What are the main factors that influence a CNC Set Up 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 CNC Set Up Operator's salary?

A CNC Set Up Operator's salary grows with experience: starting around $60,501 for beginners, reaching about $62,945 at mid-level, and approach $66,095 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a CNC Set Up Operator?

CNC Set Up Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for CNC Set Up Operator roles are District of Columbia $70,856, California $70,587, Massachusetts $69,646. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of CNC Set Up Operator roles make?

Salaries for CNC Set Up Operator level roles vary by specialization: CNC Programmer/Set-Up IV: $119,390; CNC Programmer/Set-Up III: $85,290; CNC Set Up Machinist: $73,339; CNC Programmer/Set-Up II: $72,390; Equipment Set Up and Monitoring Operator, Experienced: $70,300.

How do different companies affect a CNC Set Up Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for CNC Set Up 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.

CNC Set Up Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a CNC Set Up Operator make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a CNC Set Up Operator in the United States is $63,995 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $31.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $78,435
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $58,145 to $71,554
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $52,819

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CNC Set Up Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$71,554	$5,963	$1,376	$34
Average	$63,995	$5,333	$1,231	$31
25th Percentile	$58,145	$4,845	$1,118	$28

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Key Factors That Influence CNC Set Up Operator Salaries

A CNC Set Up 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 CNC Set Up Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a CNC Set Up 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): $60,501
Early Career (1-2 years): $60,675
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $62,945
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $65,885
Expert (over 8 years): $66,095

Levels	Salary
Entry Level CNC Set Up Operator	$60,501
Intermediate Level CNC Set Up Operator	$60,675
Senior Level CNC Set Up Operator	$62,945
Specialist Level CNC Set Up Operator	$65,885
Expert Level CNC Set Up Operator	$66,095

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What Am I Worth?

How Do CNC Set Up 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 CNC Set Up Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $70,856.
California: $70,587.
Massachusetts: $69,646.

District of Columbia $70,856 California $70,587 Massachusetts $69,646 Washington $69,390 New Jersey $69,365 Alaska $69,275 Connecticut $68,392 New York $68,033

Hawaii $66,888 Rhode Island $66,350 Maryland $65,986 Minnesota $65,486 Colorado $65,294 Illinois $65,230 Oregon $64,987 Delaware $64,808

New Hampshire $64,695 Virginia $64,443 Pennsylvania $63,707 Nevada $63,336 North Dakota $63,215 Michigan $63,023 Wisconsin $62,952 Vermont $62,811

Texas $62,421 Maine $62,395 Arizona $62,357 Ohio $62,312 Georgia $61,723 Indiana $61,429 Wyoming $61,371 Utah $61,282

Iowa $61,244 Kansas $60,936 Louisiana $60,847 North Carolina $60,815 Missouri $60,802 Florida $60,552 Montana $60,418 Nebraska $60,290

Kentucky $60,220 South Carolina $59,964 Tennessee $59,804 Idaho $59,740 New Mexico $59,272 Oklahoma $59,170 Alabama $58,792 South Dakota $58,159

Arkansas $57,813 West Virginia $57,628 Mississippi $57,071

Top Paying Cities for CNC Set Up 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: $80,717
San Francisco: $79,924
Oakland: $78,151

