,008

Hartford, CT $86,829

Modesto, CA $86,788

Poughkeepsie, NY $86,609

New Britain, CT $86,568

Olympia, WA $86,454

Kennewick, WA $86,454

New London, CT $86,437

Norwich, CT $86,413

Lawrence, MA $86,372

Bakersfield, CA $86,144

Riverside, CA $86,030

New Bedford, MA $86,030

Richland, WA $85,948

Portsmouth, NH $85,883

Vineland, NJ $85,867

San Bernardino, CA $85,801

Boulder, CO $85,573

Worcester, MA $85,508

Portland, OR $85,434

Saint Paul, MN $85,337

Minneapolis, MN $85,337

Philadelphia, PA $85,222

Honolulu, HI $84,790

Springfield, MA $84,505

Providence, RI $84,497

Chicago, IL $84,260

Bellingham, WA $84,162

Baltimore, MD $84,073

Chico, CA $83,869

Wilmington, DE $83,730

Pittsfield, MA $83,649

Manchester, NH $83,494

Spokane, WA $83,135

Denver, CO $83,127

Albany, NY $82,744

Troy, NY $82,711

Schenectady, NY $82,540

Burlington, VT $82,361

Portland, ME $82,075

Salem, OR $82,010

Yakima, WA $81,994

Ann Arbor, MI $81,969

Rochester, MN $81,741

Fresno, CA $81,700

Reno, NV $81,700

Milwaukee, WI $81,627

Detroit, MI $81,545

Allentown, PA $81,521

Carson City, NV $81,513

Houston, TX $81,390

Colorado Springs, CO $81,382

Syracuse, NY $81,341

Eugene, OR $81,186

Bismarck, ND $81,089

Gary, IN $81,089

Galveston, TX $81,089

Springfield, OR $81,023

Medford, OR $80,828

Fort Collins, CO $80,795

Austin, TX $80,730

Mesa, AZ $80,559

Phoenix, AZ $80,542

Dallas, TX $80,518

Reading, PA $80,469

Saint Cloud, MN $80,436

Concord, NH $80,363

Madison, WI $80,330

Utica, NY $80,110

Raleigh, NC $80,045

Las Vegas, NV $80,037

Rochester, NY $79,980

Des Moines, IA $79,971

Atlanta, GA $79,841

Battle Creek, MI $79,817

Salt Lake City, UT $79,792

Lancaster, PA $79,670

Champaign, IL $79,653

Harrisburg, PA $79,556

Durham, NC $79,482

Kansas City, MO $79,474

Kansas City, KS $79,458

Fort Worth, TX $79,450

Boca Raton, FL $79,417

Cleveland, OH $79,409

Columbus, OH $79,393

Pittsburgh, PA $79,384

Richmond, VA $79,352

Indianapolis, IN $79,336

Cincinnati, OH $79,230

Petersburg, VA $79,107

Billings, MT $78,928

Lansing, MI $78,928

Huntsville, AL $78,928

Lebanon, PA $78,920

Dayton, OH $78,912

Pueblo, CO $78,912

Appleton, WI $78,887

Buffalo, NY $78,854

Racine, WI $78,814

Charlotte, NC $78,806

Saint Louis, MO $78,781

Springfield, IL $78,748

Elkhart, IN $78,732

York, PA $78,732

Gastonia, NC $78,724

Benton Harbor, MI $78,724

Beaumont, TX $78,675

Lorain, OH $78,659

Toledo, OH $78,626

Binghamton, NY $78,585

Rock Hill, SC $78,577

Rockford, IL $78,536

Fargo, ND $78,496

Elyria, OH $78,496

Flagstaff, AZ $78,439

Fort Lauderdale, FL $78,390

Miami, FL $78,341

Duluth, MN $78,210

Bangor, ME $78,104

Cedar Rapids, IA $78,015

Louisville, KY $77,974

Grand Rapids, MI $77,958

Hialeah, FL $77,949

Casper, WY $77,835

Scranton, PA $77,737

New Orleans, LA $77,713

Virginia Beach, VA $77,705

Akron, OH $77,664

Peoria, IL $77,558

Sarasota, FL $77,542

Green Bay, WI $77,485

Baton Rouge, LA $77,444

Charleston, SC $77,428

Nashville, TN $77,403

Jamestown, NY $77,387

Davenport, IA $77,387

Tucson, AZ $77,346

Cheyenne, WY $77,322

Saint Petersburg, FL $77,297

Tampa, FL $77,281

Omaha, NE $77,264

Port Arthur, TX $77,232

Evansville, IN $77,232

Bradenton, FL $77,199

Santa Fe, NM $77,052

Orlando, FL $76,971

Clearwater, FL $76,881

Canton, OH $76,710

La Crosse, WI $76,710

Grand Forks, ND $76,686

Albuquerque, NM $76,661

Tulsa, OK $76,661

Newport News, VA $76,653

High Point, NC $76,628

Ogden, UT $76,596

Corpus Christi, TX $76,531

Laramie, WY $76,482

Norfolk, VA $76,482

Rock Island, IL $76,433

Saginaw, MI $76,416

Jacksonville, FL $76,408

Salisbury, NC $76,392

Memphis, TN $76,376

Moline, IL $76,335

Fort Myers, FL $76,310

Waterloo, IA $76,204

Spartanburg, SC $76,123

Lincoln, NE $76,082

Fort Wayne, IN $76,066

Birmingham, AL $75,976

Cedar Falls, IA $75,960

Provo, UT $75,952

Springfield, OH $75,944

San Antonio, TX $75,927

Greensboro, NC $75,895

South Bend, IN $75,886

Winston Salem, NC $75,878

Boise, ID $75,854

Savannah, GA $75,797

Muskegon, MI $75,650

Lima, OH $75,552

Lake Charles, LA $75,520

Anderson, IN $75,503

Lexington, KY $75,479

Augusta, GA $75,454

Greenville, SC $75,454

Wichita, KS $75,381

Tuscaloosa, AL $75,381

Columbia, SC $75,308

Bloomington, IN $75,104

Roanoke, VA $75,055

Asheville, NC $74,949

Knoxville, TN $74,810

Shreveport, LA $74,802

Wilmington, NC $74,696

Frankfort, KY $74,541

Oklahoma City, OK $74,484

Chillicothe, OH $74,451

Longview, TX $74,443

Topeka, KS $74,419

Mobile, AL $74,297

Terre Haute, IN $74,264

Erie, PA $74,256

Altoona, PA $74,215

Melbourne, FL $74,191

