Contract Operations Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Contract Operations Manager make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Contract Operations Manager in the United States is $111,472 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $54.

However, a Contract Operations Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $126,232
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $99,153 to $119,198
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $87,938
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View as table View as graph 25% $99,153 10% $87,938 90% $126,232 75% $119,198 $111,472 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Contract Operations Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $119,198 $9,933 $2,292 $57
Average $111,472 $9,289 $2,144 $54
25th Percentile $99,153 $8,263 $1,907 $48
Check out Contract Operations Manager Job Openings in the United States
PET Operations Advisor Contract Manufacturing Midwest

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Jushi - Columbus, OH

Operations Manager

Ulta Beauty - Columbus, OH

Operations Manager

AVI Foodsystems - Columbus, OH

Search More Contract Operations Manager Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Contract Operations Manager Salaries

A Contract Operations Manager'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 Contract Operations Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Contract Operations Manager'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): $108,050
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $108,564
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $110,274
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $112,328
  • Expert (over 8 years): $114,341
Levels Salary
Entry Level Contract Operations Manager$108,050
Intermediate Level Contract Operations Manager$108,564
Senior Level Contract Operations Manager$110,274
Specialist Level Contract Operations Manager$112,328
Expert Level Contract Operations Manager$114,341
$108,050 0 yr
$108,564 < 2 yrs
$110,274 2-4 yrs
$112,328 5-8 yrs
$114,341 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Contract Operations Manager 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 Contract Operations Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $123,422.
  • California: $122,954.
  • Massachusetts: $121,315.

Top Paying Cities for Contract Operations Managers

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: $140,600
  • San Francisco: $139,060
  • Oakland: $136,130

What Skills Can Increase a Contract Operations Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Collaboration (Mentioned in 5.72% Job Postings): Works cooperatively and shares ideas with coworkers and managers to achieve common goals and objectives.
  • Customer Satisfaction (Mentioned in 1.87% Job Postings): Customer satisfaction (often abbreviated as CSAT, more correctly CSat) is a term frequently used in marketing. It is a measure of how products and services supplied by a company meet or surpass customer expectation. Customer satisfaction is defined as "the number of customers, or percentage of total customers, whose reported experience with a firm, its products, or its services (ratings) exceeds specified satisfaction goals." The Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) endorses the definitions, purposes, and constructs of classes of measures that appear in Marketing Metrics as part of its ongoing Common Language in Marketing Project. In a survey of nearly 200 senior marketing managers, 71 percent responded that they found a customer satisfaction metric very useful in managing and monitoring their businesses. It is seen as a key performance indicator within business and is often part of a Balanced Scorecard. In a competitive marketplace where businesses compete for customers, customer satisfaction is seen as a key differentiator and increasingly has become a key element of business strategy.
  • Customer Sales (Mentioned in 1.25% Job Postings): Customer Sales means sales of Goods by Licensee directly or through its authorized wholesalers, representatives or distributors to retail establishments for eventual resale to the consumer.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Collaboration 5.72%
Customer Satisfaction 1.87%
Customer Sales 1.25%
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 Contract Operations Manager's salary.
  • Account Growth: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
  • B2B: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Team Management: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Account Growth
$123,734
11%
B2B
$120,390
8%
Team Management
$120,390
8%
Insight
$120,390
8%
Customer Relationship
$120,390
8%
Customer Engagement
$119,275
7%
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Contract Operations Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Contract Operations Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Business Services sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Contract Operations Manager positions in Transportation or Software & Networking typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Contract Operations Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Contract Operations Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$122,619$59.010%
Business Services$122,619$59.010%
Construction$122,619$59.010%
Energy & Utilities$122,619$59.010%
Healthcare$122,619$59.010%

How Education impacts a Contract Operations Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Contract Operations Managers 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 Contract Operations Manager with a Associate's Degree is between $103,685 and $112,860).

Contract Operations Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Contract Operations Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 25.0%
High School 25.0%
Associates 14.3%
Bachelors 35.7%
Masters 7.1%
Doctorate 17.9%
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Contract Operations Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Contract Operations Manager'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 August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Contract Operations Manager

Salaries for a Contract Operations Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $113,603 in 2023 to around $114,585 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Contract Operations Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Contract Operations Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$113,603
2024
$115,487
2025
$114,585
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $113,603
2024 $115,487
2025 $114,585
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Contract Operations Manager

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Contract Operations Manager

Here are companies hiring for Contract Operations Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Contract Operations Manager Job

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

United States
  • Reco Equipment Inc

    Columbus, OH

    Reco Equipment Inc | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Description. RECO Equipment Inc. is a full-line distributor supplying heavy and compact equipment — new, used, and rental... more

    7 Days Ago

  • Community Kitchen Inc.

    Columbus, OH

    Community Kitchen Inc. | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Interested applicants may submit a resume to: ceo. @CommunityKitchenColumbus.org. . This is a full-time, exempt position ... more

    7 Days Ago

  • DB&amp;A - DeWolff, Boberg &amp; Associates, Inc

    Columbus, OH

    DB&amp;A - DeWolff, Boberg &amp; Associates, Inc | Columbus, OH

    Management Consultant. With over 38 years of cross-industry management consulting experience, DeWolff, Boberg & Associates has successfully provided servic... more

    10 Days Ago

  • Zipline Logistics

    Columbus, OH

    Zipline Logistics | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Description. Position Summary. The Revenue Operations Manager is responsible for optimizing the revenue engine across Sal... more

    6 Days Ago

  • Veregy, an Energy Transition Company

    Columbus, OH

    Veregy, an Energy Transition Company | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Veregy is an award-winning NAESCO-Accredited decarbonization company focusing on accelerating and simplifying Energy Tran... more

    6 Days Ago

  • Foxtrot Aviation Services LLC

    Columbus, OH

    Foxtrot Aviation Services LLC | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. Description. FoxTrot Aviation Services is seeking a consistently hard-working. Operations Manager. based at. John Glenn C... more

    7 Days Ago

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FAQ about Contract Operations Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Contract Operations Manager?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Contract Operations Manager roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

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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