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

A Control Operator's salary grows with experience: starting around $79,479 for beginners, reaching about $84,135 at mid-level, and approach $87,262 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Control Operator?

Control Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Control Operator roles are District of Columbia $89,456, California $89,117, Massachusetts $87,929. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Control Operator roles make?

Salaries for Control Operator level roles vary by specialization: Pest Control Operator: $91,504; Nuclear Plant Control Operator: $72,726; Ballast Control Operator: $60,600; Solids Control Operator: $58,056; Network Control Operator: $54,890.

How do different companies affect a Control Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Control Operator roles. Large, established industry leaders like Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc ($126,909) and GE Renewable Energy ($121,776) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $76,117.

Control Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Control Operator make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Control Operator in the United States is $80,795 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $100,782
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $75,220 to $91,257
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $70,144

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Control Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,257	$7,605	$1,755	$44
Average	$80,795	$6,733	$1,554	$39
25th Percentile	$75,220	$6,268	$1,447	$36

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Key Factors That Influence Control Operator Salaries

A Control 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 and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Control Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Control 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): $79,479
Early Career (1-2 years): $80,408
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $84,135
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $86,914
Expert (over 8 years): $87,262

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Control Operator	$79,479
Intermediate Level Control Operator	$80,408
Senior Level Control Operator	$84,135
Specialist Level Control Operator	$86,914
Expert Level Control Operator	$87,262

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What Am I Worth?

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

District of Columbia: $89,456.
California: $89,117.
Massachusetts: $87,929.

District of Columbia $89,456

California $89,117

Massachusetts $87,929

Washington $87,606

New Jersey $87,574

Alaska $87,461

Connecticut $86,346

New York $85,893

Hawaii $84,447

Rhode Island $83,768

Maryland $83,308

Minnesota $82,678

Colorado $82,435

Illinois $82,354

Oregon $82,047

Delaware $81,821

New Hampshire $81,679

Virginia $81,361

Pennsylvania $80,431

Nevada $79,963

North Dakota $79,809

Michigan $79,567

Wisconsin $79,478

Vermont $79,300

Texas $78,807

Maine $78,775

Arizona $78,727

Ohio $78,670

Georgia $77,927

Indiana $77,555

Wyoming $77,482

Utah $77,369

Iowa $77,321

Kansas $76,933

Louisiana $76,820

North Carolina $76,779

Missouri $76,763

Florida $76,448

Montana $76,279

Nebraska $76,117

Kentucky $76,028

South Carolina $75,705

Tennessee $75,503

Idaho $75,422

New Mexico $74,832

Oklahoma $74,703

Alabama $74,226

South Dakota $73,426

Arkansas $72,990

West Virginia $72,756

Mississippi $72,053

Top Paying Cities for Control 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: $101,907
San Francisco: $100,905
Oakland: $98,667

