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

A Barge Operator's salary grows with experience: an Barge Operator (0-2 years)earns $47,781, a Resident Care Manager (3-5 years)earns $69,415, a Nursing Home Director (5+ years)earns $136,606, a VP of Long Term Care (5+ years)earns $287,113,

What are the highest paying states for a Barge Operator?

Barge Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Barge Operator roles are District of Columbia $53,409, California $53,207, Massachusetts $52,498. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Barge Operator roles make?

Salaries for Barge Operator level roles vary by specialization: Barge Engineer: $102,026; Barge Captain: $92,529; Operator, Assembly Operator: $55,869; Mate- Ship, Boat, and Barge: $55,679; Crane Operator: $52,040.

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

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Barge Operator roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Barge Operator Salary in the United States

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

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Barge Operator in the United States is $48,238 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $23.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $60,110
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $42,374 to $54,452
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $37,034

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Barge Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$54,452	$4,538	$1,047	$26
Average	$48,238	$4,020	$928	$23
25th Percentile	$42,374	$3,531	$815	$20

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Key Factors That Influence Barge Operator Salaries

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

District of Columbia: $53,409.
California: $53,207.
Massachusetts: $52,498.

District of Columbia $53,409 California $53,207 Massachusetts $52,498 Washington $52,305 New Jersey $52,285 Alaska $52,218 Connecticut $51,552 New York $51,282

Hawaii $50,419 Rhode Island $50,013 Maryland $49,738 Minnesota $49,362 Colorado $49,217 Illinois $49,169 Oregon $48,986 Delaware $48,851

New Hampshire $48,766 Virginia $48,576 Pennsylvania $48,021 Nevada $47,741 North Dakota $47,650 Michigan $47,505 Wisconsin $47,452 Vermont $47,346

Texas $47,052 Maine $47,032 Arizona $47,003 Ohio $46,970 Georgia $46,526 Indiana $46,304 Wyoming $46,260 Utah $46,193

Iowa $46,164 Kansas $45,932 Louisiana $45,865 North Carolina $45,841 Missouri $45,831 Florida $45,643 Montana $45,542 Nebraska $45,445

Kentucky $45,392 South Carolina $45,199 Tennessee $45,079 Idaho $45,030 New Mexico $44,678 Oklahoma $44,601 Alabama $44,316 South Dakota $43,839

Arkansas $43,578 West Virginia $43,438 Mississippi $43,019

Top Paying Cities for Barge 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: $60,843
San Francisco: $60,245
Oakland: $58,908

San Jose, CA $60,843

San Francisco, CA $60,245

Oakland, CA $58,908

New York, NY $55,903

Queens Village, NY $55,541

Paramus, NJ $55,156

Passaic, NJ $55,107

Bergenfield, NJ $55,059

Stamford, CT $54,987

Huntington, NY $54,938

Newark, NJ $54,625

Bridgeport, CT $54,528

New Brunswick, NJ $54,369

Vallejo, CA $54,268

Middlesex, NJ $54,239

Somerset, NJ $54,196

Petaluma, CA $54,085

Santa Cruz, CA $53,897

Boston, MA $53,800

Monterey, CA $53,559

Fairbanks, AK $53,525

Los Angeles, CA $53,433

Washington, DC $53,409

Seattle, WA $53,323

Santa Rosa, CA $53,313

Juneau, AK $53,173

Orange, CA $53,014

Anchorage, AK $52,927

Anaheim, CA $52,893

Santa Ana, CA $52,821

Nassau, NY $52,792

Long Beach, CA $52,773

Danbury, CT $52,758

Santa Maria, CA $52,594

Everett, WA $52,584

Bremerton, WA $52,348

Trenton, NJ $52,256

Sacramento, CA $52,237

San Diego, CA $52,213

Brockton, MA $52,194

Tacoma, WA $52,174

Santa Barbara, CA $52,107

Lowell, MA $51,914

New Suffolk, NY $51,895

Nashua, NH $51,837

Lompoc, CA $51,760

Ventura, CA $51,711

Stockton, CA $51,697

New Haven, CT $51,600

Atlantic City, NJ $51,475

Hartford, CT $51,369

Modesto, CA $51,345

Poughkeepsie, NY $51,239

New Britain, CT $51,214

Olympia, WA $51,147

Kennewick, WA $51,147

New London, CT $51,137

Norwich, CT $51,123

Lawrence, MA $51,099

Bakersfield, CA $50,964

Riverside, CA $50,896

New Bedford, MA $50,896

Richland, WA $50,848

Portsmouth, NH $50,809

Vineland, NJ $50,800

San Bernardino, CA $50,761

Boulder, CO $50,626

Worcester, MA $50,587

Portland, OR $50,544

Saint Paul, MN $50,486

Minneapolis, MN $50,486

Philadelphia, PA $50,419

Honolulu, HI $50,163

Springfield, MA $49,994

Providence, RI $49,989

Chicago, IL $49,849

Bellingham, WA $49,791

Baltimore, MD $49,738

Chico, CA $49,618

Wilmington, DE $49,536

Pittsfield, MA $49,488

Manchester, NH $49,396

Spokane, WA $49,184

Denver, CO $49,179

Albany, NY $48,952

Troy, NY $48,933

Schenectady, NY $48,832

Burlington, VT $48,725

Portland, ME $48,557

Salem, OR $48,518

Yakima, WA $48,508

Ann Arbor, MI $48,494

Rochester, MN $48,359

Fresno, CA $48,335

Reno, NV $48,335

Milwaukee, WI $48,291

Detroit, MI $48,243

Allentown, PA $48,229

Carson City, NV $48,224

Houston, TX $48,151

Colorado Springs, CO $48,147

Syracuse, NY $48,122

Eugene, OR $48,031

Bismarck, ND $47,973

Gary, IN $47,973

Galveston, TX $47,973

Springfield, OR $47,934

Medford, OR $47,819

Fort Collins, CO $47,799

Austin, TX $47,761

Mesa, AZ $47,659

Phoenix, AZ $47,650

Dallas, TX $47,635

Reading, PA $47,606

Saint Cloud, MN $47,587

Concord, NH $47,544

Madison, WI $47,524

Utica, NY $47,394

Raleigh, NC $47,355

Las Vegas, NV $47,351

Rochester, NY $47,317

Des Moines, IA $47,312

Atlanta, GA $47,235

Battle Creek, MI $47,220

Salt Lake City, UT $47,206

Lancaster, PA $47,134

Champaign, IL $47,124

Harrisburg, PA $47,066

Durham, NC $47,023

Kansas City, MO $47,018

Kansas City, KS $47,008

Fort Worth, TX $47,003

Boca Raton, FL $46,984

Cleveland, OH $46,979

Columbus, OH $46,970

Pittsburgh, PA $46,965

Richmond, VA $46,945

Indianapolis, IN $46,936

Cincinnati, OH $46,873

Petersburg, VA $46,801

Billings, MT $46,695

Lansing, MI $46,695

Huntsville, AL $46,695

Lebanon, PA $46,690

Dayton, OH $46,685

Pueblo, CO $46,685

Appleton, WI $46,670

Buffalo, NY $46,651

Racine, WI $46,627

Charlotte, NC $46,622

Saint Louis, MO $46,608

Springfield, IL $46,588

Elkhart, IN $46,579

York, PA $46,579

Gastonia, NC $46,574

Benton Harbor, MI $46,574

Beaumont, TX $46,545

Lorain, OH $46,535

Toledo, OH $46,516

Binghamton, NY $46,492

Rock Hill, SC $46,487

Rockford, IL $46,463

Fargo, ND $46,439

Elyria, OH $46,439

Flagstaff, AZ $46,405

Fort Lauderdale, FL $46,376

Miami, FL $46,347

Duluth, MN $46,270

Bangor, ME $46,207

Cedar Rapids, IA $46,154

Louisville, KY $46,130

Grand Rapids, MI $46,121

Hialeah, FL $46,116

Casper, WY $46,048

Scranton, PA $45,990

New Orleans, LA $45,976

Virginia Beach, VA $45,971

Akron, OH $45,947

Peoria, IL $45,884

Sarasota, FL $45,875

Green Bay, WI $45,841

Baton Rouge, LA $45,817

Charleston, SC $45,807

Nashville, TN $45,793

Jamestown, NY $45,783

Davenport, IA $45,783

Tucson, AZ $45,759

Cheyenne, WY $45,744

Saint Petersburg, FL $45,730

Tampa, FL $45,720

Omaha, NE $45,711

Port Arthur, TX $45,691

Evansville, IN $45,691

Bradenton, FL $45,672

Santa Fe, NM $45,585

Orlando, FL $45,537

Clearwater, FL $45,484

Canton, OH $45,382

La Crosse, WI $45,382

Grand Forks, ND $45,368

Albuquerque, NM $45,354

Tulsa, OK $45,354

Newport News, VA $45,349

High Point, NC $45,334

Ogden, UT $45,315

Corpus Christi, TX $45,276

Laramie, WY $45,247

Norfolk, VA $45,247

Rock Island, IL $45,218

Saginaw, MI $45,209

Jacksonville, FL $45,204

Salisbury, NC $45,194

Memphis, TN $45,185

Moline, IL $45,161

Fort Myers, FL $45,146

Waterloo, IA $45,083

Spartanburg, SC $45,035

Lincoln, NE $45,011

Fort Wayne, IN $45,001

Birmingham, AL $44,948

Cedar Falls, IA $44,939

Provo, UT $44,934

Springfield, OH $44,929

San Antonio, TX $44,919

Greensboro, NC $44,900

South Bend, IN $44,895

Winston Salem, NC $44,890

Boise, ID $44,876

Savannah, GA $44,842

Muskegon, MI $44,755

