What are the main factors that influence an 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 Operator's salary?

An Operator's salary grows with experience: a Machine Operator I (0-1 years)earns $38,733, a Operator (1-3 years)earns $43,042, a Machine Operator III (3-5 years)earns $48,828, a Machine Operator IV (5-7 years)earns $52,498, a Machine Operator Supervisor (7+ years)earns $76,209,

What are the highest paying cities for an Operator?

Operator salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in New Mexico for Operator roles are San Jose $59,445, San Francisco $58,795, Oakland $57,556.

How much do different types of Operator roles make?

Salaries for Operator level roles vary by specialization: Operator, Assembly Operator: $55,883; Crane/Tower Operator: $54,387; Crane Operator: $52,044; Furnace Operator/Tender: $47,081; Camera Operator: $46,914.

What specialized skills increase an Operator's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Analysis (up to 8% premium), Dedication (up to 7% premium), Collaboration (up to 4% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

Operator Salary in La Jara, NM

How much does an Operator make in La Jara, NM?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for an Operator in La Jara, NM is $43,380 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $21.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $52,155
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $39,177 to $47,973
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $35,351

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Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$47,973	$3,998	$923	$23
Average	$43,380	$3,615	$834	$21
25th Percentile	$39,177	$3,265	$753	$19

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Operator Salaries

An 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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an 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): $38,733
Early Career (1-2 years): $43,042
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $48,828
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $52,498
Expert (over 8 years): $76,209

Levels	Salary
Machine O... Level Operator	$38,733
Operator Level Operator	$43,042
Machine O... Level Operator	$48,828
Machine O... Level Operator	$52,498
Machine O... Level Operator	$76,209

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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for 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: $59,445
San Francisco: $58,795
Oakland: $57,556