Amarillo, TX $74,158

Killeen, TX $74,133

Fayetteville, AR $74,068

Sioux Falls, SD $74,011

Chattanooga, TN $73,962

Idaho Falls, ID $73,954

Gainesville, FL $73,783

Portsmouth, OH $73,742

Little Rock, AR $73,726

Lynchburg, VA $73,726

Lafayette, LA $73,693

Youngstown, OH $73,693

Temple, TX $73,661

Daytona Beach, FL $73,644

Clarksville, TN $73,636

Pensacola, FL $73,628

Hopkinsville, KY $73,383

Charleston, WV $73,375

Florence, SC $73,334

Sioux City, IA $73,285

Macon, GA $73,049

Tallahassee, FL $73,041

Fayetteville, NC $73,025

Waco, TX $73,008

Wichita Falls, TX $73,008

Pine Bluff, AR $72,976

Vincennes, IN $72,821

Lubbock, TX $72,788

Great Falls, MT $72,739

Alamogordo, NM $72,731

Abilene, TX $72,666

Rapid City, SD $72,560

Monroe, LA $72,560

Albany, GA $72,511

Huntington, WV $72,503

Jackson, MS $72,495

Greenville, MS $72,486

Parkersburg, WV $72,405

Montgomery, AL $72,389

Johnstown, PA $72,372

Springfield, MO $72,307

Biloxi, MS $72,266

Sumter, SC $72,095

Columbus, GA $72,087

Twin Falls, ID $72,038

Pascagoula, MS $71,932

Kingsport, TN $71,720

Gulfport, MS $71,695

Alexandria, LA $71,426

Fort Smith, AR $71,223

El Paso, TX $71,002

Helena, MT $70,896

Las Cruces, NM $70,636

Harlingen, TX $70,407

Pocatello, ID $70,334

Florence, AL $70,309

Brownsville, TX $70,293

Dothan, AL $70,163

Mcallen, TX $70,122

Columbus, MS $69,518

Altus, OK $69,143

Lawton, OK $68,988

Pierre, SD $68,695

What Skills Can Increase a Machine Operator Lead's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Leadership (Mentioned in 9.94% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
5S (Mentioned in 2.2% Job Postings): Stands for sort, sustain, set in order, standardized and shine. 5 tips that are designed to achieve clean, uncluttered, safe, and well organized workplace for a more systematized work flow.
Sustainability (Mentioned in 1.85% Job Postings): Sustainability is a societal goal that broadly aims for humans to safely co-exist on planet Earth over a long time. Specific definitions of sustainability are difficult to agree on and therefore vary in the literature and over time.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Leadership	9.94%
5S	2.2%
Sustainability	1.85%

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 Lead's salary.

SOP: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Lean: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
SOP	$85,614	5%
Process Improvement	$85,614	5%
Lean	$85,614	5%
Scheduling	$85,614	5%
Collaborating with Others	$84,798	4%
Innovation	$84,798	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Machine Operator Lead's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Machine Operator Leads 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 Lead with a No Diploma is between $82,992 and $88,260).

Machine Operator Lead Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Machine Operator Lead

No Diploma 16.7%

High School 66.7%

Associates 16.7%

Bachelors 0.0%

Masters 0.0%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	16.7%
High School	66.7%
Associates	16.7%
Bachelors	0.0%
Masters	0.0%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Machine Operator Lead Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Machine Operator Lead'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 April 01, 2026

$74,042

Average $81,537/year

$93,191

$6,170

Average $6,795/month

$7,766

$1,424

Average $1,568/week

$1,792

$36

Average $39/hour

$45

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$93,191	$7,766	$1,792	$45
Average	$81,537	$6,795	$1,568	$39
25th Percentile	$74,042	$6,170	$1,424	$36

Salaries of jobs related to Machine Operator Lead

Salary Trends for Machine Operator Lead

Salaries for a Machine Operator Lead can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $68,125 in 2023 to around $68,287 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Machine Operator Lead salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Machine Operator Lead Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$68,125

2024

$68,617

2025

$68,287

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$68,125
2024	$68,617
2025	$68,287
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Machine Operator Lead

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

Biotechnology

the United States

Find Your Next Machine Operator Lead Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Machine Operator Lead job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
Job and employee pricing reports
Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.

Learn about