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: a Power Plant Operator I (0-1 years)earns $69,906, a Control Operator (1-3 years)earns $81,315, a Power Plant Operator III (3-5 years)earns $91,323, a Power Plant Operator IV (5-7 years)earns $105,721, a Power Plant Operations Shift Supervisor I (7+ years)earns $122,057,

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 $89,624, California $89,284, Massachusetts $88,094. 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: $91,548; Nuclear Plant Control Operator: $72,705; Ballast Control Operator: $60,708; Solids Control Operator: $58,194; Network Control Operator: $54,958.

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 August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Control Operator in the United States is $80,946 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): $100,921
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $75,630 to $91,402
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $70,789

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Control Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,402	$7,617	$1,758	$44
Average	$80,946	$6,746	$1,557	$39
25th Percentile	$75,630	$6,302	$1,454	$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): $69,906
Early Career (1-2 years): $81,315
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $91,323
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $105,721
Expert (over 8 years): $122,057

Levels	Salary
Power Pla... Level Control Operator	$69,906
Control O... Level Control Operator	$81,315
Power Pla... Level Control Operator	$91,323
Power Pla... Level Control Operator	$105,721
Power Pla... Level Control Operator	$122,057

View as Graph

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: $89,624.
California: $89,284.
Massachusetts: $88,094.

District of Columbia $89,624

California $89,284

Massachusetts $88,094

Washington $87,770

New Jersey $87,738

Alaska $87,624

Connecticut $86,507

New York $86,054

Hawaii $84,605

Rhode Island $83,925

Maryland $83,464

Minnesota $82,832

Colorado $82,589

Illinois $82,508

Oregon $82,201

Delaware $81,974

New Hampshire $81,832

Virginia $81,513

Pennsylvania $80,582

Nevada $80,112

North Dakota $79,959

Michigan $79,716

Wisconsin $79,627

Vermont $79,449

Texas $78,955

Maine $78,923

Arizona $78,874

Ohio $78,817

Georgia $78,073

Indiana $77,700

Wyoming $77,627

Utah $77,514

Iowa $77,466

Kansas $77,077

Louisiana $76,964

North Carolina $76,923

Missouri $76,907

Florida $76,591

Montana $76,421

Nebraska $76,259

Kentucky $76,170

South Carolina $75,847

Tennessee $75,644

Idaho $75,563

New Mexico $74,972

Oklahoma $74,843

Alabama $74,365

South Dakota $73,564

Arkansas $73,127

West Virginia $72,892

Mississippi $72,188

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: $102,097
San Francisco: $100,980
Oakland: $98,851