San Jose, CA $59,445

San Francisco, CA $58,795

Oakland, CA $57,556

New York, NY $54,265

Paramus, NJ $53,606

Queens Village, NY $53,603

Passaic, NJ $53,558

Bergenfield, NJ $53,554

Stamford, CT $53,450

Huntington, NY $53,431

Newark, NJ $53,083

Bridgeport, CT $52,983

Vallejo, CA $52,890

New Brunswick, NJ $52,871

Petaluma, CA $52,842

Middlesex, NJ $52,753

Somerset, NJ $52,720

Santa Cruz, CA $52,659

Boston, MA $52,371

Monterey, CA $52,206

Seattle, WA $52,098

Santa Rosa, CA $52,088

Los Angeles, CA $52,074

Juneau, AK $51,952

Washington, DC $51,900

Orange, CA $51,732

Santa Ana, CA $51,608

Long Beach, CA $51,561

Anaheim, CA $51,551

Anchorage, AK $51,528

Santa Maria, CA $51,386

Everett, WA $51,377

Danbury, CT $51,211

Bremerton, WA $51,146

Tacoma, WA $50,976

New Suffolk, NY $50,975

Sacramento, CA $50,962

Santa Barbara, CA $50,910

Trenton, NJ $50,858

San Diego, CA $50,858

Brockton, MA $50,806

Fairbanks, AK $50,691

Lompoc, CA $50,571

Lowell, MA $50,533

Ventura, CA $50,524

Nashua, NH $50,514

Stockton, CA $50,510

Modesto, CA $50,165

Poughkeepsie, NY $50,062

Olympia, WA $49,972

Kennewick, WA $49,972

New Haven, CT $49,953

Lawrence, MA $49,784

Hartford, CT $49,737

Riverside, CA $49,727

New Bedford, MA $49,680

Richland, WA $49,680

Bakersfield, CA $49,614

San Bernardino, CA $49,595

New Britain, CT $49,591

Atlantic City, NJ $49,591

New London, CT $49,572

Norwich, CT $49,558

Portsmouth, NH $49,548

Boulder, CO $49,448

Portland, OR $49,383

Worcester, MA $49,378

Minneapolis, MN $49,232

Philadelphia, PA $49,166

Honolulu, HI $49,011

Saint Paul, MN $48,988

Vineland, NJ $48,978

Providence, RI $48,841

Chicago, IL $48,704

Bellingham, WA $48,648

Springfield, MA $48,610

Baltimore, MD $48,596

Chico, CA $48,478

Pittsfield, MA $48,351

Manchester, NH $48,261

Spokane, WA $48,054

Denver, CO $48,049

Albany, NY $47,828

Troy, NY $47,809

Nassau, NY $47,759

Schenectady, NY $47,710

Wilmington, DE $47,672

Burlington, VT $47,606

Salem, OR $47,587

Portland, ME $47,441

Yakima, WA $47,394

Rochester, MN $47,248

Reno, NV $47,225

Fresno, CA $47,225

Milwaukee, WI $47,182

Detroit, MI $47,135

Ann Arbor, MI $47,127

Allentown, PA $47,121

Colorado Springs, CO $47,041

Syracuse, NY $47,017

Carson City, NV $47,017

Houston, TX $46,951

Eugene, OR $46,928

Gary, IN $46,871

Springfield, OR $46,833

Bismarck, ND $46,824

Galveston, TX $46,791

Medford, OR $46,720

Fort Collins, CO $46,701

Concord, NH $46,678

Austin, TX $46,664

Mesa, AZ $46,565

Reading, PA $46,560

Phoenix, AZ $46,555

Dallas, TX $46,541

Saint Cloud, MN $46,496

Madison, WI $46,433

Utica, NY $46,306

Rochester, NY $46,230

Des Moines, IA $46,225

Raleigh, NC $46,221

Atlanta, GA $46,150

Battle Creek, MI $46,136

Salt Lake City, UT $46,122

Lancaster, PA $46,051

Harrisburg, PA $45,985

Kansas City, MO $45,938

Champaign, IL $45,928

Kansas City, KS $45,928

Fort Worth, TX $45,924

Columbus, OH $45,916

Boca Raton, FL $45,905

Pittsburgh, PA $45,886

Richmond, VA $45,867

Indianapolis, IN $45,858

Cleveland, OH $45,853

Las Vegas, NV $45,797

Cincinnati, OH $45,797

Petersburg, VA $45,726

Huntsville, AL $45,655

Lansing, MI $45,624

Lebanon, PA $45,617

Pueblo, CO $45,613

Appleton, WI $45,599

Buffalo, NY $45,580

Dayton, OH $45,566

Racine, WI $45,556

Charlotte, NC $45,551

Saint Louis, MO $45,537

York, PA $45,509

Elkhart, IN $45,509

Gastonia, NC $45,500

Billings, MT $45,489

Beaumont, TX $45,476

Lorain, OH $45,467

Benton Harbor, MI $45,457

Toledo, OH $45,448

Binghamton, NY $45,424

Rock Hill, SC $45,419

Rockford, IL $45,396

Springfield, IL $45,377

Elyria, OH $45,372

Fargo, ND $45,372

Flagstaff, AZ $45,339

Fort Lauderdale, FL $45,311

Duluth, MN $45,283

Miami, FL $45,283

Cheyenne, WY $45,250

Grand Forks, ND $45,250

Bangor, ME $45,146

Cedar Rapids, IA $45,094

Durham, NC $45,074

Louisville, KY $45,071

Grand Rapids, MI $45,061

Hialeah, FL $45,057

Casper, WY $44,991

Scranton, PA $44,934

New Orleans, LA $44,920

Virginia Beach, VA $44,915

Akron, OH $44,892

Peoria, IL $44,830

Sarasota, FL $44,821

Nashville, TN $44,788

Omaha, NE $44,788

Green Bay, WI $44,788

Baton Rouge, LA $44,764