San Jose, CA $101,907

San Francisco, CA $100,905

Oakland, CA $98,667

New York, NY $93,633

Queens Village, NY $93,027

Paramus, NJ $92,381

Passaic, NJ $92,300

Bergenfield, NJ $92,219

Stamford, CT $92,098

Huntington, NY $92,017

Newark, NJ $91,492

Bridgeport, CT $91,331

New Brunswick, NJ $91,064

Vallejo, CA $90,894

Middlesex, NJ $90,846

Somerset, NJ $90,773

Petaluma, CA $90,587

Santa Cruz, CA $90,272

Boston, MA $90,111

Monterey, CA $89,707

Fairbanks, AK $89,650

Los Angeles, CA $89,497

Washington, DC $89,456

Seattle, WA $89,311

Santa Rosa, CA $89,295

Juneau, AK $89,060

Orange, CA $88,794

Anchorage, AK $88,648

Anaheim, CA $88,592

Santa Ana, CA $88,471

Nassau, NY $88,422

Long Beach, CA $88,390

Danbury, CT $88,365

Santa Maria, CA $88,091

Everett, WA $88,075

Bremerton, WA $87,679

Trenton, NJ $87,525

Sacramento, CA $87,493

San Diego, CA $87,453

Brockton, MA $87,420

Tacoma, WA $87,388

Santa Barbara, CA $87,275

Lowell, MA $86,952

New Suffolk, NY $86,919

Nashua, NH $86,822

Lompoc, CA $86,693

Ventura, CA $86,612

Stockton, CA $86,588

New Haven, CT $86,426

Atlantic City, NJ $86,216

Hartford, CT $86,039

Modesto, CA $85,998

Poughkeepsie, NY $85,820

New Britain, CT $85,780

Olympia, WA $85,667

Kennewick, WA $85,667

New London, CT $85,651

Norwich, CT $85,627

Lawrence, MA $85,586

Bakersfield, CA $85,360

Riverside, CA $85,247

New Bedford, MA $85,247

Richland, WA $85,166

Portsmouth, NH $85,101

Vineland, NJ $85,085

San Bernardino, CA $85,021

Boulder, CO $84,794

Worcester, MA $84,730

Portland, OR $84,657

Saint Paul, MN $84,560

Minneapolis, MN $84,560

Philadelphia, PA $84,447

Honolulu, HI $84,019

Springfield, MA $83,736

Providence, RI $83,728

Chicago, IL $83,494

Bellingham, WA $83,397

Baltimore, MD $83,308

Chico, CA $83,106

Wilmington, DE $82,968

Pittsfield, MA $82,888

Manchester, NH $82,734

Spokane, WA $82,379

Denver, CO $82,371

Albany, NY $81,991

Troy, NY $81,958

Schenectady, NY $81,789

Burlington, VT $81,611

Portland, ME $81,328

Salem, OR $81,264

Yakima, WA $81,247

Ann Arbor, MI $81,223

Rochester, MN $80,997

Fresno, CA $80,957

Reno, NV $80,957

Milwaukee, WI $80,884

Detroit, MI $80,803

Allentown, PA $80,779

Carson City, NV $80,771

Houston, TX $80,650

Colorado Springs, CO $80,641

Syracuse, NY $80,601

Eugene, OR $80,448

Bismarck, ND $80,351

Gary, IN $80,351

Galveston, TX $80,351

Springfield, OR $80,286

Medford, OR $80,092

Fort Collins, CO $80,060

Austin, TX $79,995

Mesa, AZ $79,825

Phoenix, AZ $79,809

Dallas, TX $79,785

Reading, PA $79,737

Saint Cloud, MN $79,704

Concord, NH $79,632

Madison, WI $79,599

Utica, NY $79,381

Raleigh, NC $79,316

Las Vegas, NV $79,308

Rochester, NY $79,252

Des Moines, IA $79,244

Atlanta, GA $79,114

Battle Creek, MI $79,090

Salt Lake City, UT $79,066

Lancaster, PA $78,945

Champaign, IL $78,929

Harrisburg, PA $78,832

Durham, NC $78,759

Kansas City, MO $78,751

Kansas City, KS $78,735

Fort Worth, TX $78,727

Boca Raton, FL $78,694

Cleveland, OH $78,686

Columbus, OH $78,670

Pittsburgh, PA $78,662

Richmond, VA $78,630

Indianapolis, IN $78,614

Cincinnati, OH $78,509

Petersburg, VA $78,387

Billings, MT $78,210

Lansing, MI $78,210

Huntsville, AL $78,210

Lebanon, PA $78,201

Dayton, OH $78,193

Pueblo, CO $78,193

Appleton, WI $78,169

Buffalo, NY $78,137

Racine, WI $78,096

Charlotte, NC $78,088

Saint Louis, MO $78,064

Springfield, IL $78,032

Elkhart, IN $78,016

York, PA $78,016

Gastonia, NC $78,008

Benton Harbor, MI $78,008

Beaumont, TX $77,959

Lorain, OH $77,943

Toledo, OH $77,911

Binghamton, NY $77,870

Rock Hill, SC $77,862

Rockford, IL $77,822

Fargo, ND $77,781

Elyria, OH $77,781

Flagstaff, AZ $77,725

Fort Lauderdale, FL $77,676

Miami, FL $77,628

Duluth, MN $77,499

Bangor, ME $77,394

Cedar Rapids, IA $77,305

Louisville, KY $77,264

Grand Rapids, MI $77,248

Hialeah, FL $77,240

Casper, WY $77,127

Scranton, PA $77,030

New Orleans, LA $77,006

Virginia Beach, VA $76,998

Akron, OH $76,957

Peoria, IL $76,852

Sarasota, FL $76,836

Green Bay, WI $76,779

Baton Rouge, LA $76,739

Charleston, SC $76,723

Nashville, TN $76,699

Jamestown, NY $76,683

Davenport, IA $76,683

Tucson, AZ $76,642

Cheyenne, WY $76,618

Saint Petersburg, FL $76,594

Tampa, FL $76,578

Omaha, NE $76,561

Port Arthur, TX $76,529

Evansville, IN $76,529

Bradenton, FL $76,497

Santa Fe, NM $76,351

Orlando, FL $76,270

Clearwater, FL $76,182

Canton, OH $76,012

La Crosse, WI $76,012

Grand Forks, ND $75,988

Albuquerque, NM $75,963

Tulsa, OK $75,963

Newport News, VA $75,955

High Point, NC $75,931

Ogden, UT $75,899

Corpus Christi, TX $75,834

Laramie, WY $75,786

Norfolk, VA $75,786