San Jose, CA $102,097

San Francisco, CA $100,980

Oakland, CA $98,851

New York, NY $93,201

Paramus, NJ $92,067

Queens Village, NY $92,063

Passaic, NJ $91,986

Bergenfield, NJ $91,979

Stamford, CT $91,801

Huntington, NY $91,768

Newark, NJ $91,170

Bridgeport, CT $90,999

Vallejo, CA $90,838

New Brunswick, NJ $90,805

Petaluma, CA $90,757

Middlesex, NJ $90,603

Somerset, NJ $90,546

Santa Cruz, CA $90,441

Boston, MA $89,947

Monterey, CA $89,663

Seattle, WA $89,478

Santa Rosa, CA $89,462

Los Angeles, CA $89,437

Juneau, AK $89,227

Washington, DC $89,138

Orange, CA $88,850

Santa Ana, CA $88,636

Long Beach, CA $88,555

Anaheim, CA $88,539

Anchorage, AK $88,498

Santa Maria, CA $88,256

Everett, WA $88,239

Danbury, CT $87,955

Bremerton, WA $87,843

Tacoma, WA $87,551

New Suffolk, NY $87,550

Sacramento, CA $87,527

Santa Barbara, CA $87,438

Trenton, NJ $87,349

San Diego, CA $87,349

Brockton, MA $87,260

Fairbanks, AK $87,062

Lompoc, CA $86,855

Lowell, MA $86,790

Ventura, CA $86,774

Nashua, NH $86,758

Stockton, CA $86,750

Modesto, CA $86,159

Poughkeepsie, NY $85,981

Olympia, WA $85,827

Kennewick, WA $85,827

New Haven, CT $85,795

Lawrence, MA $85,503

Hartford, CT $85,423

Riverside, CA $85,406

New Bedford, MA $85,325

Richland, WA $85,325

Bakersfield, CA $85,212

San Bernardino, CA $85,180

New Britain, CT $85,172

Atlantic City, NJ $85,172

New London, CT $85,139

Norwich, CT $85,115

Portsmouth, NH $85,099

Boulder, CO $84,927

Portland, OR $84,815

Worcester, MA $84,807

Minneapolis, MN $84,556

Philadelphia, PA $84,443

Honolulu, HI $84,176

Saint Paul, MN $84,137

Vineland, NJ $84,119

Providence, RI $83,885

Chicago, IL $83,650

Bellingham, WA $83,553

Springfield, MA $83,488

Baltimore, MD $83,464

Chico, CA $83,261

Pittsfield, MA $83,043

Manchester, NH $82,889

Spokane, WA $82,533

Denver, CO $82,525

Albany, NY $82,144

Troy, NY $82,112

Nassau, NY $82,025

Schenectady, NY $81,942

Wilmington, DE $81,877

Burlington, VT $81,764

Salem, OR $81,731

Portland, ME $81,480

Yakima, WA $81,399

Rochester, MN $81,149

Reno, NV $81,108

Fresno, CA $81,108

Milwaukee, WI $81,035

Detroit, MI $80,954

Ann Arbor, MI $80,941

Allentown, PA $80,930

Colorado Springs, CO $80,792

Syracuse, NY $80,752

Carson City, NV $80,752

Houston, TX $80,639

Eugene, OR $80,598

Gary, IN $80,501

Springfield, OR $80,436

Bismarck, ND $80,420

Galveston, TX $80,363

Medford, OR $80,242

Fort Collins, CO $80,210

Concord, NH $80,169

Austin, TX $80,145

Mesa, AZ $79,975

Reading, PA $79,967

Phoenix, AZ $79,959

Dallas, TX $79,934

Saint Cloud, MN $79,857

Madison, WI $79,748

Utica, NY $79,530

Rochester, NY $79,400

Des Moines, IA $79,392

Raleigh, NC $79,384

Atlanta, GA $79,263

Battle Creek, MI $79,238

Salt Lake City, UT $79,214

Lancaster, PA $79,093

Harrisburg, PA $78,979

Kansas City, MO $78,898

Champaign, IL $78,882

Kansas City, KS $78,882

Fort Worth, TX $78,874

Columbus, OH $78,860

Boca Raton, FL $78,842

Pittsburgh, PA $78,809

Richmond, VA $78,777

Indianapolis, IN $78,761

Cleveland, OH $78,753

Las Vegas, NV $78,655

Cincinnati, OH $78,655

Petersburg, VA $78,534

Huntsville, AL $78,413

Lansing, MI $78,358

Lebanon, PA $78,348

Pueblo, CO $78,340

Appleton, WI $78,315

Buffalo, NY $78,283

Dayton, OH $78,259

Racine, WI $78,243

Charlotte, NC $78,235

Saint Louis, MO $78,210

York, PA $78,162

Elkhart, IN $78,162

Gastonia, NC $78,146

Billings, MT $78,127

Beaumont, TX $78,105

Lorain, OH $78,089

Benton Harbor, MI $78,073

Toledo, OH $78,056

Binghamton, NY $78,016

Rock Hill, SC $78,008

Rockford, IL $77,967

Springfield, IL $77,935

Elyria, OH $77,927

Fargo, ND $77,927

Flagstaff, AZ $77,870

Fort Lauderdale, FL $77,822

Duluth, MN $77,773

Miami, FL $77,773

Cheyenne, WY $77,716

Grand Forks, ND $77,716

Bangor, ME $77,538

Cedar Rapids, IA $77,449

Durham, NC $77,415

Louisville, KY $77,409

Grand Rapids, MI $77,393

Hialeah, FL $77,385

Casper, WY $77,271

Scranton, PA $77,174

New Orleans, LA $77,150

Virginia Beach, VA $77,142

Akron, OH $77,101

