Salary AI Book a Demo

Control Operator Salary in the United States

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

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Control Operator in the United States is $80,984 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): $100,968
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $75,650 to $91,444
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $70,794
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

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): $69,941
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $81,354
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $91,361
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $105,771
  • Expert (over 8 years): $122,101
Levels Salary
Power Pla... Level Control Operator$69,941
Control O... Level Control Operator$81,354
Power Pla... Level Control Operator$91,361
Power Pla... Level Control Operator$105,771
Power Pla... Level Control Operator$122,101
View as Graph

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: $89,666.
  • California: $89,325.
  • Massachusetts: $88,135.

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: $102,145
  • San Francisco: $101,027
  • Oakland: $98,898

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

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 $85,843
6%
Mechanical Systems $84,223
4%
HVAC $84,223
4%
Get Latest Data

Control Operator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Control Operator roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, MFG Durable, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Control Operator positions in Energy & Utilities typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Control Operator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Control Operator

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
MFG Durable$97,181$47.020%

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 October 01, 2026
$75,650
Average $80,984/year
$91,444
$6,304
Average $6,749/month
$7,620
$1,455
Average $1,557/week
$1,759
$36
Average $39/hour
$44
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $91,444 $7,620 $1,759 $44
Average $80,984 $6,749 $1,557 $39
25th Percentile $75,650 $6,304 $1,455 $36

Most common benefits for Control Operator

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Control Operator

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

Find Your Next Control Operator Job

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

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Control Operator

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Control Operator?

The MFG Durable industry offers the highest average compensation for Control Operator roles, with salaries approximately 20% 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.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst