What are the top 10 cities with the highest pay for Cold Header Operator?

We've identified 10 cities in the United States where Cold Header Operator jobs typically pay above the area average. Topping the list is Nome, AK (24.1% above average), followed by Berkeley, CA and Sitka, AK. City Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Nome, AK $72,856 $6,071 $1,401 $35.03 Berkeley, CA $71,913 $5,992 $1,382 $34.57 Sitka, AK $70,752 $5,896 $1,360 $34.02 San Francisco, CA $69,196 $5,766 $1,330 $33.27 Santa Clara, CA $68,976 $5,748 $1,326 $33.16 Sunnyvale, CA $68,930 $5,744 $1,325 $33.14 San Jose, CA $68,833 $5,736 $1,323 $33.09 Richmond, CA $67,404 $5,617 $1,296 $32.41 Hayward, CA $67,335 $5,611 $1,294 $32.37 Ashland, CA $67,330 $5,610 $1,294 $32.37

Cold Header Operator

Cold Header Operator Salary

Q: How much does a Cold Header Operator make?

The average annual pay for a cold header operator in the United States is $58,731 a year — that works out to approximately $28.24 an hour. The middle 80% of Cold Header Operators earn between $37,000 (10th percentile) and $85,000 (90th percentile) per year, depending on experience and employer.

Q: What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Cold Header Operator Jobs in the United States?

We found several jobs related to Cold Header Operator in the United States that pay more on average. Topping the list is Managed Pressure Drilling at $27,517 (46.9%) above Cold Header Operator. Job Title Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Managed Pressure Drilling $86,248 $7,187 $1,658 $41.47 Converting Supervisor $72,028 $6,002 $1,385 $34.63 Cnc Maintenance Technician $63,874 $5,322 $1,228 $30.71 Second Shift Supervisor $46,333 $3,861 $891 $22.28 Die Cast Operator $36,735 $3,061 $706 $17.66

$34K

$55K

$107K

$58,731

/year

$28.24

/hour

Cold Header Operator Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$58,731

Columbus

Ohio

$56,728

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How much does a Cold Header Operator make?

As of Jun 17, 2026, the average annual pay for a Cold Header Operator in the United States is $58,731 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $28.24 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,129/week or $4,894/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $107,000 and as low as $34,000, the majority of Cold Header Operator salaries currently range between $44,500 (25th percentile) to $64,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $85,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Cold Header Operator varies greatly (by as much as 20000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

A Cold Header Operator in your area makes on average $56,728 per year, or $2,003 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $58,731. Ohio ranks number 31 out of 50 states nationwide for Cold Header Operator salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Cold Header Operator jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

Find your next high paying job as a Cold Header Operator on ZipRecruiter today.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Cold Header Operator Jobs

We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Cold Header Operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Nome, AK, , with Berkeley, CA, and Sitka, AK, close behind in the second and third positions. Sitka, AK, beats the national average by $12,021 (20.5%), and Nome, AK, furthers that trend with another $14,125 (24.1%) above the $58,731 average.

With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Cold Header Operator appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 7% between Nome, AK, and Ashland, 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 Cold Header Operator role.

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Nome, AK	$72,856	$6,071	$1,401	$35.03
Berkeley, CA	$71,913	$5,992	$1,382	$34.57
Sitka, AK	$70,752	$5,896	$1,360	$34.02
San Francisco, CA	$69,196	$5,766	$1,330	$33.27
Santa Clara, CA	$68,976	$5,748	$1,326	$33.16
Sunnyvale, CA	$68,930	$5,744	$1,325	$33.14
San Jose, CA	$68,833	$5,736	$1,323	$33.09
Richmond, CA	$67,404	$5,617	$1,296	$32.41
Hayward, CA	$67,335	$5,611	$1,294	$32.37
Ashland, CA	$67,330	$5,610	$1,294	$32.37

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Cold Header Operator Jobs in the U.S.

We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Cold Header Operator category.

For example Managed Pressure Drilling jobs pay as much as $27,517 (46.9%) more than the average Cold Header Operator salary of $58,731. If you're qualified, finding work as a Managed Pressure Drilling may help you make more money than that of the average Cold Header Operator position.

Job Title	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Managed Pressure Drilling	$86,248	$7,187	$1,658	$41.47
Converting Supervisor	$72,028	$6,002	$1,385	$34.63
Cnc Maintenance Technician	$63,874	$5,322	$1,228	$30.71
Second Shift Supervisor	$46,333	$3,861	$891	$22.28
Die Cast Operator	$36,735	$3,061	$706	$17.66

About Our Data

ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

Infographic detailing Cold Header Operator salary across the United States as of June 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $58,731 per year or $28.24 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.

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