Lima, OH $44,698

Lake Charles, LA $44,678

Anderson, IN $44,669

Lexington, KY $44,654

Augusta, GA $44,640

Greenville, SC $44,640

Wichita, KS $44,596

Tuscaloosa, AL $44,596

Columbia, SC $44,553

Bloomington, IN $44,432

Roanoke, VA $44,403

Asheville, NC $44,341

Knoxville, TN $44,259

Shreveport, LA $44,254

Wilmington, NC $44,191

Frankfort, KY $44,099

Oklahoma City, OK $44,066

Chillicothe, OH $44,046

Longview, TX $44,041

Topeka, KS $44,027

Mobile, AL $43,955

Terre Haute, IN $43,935

Erie, PA $43,931

Altoona, PA $43,906

Melbourne, FL $43,892

Amarillo, TX $43,873

Killeen, TX $43,858

Fayetteville, AR $43,820

Sioux Falls, SD $43,786

Chattanooga, TN $43,757

Idaho Falls, ID $43,752

Gainesville, FL $43,651

Portsmouth, OH $43,627

Little Rock, AR $43,617

Lynchburg, VA $43,617

Lafayette, LA $43,598

Youngstown, OH $43,598

Temple, TX $43,578

Daytona Beach, FL $43,569

Clarksville, TN $43,564

Pensacola, FL $43,559

Hopkinsville, KY $43,414

Charleston, WV $43,410

Florence, SC $43,385

Sioux City, IA $43,356

Macon, GA $43,217

Tallahassee, FL $43,212

Fayetteville, NC $43,202

Waco, TX $43,192

Wichita Falls, TX $43,192

Pine Bluff, AR $43,173

Vincennes, IN $43,082

Lubbock, TX $43,062

Great Falls, MT $43,033

Alamogordo, NM $43,028

Abilene, TX $42,990

Rapid City, SD $42,927

Monroe, LA $42,927

Albany, GA $42,898

Huntington, WV $42,893

Jackson, MS $42,889

Greenville, MS $42,884

Parkersburg, WV $42,836

Montgomery, AL $42,826

Johnstown, PA $42,816

Springfield, MO $42,778

Biloxi, MS $42,754

Sumter, SC $42,652

Columbus, GA $42,647

Twin Falls, ID $42,618

Pascagoula, MS $42,556

Kingsport, TN $42,430

Gulfport, MS $42,416

Alexandria, LA $42,257

Fort Smith, AR $42,136

El Paso, TX $42,006

Helena, MT $41,943

Las Cruces, NM $41,789

Harlingen, TX $41,654

Pocatello, ID $41,610

Florence, AL $41,596

Brownsville, TX $41,586

Dothan, AL $41,509

Mcallen, TX $41,485

Columbus, MS $41,128

Altus, OK $40,906

Lawton, OK $40,814

Pierre, SD $40,641

What Skills Can Increase a Barge Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Customer Service (Mentioned in 13.98% 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.
Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 2.63% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
Assisted Living (Mentioned in 1.77% Job Postings): Assisted living exemplifies the shift from "care as service" to "care as business" in the broader health care arena predicted more than three decades ago. A consumer-driven industry, assisted living offers a wide range of options, levels of care, and diversity of services (Lockhart, 2009) and is subject to state rather than federal regulatory oversight. "Assisted living" means depends on both the state and provider in question: variations in state regulatory definitions are significant and provider variables include everything from philosophy, geographic location and auspice, to organizational size and structure.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Customer Service	13.98%
Microsoft Office	2.63%
Assisted Living	1.77%

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 Barge Operator's salary.

CRM: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Teamwork: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Commitment: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
CRM	$53,544	11%
Teamwork	$51,615	7%
Commitment	$51,615	7%
Accountability	$51,132	6%
Leadership	$50,650	5%
Coordination	$50,168	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Barge Operator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Barge Operators 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 Barge Operator with a Associate's Degree is between $50,968 and $56,011).

Barge Operator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Barge Operator

No Diploma 0.8%

High School 19.3%

Associates 20.2%

Bachelors 47.1%

Masters 12.6%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	0.8%
High School	19.3%
Associates	20.2%
Bachelors	47.1%
Masters	12.6%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

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

Understanding how a Barge 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 April 01, 2026

$42,374

Average $48,238/year

$54,452

$3,531

Average $4,020/month

$4,538

$815

Average $928/week

$1,047

$20

Average $23/hour

$26

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$54,452	$4,538	$1,047	$26
Average	$48,238	$4,020	$928	$23
25th Percentile	$42,374	$3,531	$815	$20

Salaries of jobs related to Barge Operator

Salary Trends for Barge Operator

Salaries for a Barge Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $48,157 in 2023 to around $46,736 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Barge Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Barge Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$48,157

2024

$47,813

2025

$46,736

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$48,157
2024	$47,813
2025	$46,736
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Barge Operator

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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