Charleston, SC $44,755

Jamestown, NY $44,731

Davenport, IA $44,731

Tucson, AZ $44,708

Saint Petersburg, FL $44,680

Tampa, FL $44,670

Evansville, IN $44,642

Port Arthur, TX $44,642

Bradenton, FL $44,623

Santa Fe, NM $44,538

Orlando, FL $44,453

Clearwater, FL $44,439

Canton, OH $44,340

La Crosse, WI $44,340

Albuquerque, NM $44,312

Newport News, VA $44,307

High Point, NC $44,293

Ogden, UT $44,274

Corpus Christi, TX $44,236

Norfolk, VA $44,208

Laramie, WY $44,208

Rock Island, IL $44,180

Saginaw, MI $44,171

Jacksonville, FL $44,166

Salisbury, NC $44,156

Boise, ID $44,147

Moline, IL $44,123

Fort Myers, FL $44,109

Memphis, TN $44,100

Tulsa, OK $44,076

Waterloo, IA $44,048

Spartanburg, SC $44,001

Lincoln, NE $43,977

Fort Wayne, IN $43,968

Provo, UT $43,963

Cedar Falls, IA $43,907

San Antonio, TX $43,888

Greensboro, NC $43,869

South Bend, IN $43,864

Savannah, GA $43,812

Muskegon, MI $43,793

Birmingham, AL $43,789

Winston Salem, NC $43,766

Lake Charles, LA $43,652

Anderson, IN $43,643

Lexington, KY $43,629

Augusta, GA $43,614

Greenville, SC $43,614

Lima, OH $43,577

Wichita, KS $43,572

Tuscaloosa, AL $43,572

Columbia, SC $43,530

Springfield, OH $43,520

Asheville, NC $43,445

Bloomington, IN $43,412

Knoxville, TN $43,242

Shreveport, LA $43,237

Wilmington, NC $43,176

Roanoke, VA $43,176

Topeka, KS $43,091

Frankfort, KY $43,086

Oklahoma City, OK $43,054

Chillicothe, OH $43,035

Longview, TX $43,030

Melbourne, FL $43,025

Sioux Falls, SD $42,950

Mobile, AL $42,945

Terre Haute, IN $42,926

Altoona, PA $42,898

Amarillo, TX $42,865

Killeen, TX $42,851

Fayetteville, AR $42,813

Chattanooga, TN $42,799

Sioux City, IA $42,757

Idaho Falls, ID $42,747

Lynchburg, VA $42,709

Gainesville, FL $42,648

Portsmouth, OH $42,625

Little Rock, AR $42,615

Lafayette, LA $42,596

Youngstown, OH $42,596

Daytona Beach, FL $42,568

Clarksville, TN $42,563

Pensacola, FL $42,559

Temple, TX $42,555

Hopkinsville, KY $42,417

Erie, PA $42,408

Florence, SC $42,389

Charleston, WV $42,314

Great Falls, MT $42,290

Macon, GA $42,224

Tallahassee, FL $42,219

Fayetteville, NC $42,210

Waco, TX $42,200

Helena, MT $42,167

Pine Bluff, AR $42,150

Vincennes, IN $42,092

Lubbock, TX $42,073

Alamogordo, NM $42,045

Twin Falls, ID $42,003

Rapid City, SD $41,988

Jackson, MS $41,904

Huntington, WV $41,900

Greenville, MS $41,899

Parkersburg, WV $41,851

Montgomery, AL $41,842

Wichita Falls, TX $41,795

Springfield, MO $41,795

Biloxi, MS $41,772

Monroe, LA $41,724

Johnstown, PA $41,691

Sumter, SC $41,673

Columbus, GA $41,668

Pascagoula, MS $41,578

Abilene, TX $41,578

Kingsport, TN $41,456

Albany, GA $41,456

Gulfport, MS $41,442

Alexandria, LA $41,286

Fort Smith, AR $41,168

El Paso, TX $41,041

Las Cruces, NM $40,829

Harlingen, TX $40,709

Pocatello, ID $40,702

Florence, AL $40,640

Brownsville, TX $40,631

Mcallen, TX $40,532

Dothan, AL $40,466

Columbus, MS $40,186

Altus, OK $39,966

Lawton, OK $39,877

Pierre, SD $39,707

What Skills Can Increase an Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 3.99% 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 3.23% Job Postings): Applying methods and techniques to implement, maintain, repair, design, and update various machines following specific rules to ensure safety.
Container (Mentioned in 2.39% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	3.99%
Machine Operation	3.23%
Container	2.39%

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 Operator's salary.

Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Analysis	$46,851	8%
Dedication	$46,417	7%
Collaboration	$45,115	4%
Leadership	$44,682	3%
Initiative	$44,682	3%
SOP	$44,248	2%

Get Latest Data

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

Understanding how an 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

$39,177

Average $43,380/year

$47,973

$3,265

Average $3,615/month

$3,998

$753

Average $834/week

$923

$19

Average $21/hour

$23

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$47,973	$3,998	$923	$23
Average	$43,380	$3,615	$834	$21
25th Percentile	$39,177	$3,265	$753	$19

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