Rock Island, IL $75,737

Saginaw, MI $75,721

Jacksonville, FL $75,713

Salisbury, NC $75,697

Memphis, TN $75,681

Moline, IL $75,640

Fort Myers, FL $75,616

Waterloo, IA $75,511

Spartanburg, SC $75,430

Lincoln, NE $75,390

Fort Wayne, IN $75,374

Birmingham, AL $75,285

Cedar Falls, IA $75,269

Provo, UT $75,261

Springfield, OH $75,252

San Antonio, TX $75,236

Greensboro, NC $75,204

South Bend, IN $75,196

Winston Salem, NC $75,188

Boise, ID $75,164

Savannah, GA $75,107

Muskegon, MI $74,962

Lima, OH $74,865

Lake Charles, LA $74,832

Anderson, IN $74,816

Lexington, KY $74,792

Augusta, GA $74,768

Greenville, SC $74,768

Wichita, KS $74,695

Tuscaloosa, AL $74,695

Columbia, SC $74,622

Bloomington, IN $74,420

Roanoke, VA $74,372

Asheville, NC $74,267

Knoxville, TN $74,129

Shreveport, LA $74,121

Wilmington, NC $74,016

Frankfort, KY $73,863

Oklahoma City, OK $73,806

Chillicothe, OH $73,774

Longview, TX $73,766

Topeka, KS $73,742

Mobile, AL $73,620

Terre Haute, IN $73,588

Erie, PA $73,580

Altoona, PA $73,540

Melbourne, FL $73,515

Amarillo, TX $73,483

Killeen, TX $73,459

Fayetteville, AR $73,394

Sioux Falls, SD $73,338

Chattanooga, TN $73,289

Idaho Falls, ID $73,281

Gainesville, FL $73,111

Portsmouth, OH $73,071

Little Rock, AR $73,055

Lynchburg, VA $73,055

Lafayette, LA $73,023

Youngstown, OH $73,023

Temple, TX $72,990

Daytona Beach, FL $72,974

Clarksville, TN $72,966

Pensacola, FL $72,958

Hopkinsville, KY $72,716

Charleston, WV $72,707

Florence, SC $72,667

Sioux City, IA $72,619

Macon, GA $72,384

Tallahassee, FL $72,376

Fayetteville, NC $72,360

Waco, TX $72,344

Wichita Falls, TX $72,344

Pine Bluff, AR $72,312

Vincennes, IN $72,158

Lubbock, TX $72,126

Great Falls, MT $72,077

Alamogordo, NM $72,069

Abilene, TX $72,005

Rapid City, SD $71,899

Monroe, LA $71,899

Albany, GA $71,851

Huntington, WV $71,843

Jackson, MS $71,835

Greenville, MS $71,827

Parkersburg, WV $71,746

Montgomery, AL $71,730

Johnstown, PA $71,714

Springfield, MO $71,649

Biloxi, MS $71,609

Sumter, SC $71,439

Columbus, GA $71,431

Twin Falls, ID $71,382

Pascagoula, MS $71,277

Kingsport, TN $71,067

Gulfport, MS $71,043

Alexandria, LA $70,776

Fort Smith, AR $70,574

El Paso, TX $70,356

Helena, MT $70,251

Las Cruces, NM $69,993

Harlingen, TX $69,766

Pocatello, ID $69,694

Florence, AL $69,670

Brownsville, TX $69,653

Dothan, AL $69,524

Mcallen, TX $69,484

Columbus, MS $68,886

Altus, OK $68,514

Lawton, OK $68,361

Pierre, SD $68,070

What Skills Can Increase a Control Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 4.86% 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.
Healthcare Facilities Management (Mentioned in 5.23% Job Postings): Developing and implementing facility plans and processes while coordinating assets, resources, and people to ensure excellent healthcare services.
Control Structure (Mentioned in 4.05% Job Postings): Control Structures are the blocks that analyze variables and choose directions in which to go based on given parameters.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting	4.86%
Healthcare Facilities Management	5.23%
Control Structure	4.05%

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 Control Operator's salary.

Team Operations: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Mechanical Systems: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
HVAC: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Team Operations	$85,643	6%
Mechanical Systems	$84,027	4%
HVAC	$84,027	4%
Collaboration	$84,027	4%
Leadership	$83,219	3%
Standard Operating Procedures	$82,411	2%

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

Understanding how a Control 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

$75,220

Average $80,795/year

$91,257

$6,268

Average $6,733/month

$7,605

$1,447

Average $1,554/week

$1,755

$36

Average $39/hour

$44

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,257	$7,605	$1,755	$44
Average	$80,795	$6,733	$1,554	$39
25th Percentile	$75,220	$6,268	$1,447	$36

Salaries of jobs related to Control Operator

Salary Trends for Control Operator

Salaries for a Control Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $73,388 in 2023 to around $72,582 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Control Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Control Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$73,388

2024

$73,213

2025

$72,582

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$73,388
2024	$73,213
2025	$72,582
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Control Operator

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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