San Jose, CA $80,717

San Francisco, CA $79,924

Oakland, CA $78,151

New York, NY $74,164

Queens Village, NY $73,684

Paramus, NJ $73,172

Passaic, NJ $73,108

Bergenfield, NJ $73,044

Stamford, CT $72,948

Huntington, NY $72,884

Newark, NJ $72,468

Bridgeport, CT $72,340

New Brunswick, NJ $72,129

Vallejo, CA $71,995

Middlesex, NJ $71,956

Somerset, NJ $71,899

Petaluma, CA $71,752

Santa Cruz, CA $71,502

Boston, MA $71,374

Monterey, CA $71,054

Fairbanks, AK $71,009

Los Angeles, CA $70,888

Washington, DC $70,856

Seattle, WA $70,740

Santa Rosa, CA $70,728

Juneau, AK $70,542

Orange, CA $70,331

Anchorage, AK $70,216

Anaheim, CA $70,171

Santa Ana, CA $70,075

Nassau, NY $70,036

Long Beach, CA $70,011

Danbury, CT $69,992

Santa Maria, CA $69,774

Everett, WA $69,761

Bremerton, WA $69,448

Trenton, NJ $69,326

Sacramento, CA $69,301

San Diego, CA $69,269

Brockton, MA $69,243

Tacoma, WA $69,217

Santa Barbara, CA $69,128

Lowell, MA $68,872

New Suffolk, NY $68,846

Nashua, NH $68,769

Lompoc, CA $68,667

Ventura, CA $68,603

Stockton, CA $68,584

New Haven, CT $68,456

Atlantic City, NJ $68,289

Hartford, CT $68,149

Modesto, CA $68,117

Poughkeepsie, NY $67,976

New Britain, CT $67,944

Olympia, WA $67,854

Kennewick, WA $67,854

New London, CT $67,841

Norwich, CT $67,822

Lawrence, MA $67,790

Bakersfield, CA $67,611

Riverside, CA $67,521

New Bedford, MA $67,521

Richland, WA $67,457

Portsmouth, NH $67,406

Vineland, NJ $67,393

San Bernardino, CA $67,342

Boulder, CO $67,163

Worcester, MA $67,112

Portland, OR $67,054

Saint Paul, MN $66,977

Minneapolis, MN $66,977

Philadelphia, PA $66,888

Honolulu, HI $66,549

Springfield, MA $66,325

Providence, RI $66,318

Chicago, IL $66,133

Bellingham, WA $66,056

Baltimore, MD $65,986

Chico, CA $65,826

Wilmington, DE $65,717

Pittsfield, MA $65,653

Manchester, NH $65,531

Spokane, WA $65,250

Denver, CO $65,243

Albany, NY $64,942

Troy, NY $64,917

Schenectady, NY $64,782

Burlington, VT $64,642

Portland, ME $64,418

Salem, OR $64,366

Yakima, WA $64,354

Ann Arbor, MI $64,334

Rochester, MN $64,155

Fresno, CA $64,123

Reno, NV $64,123

Milwaukee, WI $64,066

Detroit, MI $64,002

Allentown, PA $63,983

Carson City, NV $63,976

Houston, TX $63,880

Colorado Springs, CO $63,874

Syracuse, NY $63,842

Eugene, OR $63,720

Bismarck, ND $63,643

Gary, IN $63,643

Galveston, TX $63,643

Springfield, OR $63,592

Medford, OR $63,439

Fort Collins, CO $63,413

Austin, TX $63,362

Mesa, AZ $63,227

Phoenix, AZ $63,215

Dallas, TX $63,195

Reading, PA $63,157

Saint Cloud, MN $63,131

Concord, NH $63,074

Madison, WI $63,048

Utica, NY $62,875

Raleigh, NC $62,824

Las Vegas, NV $62,818

Rochester, NY $62,773

Des Moines, IA $62,767

Atlanta, GA $62,664

Battle Creek, MI $62,645

Salt Lake City, UT $62,626

Lancaster, PA $62,530

Champaign, IL $62,517

Harrisburg, PA $62,440

Durham, NC $62,383

Kansas City, MO $62,376

Kansas City, KS $62,363

Fort Worth, TX $62,357

Boca Raton, FL $62,331

Cleveland, OH $62,325

Columbus, OH $62,312

Pittsburgh, PA $62,306

Richmond, VA $62,280

Indianapolis, IN $62,267

Cincinnati, OH $62,184

Petersburg, VA $62,088

Billings, MT $61,947

Lansing, MI $61,947

Huntsville, AL $61,947

Lebanon, PA $61,941

Dayton, OH $61,935

Pueblo, CO $61,935

Appleton, WI $61,915

Buffalo, NY $61,890

Racine, WI $61,858

Charlotte, NC $61,851

Saint Louis, MO $61,832

