3Rd Shift Machine Operator Salary
$27K - $29K
2% of jobs
$29K - $31K
5% of jobs
$31K - $33K
13% of jobs
$33.6K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$33K - $35K
17% of jobs
The median wage is $36.6K / yr.
$35K - $37K
16% of jobs
$37K - $39K
14% of jobs
$40.2K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$39K - $41K
13% of jobs
$41K - $43K
8% of jobs
$43K - $45K
6% of jobs
$45K - $47K
3% of jobs
$47K - $49K
3% of jobs
$27K
$37K
$50K
$38,222
/year
$18.38
/hour
3Rd Shift Machine Operator Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$38,222
Columbus
Ohio
$36,918
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How much does a 3Rd Shift Machine Operator make?
As of Jul 20, 2026, the average annual pay for a 3Rd Shift Machine Operator in the United States is $38,222 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $18.38 an hour. This is the equivalent of $735/week or $3,185/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $50,000 and as low as $27,000, the majority of 3Rd Shift Machine Operator salaries currently range between $34,000 (25th percentile) to $41,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $46,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a 3Rd Shift Machine Operator varies greatly (by as much as 7000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.
A 3Rd Shift Machine Operator in your area makes on average $36,918 per year, or $1,304 (3.412%) less than the national average annual salary of $38,222. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for 3Rd Shift Machine Operator salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for 3Rd Shift Machine Operator jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as a 3Rd Shift Machine Operator on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for 3Rd Shift Machine Operator Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a 3Rd Shift Machine Operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Berkeley, CA, , with Sitka, AK, and Holdrege, NE, close behind in the second and third positions. Holdrege, NE, beats the national average by $7,562 (19.8%), and Berkeley, CA, furthers that trend with another $8,578 (22.4%) above the $38,222 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a 3Rd Shift Machine Operator appears to be exceedingly fruitful.
Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 5% between Berkeley, CA, and Santa Cruz, CA, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for a 3Rd Shift Machine Operator role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Berkeley, CA | $46,800 | $22.50 |
Sitka, AK | $46,045 | $22.14 |
Holdrege, NE | $45,784 | $22.01 |
Santa Clara, CA | $45,139 | $21.70 |
San Francisco, CA | $45,032 | $21.65 |
Sunnyvale, CA | $44,859 | $21.57 |
Livermore, CA | $44,834 | $21.55 |
San Jose, CA | $44,795 | $21.54 |
Eagle, WI | $44,529 | $21.41 |
Santa Cruz, CA | $44,133 | $21.22 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related 3Rd Shift Machine Operator Jobs in the U.S.
We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the 3Rd Shift Machine Operator category.
For example Slitting Machine Operator jobs pay as much as $1,006 (2.6%) more than the average 3Rd Shift Machine Operator salary of $38,222. If you're qualified, finding work as a Slitting Machine Operator may help you make more money than that of the average 3Rd Shift Machine Operator position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Slitting Machine Operator | $39,228 | $18.86 |
Machine Operator Assistant | $38,471 | $18.50 |
2Nd Shift Machine Operator | $38,348 | $18.44 |
Overhead Crane Operator | $37,735 | $18.14 |
Plastic Machine Operator | $33,499 | $16.11 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