Peoria, IL $76,996

Sarasota, FL $76,980

Nashville, TN $76,923

Omaha, NE $76,923

Green Bay, WI $76,923

Baton Rouge, LA $76,883

Charleston, SC $76,867

Jamestown, NY $76,826

Davenport, IA $76,826

Tucson, AZ $76,786

Saint Petersburg, FL $76,737

Tampa, FL $76,721

Evansville, IN $76,672

Port Arthur, TX $76,672

Bradenton, FL $76,640

Santa Fe, NM $76,494

Orlando, FL $76,348

Clearwater, FL $76,324

Canton, OH $76,154

La Crosse, WI $76,154

Albuquerque, NM $76,106

Newport News, VA $76,098

High Point, NC $76,073

Ogden, UT $76,041

Corpus Christi, TX $75,976

Norfolk, VA $75,928

Laramie, WY $75,928

Rock Island, IL $75,879

Saginaw, MI $75,863

Jacksonville, FL $75,855

Salisbury, NC $75,838

Boise, ID $75,822

Moline, IL $75,782

Fort Myers, FL $75,758

Memphis, TN $75,741

Tulsa, OK $75,701

Waterloo, IA $75,652

Spartanburg, SC $75,571

Lincoln, NE $75,531

Fort Wayne, IN $75,515

Provo, UT $75,507

Cedar Falls, IA $75,409

San Antonio, TX $75,377

Greensboro, NC $75,345

South Bend, IN $75,337

Savannah, GA $75,248

Muskegon, MI $75,215

Birmingham, AL $75,207

Winston Salem, NC $75,167

Lake Charles, LA $74,972

Anderson, IN $74,956

Lexington, KY $74,932

Augusta, GA $74,908

Greenville, SC $74,908

Lima, OH $74,843

Wichita, KS $74,835

Tuscaloosa, AL $74,835

Columbia, SC $74,762

Springfield, OH $74,746

Asheville, NC $74,616

Bloomington, IN $74,560

Knoxville, TN $74,268

Shreveport, LA $74,260

Wilmington, NC $74,155

Roanoke, VA $74,155

Topeka, KS $74,009

Frankfort, KY $74,000

Oklahoma City, OK $73,944

Chillicothe, OH $73,912

Longview, TX $73,904

Melbourne, FL $73,896

Sioux Falls, SD $73,766

Mobile, AL $73,758

Terre Haute, IN $73,726

Altoona, PA $73,677

Amarillo, TX $73,621

Killeen, TX $73,596

Fayetteville, AR $73,532

Chattanooga, TN $73,507

Sioux City, IA $73,434

Idaho Falls, ID $73,418

Lynchburg, VA $73,353

Gainesville, FL $73,248

Portsmouth, OH $73,208

Little Rock, AR $73,192

Lafayette, LA $73,159

Youngstown, OH $73,159

Daytona Beach, FL $73,111

Clarksville, TN $73,103

Pensacola, FL $73,094

Temple, TX $73,089

Hopkinsville, KY $72,852

Erie, PA $72,835

Florence, SC $72,803

Charleston, WV $72,673

Great Falls, MT $72,633

Macon, GA $72,520

Tallahassee, FL $72,512

Fayetteville, NC $72,495

Waco, TX $72,479

Helena, MT $72,423

Pine Bluff, AR $72,392

Vincennes, IN $72,293

Lubbock, TX $72,261

Alamogordo, NM $72,212

Twin Falls, ID $72,139

Rapid City, SD $72,115

Jackson, MS $71,969

Huntington, WV $71,964

Greenville, MS $71,961

Parkersburg, WV $71,879

Montgomery, AL $71,864

Wichita Falls, TX $71,783

Springfield, MO $71,783

Biloxi, MS $71,743

Monroe, LA $71,662

Johnstown, PA $71,605

Sumter, SC $71,573

Columbus, GA $71,565

Pascagoula, MS $71,411

Abilene, TX $71,411

Kingsport, TN $71,200

Albany, GA $71,200

Gulfport, MS $71,176

Alexandria, LA $70,909

Fort Smith, AR $70,707

El Paso, TX $70,488

Las Cruces, NM $70,124

Harlingen, TX $69,918

Pocatello, ID $69,905

Florence, AL $69,800

Brownsville, TX $69,784

Mcallen, TX $69,614

Dothan, AL $69,500

Columbus, MS $69,020

Altus, OK $68,642

Lawton, OK $68,489

Pierre, SD $68,197

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	$85,803	6%
Mechanical Systems	$84,184	4%
HVAC	$84,184	4%
Collaboration	$84,184	4%
Leadership	$83,375	3%
Standard Operating Procedures	$82,565	2%

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	$97,135	$47.0	20%

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 August 01, 2026

$75,630

Average $80,946/year

$91,402

$6,302

Average $6,746/month

$7,617

$1,454

Average $1,557/week

$1,758

$36

Average $39/hour

$44

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$91,402	$7,617	$1,758	$44
Average	$80,946	$6,746	$1,557	$39
25th Percentile	$75,630	$6,302	$1,454	$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

Social Security

401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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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.)

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