Springfield, IL $61,807

Elkhart, IN $61,794

York, PA $61,794

Gastonia, NC $61,787

Benton Harbor, MI $61,787

Beaumont, TX $61,749

Lorain, OH $61,736

Toledo, OH $61,711

Binghamton, NY $61,679

Rock Hill, SC $61,672

Rockford, IL $61,640

Fargo, ND $61,608

Elyria, OH $61,608

Flagstaff, AZ $61,563

Fort Lauderdale, FL $61,525

Miami, FL $61,487

Duluth, MN $61,384

Bangor, ME $61,301

Cedar Rapids, IA $61,231

Louisville, KY $61,199

Grand Rapids, MI $61,186

Hialeah, FL $61,180

Casper, WY $61,090

Scranton, PA $61,013

New Orleans, LA $60,994

Virginia Beach, VA $60,988

Akron, OH $60,956

Peoria, IL $60,872

Sarasota, FL $60,860

Green Bay, WI $60,815

Baton Rouge, LA $60,783

Charleston, SC $60,770

Nashville, TN $60,751

Jamestown, NY $60,738

Davenport, IA $60,738

Tucson, AZ $60,706

Cheyenne, WY $60,687

Saint Petersburg, FL $60,668

Tampa, FL $60,655

Omaha, NE $60,642

Port Arthur, TX $60,616

Evansville, IN $60,616

Bradenton, FL $60,591

Santa Fe, NM $60,476

Orlando, FL $60,412

Clearwater, FL $60,341

Canton, OH $60,207

La Crosse, WI $60,207

Grand Forks, ND $60,188

Albuquerque, NM $60,168

Tulsa, OK $60,168

Newport News, VA $60,162

High Point, NC $60,143

Ogden, UT $60,117

Corpus Christi, TX $60,066

Laramie, WY $60,028

Norfolk, VA $60,028

Rock Island, IL $59,989

Saginaw, MI $59,976

Jacksonville, FL $59,970

Salisbury, NC $59,957

Memphis, TN $59,944

Moline, IL $59,912

Fort Myers, FL $59,893

Waterloo, IA $59,810

Spartanburg, SC $59,746

Lincoln, NE $59,714

Fort Wayne, IN $59,701

Birmingham, AL $59,631

Cedar Falls, IA $59,618

Provo, UT $59,612

Springfield, OH $59,605

San Antonio, TX $59,592

Greensboro, NC $59,567

South Bend, IN $59,560

Winston Salem, NC $59,554

Boise, ID $59,535

Savannah, GA $59,490

Muskegon, MI $59,375

Lima, OH $59,298

Lake Charles, LA $59,272

Anderson, IN $59,260

Lexington, KY $59,240

Augusta, GA $59,221

Greenville, SC $59,221

Wichita, KS $59,164

Tuscaloosa, AL $59,164

Columbia, SC $59,106

Bloomington, IN $58,946

Roanoke, VA $58,908

Asheville, NC $58,824

Knoxville, TN $58,716

Shreveport, LA $58,709

Wilmington, NC $58,626

Frankfort, KY $58,505

Oklahoma City, OK $58,460

Chillicothe, OH $58,434

Longview, TX $58,428

Topeka, KS $58,409

Mobile, AL $58,313

Terre Haute, IN $58,287

Erie, PA $58,281

Altoona, PA $58,249

Melbourne, FL $58,229

Amarillo, TX $58,204

Killeen, TX $58,185

Fayetteville, AR $58,133

Sioux Falls, SD $58,089

Chattanooga, TN $58,050

Idaho Falls, ID $58,044

Gainesville, FL $57,909

Portsmouth, OH $57,877

Little Rock, AR $57,865

Lynchburg, VA $57,865

Lafayette, LA $57,839

Youngstown, OH $57,839

Temple, TX $57,813

Daytona Beach, FL $57,801

Clarksville, TN $57,794

Pensacola, FL $57,788

Hopkinsville, KY $57,596

Charleston, WV $57,589

Florence, SC $57,557

Sioux City, IA $57,519

Macon, GA $57,333

Tallahassee, FL $57,327

Fayetteville, NC $57,314

Waco, TX $57,301

Wichita Falls, TX $57,301

Pine Bluff, AR $57,276

Vincennes, IN $57,154

Lubbock, TX $57,129

Great Falls, MT $57,090

Alamogordo, NM $57,084

Abilene, TX $57,033

Rapid City, SD $56,949

Monroe, LA $56,949

Albany, GA $56,911

Huntington, WV $56,905

Jackson, MS $56,898

Greenville, MS $56,892

Parkersburg, WV $56,828

Montgomery, AL $56,815

Johnstown, PA $56,802

Springfield, MO $56,751

Biloxi, MS $56,719

Sumter, SC $56,585

Columbus, GA $56,578

Twin Falls, ID $56,540

Pascagoula, MS $56,457

