Electrical Operator Salary in the United States

How much does an Electrical Operator make in the United States?

As of February 01, 2026, the average salary for an Electrical Operator in the United States is $64,415 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $31.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $77,202
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $57,681 to $71,108
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $51,551
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View as table View as graph 25% $57,681 10% $51,551 90% $77,202 75% $71,108 $64,415 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Electrical Operator Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $71,108 $5,926 $1,367 $34
Average $64,415 $5,368 $1,239 $31
25th Percentile $57,681 $4,807 $1,109 $28
Check out Electrical Operator Job Openings in the United States
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS OPERATOR

Chugach Government Solutions - HONOLULU, HI

Operator

BHE Renewables, LLC - CALIPATRIA, CA

Mechanical Electrical Engineer Transformer Designer

Westrafo - FARMERSVILLE, OH

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Key Factors That Influence Electrical Operator Salaries

An Electrical 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 Electrical Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Electrical 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): $54,937
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $63,923
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $70,453
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $82,428
  • Expert (over 8 years): $82,978
Levels Salary
Electrici... Level Electrical Operator$54,937
Electrica... Level Electrical Operator$63,923
Electrici... Level Electrical Operator$70,453
Electrici... Level Electrical Operator$82,428
Electrica... Level Electrical Operator$82,978
$54,937 0 yr
$63,923 < 2 yrs
$70,453 2-4 yrs
$82,428 5-8 yrs
$82,978 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

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

  • District of Columbia: $71,320.
  • California: $71,050.
  • Massachusetts: $70,103.

Top Paying Cities for Electrical 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: $81,247
  • San Francisco: $80,448
  • Oakland: $78,663

What Skills Can Increase an Electrical Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 8.21% 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.
  • Site Survey (Mentioned in 4.38% Job Postings): Site surveys are inspections of an area where work is proposed, to gather information for a design or an estimate to complete the initial tasks required for an outdoor activity. It can determine a precise location, access, best orientation for the site and the location of obstacles. The type of site survey and the best practices required depend on the nature of the project. Examples of projects requiring a preliminary site survey include urban construction, specialized construction (such as the location for a telescope) and wireless network design. In hydrocarbon exploration, for example, site surveys are run over the proposed locations of offshore exploration or appraisal wells. They consist typically of a tight grid of high resolution (high frequency) reflection seismology profiles to look for possible gas hazards in the shallow section beneath the seabed and detailed bathymetric data to look for possible obstacles on the seafloor (e.g. shipwrecks, existing pipelines) using multibeam echosounders.
  • Pneumatics (Mentioned in 1.84% Job Postings): Pneumatics (pronounced new-MATT-ix) is an aspect of physics and engineering that is concerned with using the energy in compressed gas to make something move or work.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 8.21%
Site Survey 4.38%
Pneumatics 1.84%
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 Electrical Operator's salary.
  • Resilience: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Commercial Sales: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Site Survey: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Resilience
$66,991
4%
Commercial Sales
$66,347
3%
Site Survey
$66,347
3%
Customer Support
$65,703
2%
Analysis
$65,703
2%
Innovation
$65,703
2%
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How Education impacts an Electrical Operator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Electrical Operators enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Electrical Operator with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $65,461 and $70,392).

Electrical Operator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Electrical Operator
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 69.6%
High School 69.6%
Associates 24.5%
Bachelors 3.9%
Masters 2.0%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Electrical Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Electrical 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 February 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Electrical Operator

Salaries for an Electrical Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $53,085 in 2023 to around $52,852 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Electrical Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Electrical Operator Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$53,085
2024
$53,277
2025
$52,852
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $53,085
2024 $53,277
2025 $52,852
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Electrical Operator

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Electrical Operator

Here are companies hiring for Electrical Operator and their salaries, click below for more details.

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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.)

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

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