Kingsport, TN $56,290

Gulfport, MS $56,271

Alexandria, LA $56,060

Fort Smith, AR $55,900

El Paso, TX $55,727

Helena, MT $55,644

Las Cruces, NM $55,439

Harlingen, TX $55,260

Pocatello, ID $55,202

Florence, AL $55,183

Brownsville, TX $55,170

Dothan, AL $55,068

Mcallen, TX $55,036

Columbus, MS $54,562

Altus, OK $54,268

Lawton, OK $54,146

Pierre, SD $53,916

What Skills Can Increase a CNC Set Up Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 1.78% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Preventative Maintenance (Mentioned in 1.3% Job Postings): Developing and implementing maintenance strategies to increase equipment life expectancy and avoid unplanned downtime.
Preventive Maintenance (Mentioned in 0.98% Job Postings): Preventive maintenance is the act of performing regularly scheduled maintenance activities to help prevent unexpected failures in the future. Put simply, it's about fixing things before they break.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting	1.78%
Preventative Maintenance	1.3%
Preventive Maintenance	0.98%

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 CNC Set Up Operator's salary.

Initiative: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Written Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Lean: Can increase your salary by up to 2%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Initiative	$66,555	4%
Written Communication	$65,915	3%
Lean	$65,275	2%
Visual Inspection	$64,635	1%
CAD	$64,635	1%
Problem Solving	$64,635	1%

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How Education impacts a CNC Set Up Operator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many CNC Set Up Operators enter the field with a Associate's Degree 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 CNC Set Up Operator with a Associate's Degree is between $59,874 and $64,349).

CNC Set Up Operator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for CNC Set Up Operator

No Diploma 1.1%

High School 76.1%

Associates 19.3%

Bachelors 2.3%

Masters 1.1%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.1%
High School	76.1%
Associates	19.3%
Bachelors	2.3%
Masters	1.1%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

CNC Set Up Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a CNC Set Up 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

$58,145

Average $63,995/year

$71,554

$4,845

Average $5,333/month

$5,963

$1,118

Average $1,231/week

$1,376

$28

Average $31/hour

$34

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$71,554	$5,963	$1,376	$34
Average	$63,995	$5,333	$1,231	$31
25th Percentile	$58,145	$4,845	$1,118	$28

Salaries of jobs related to CNC Set Up Operator

Salary Trends for CNC Set Up Operator

Salaries for a CNC Set Up Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $47,339 in 2023 to around $46,888 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of CNC Set Up Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of CNC Set Up Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$47,339

2024

$47,203

2025

$46,888

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$47,339
2024	$47,203
2025	$46,888
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for CNC Set Up Operator

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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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