Entry Level Machine Operator Salary
$25.5K - $27K
1% of jobs
$27K - $28.5K
4% of jobs
$28.5K - $30K
7% of jobs
$30K - $31.5K
12% of jobs
$31.7K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers.
$31.5K - $33K
10% of jobs
The median wage is $34.4K / yr.
$33K - $34.5K
18% of jobs
$34.5K - $36K
13% of jobs
$37K is the 75th percentile. Wages above this are outliers.
$36K - $37.5K
14% of jobs
$37.5K - $39K
10% of jobs
$39K - $40.5K
7% of jobs
$40.5K - $42K
4% of jobs
$25.5K
$36K
$44.5K
$36,327
/year
$17.46
/hour
Entry Level Machine Operator Salary Comparison by Location
Nationwide
United States
$36,327
Columbus
Ohio
$35,088
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How much does an Entry Level Machine Operator make?
As of Jun 8, 2026, the average annual pay for an Entry Level Machine Operator in the United States is $36,327 a year.
Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $17.46 an hour. This is the equivalent of $698/week or $3,027/month.
While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $44,500 and as low as $25,500, the majority of Entry Level Machine Operator salaries currently range between $32,500 (25th percentile) to $39,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $42,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Entry Level Machine Operator varies little (about 7000), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.
An Entry Level Machine Operator in your area makes on average $35,088 per year, or $1,239 (3.411%) less than the national average annual salary of $36,327. Ohio ranks number 31 out of 50 states nationwide for Entry Level Machine Operator salaries.
To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Entry Level Machine Operator jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.
Find your next high paying job as an Entry Level Machine Operator on ZipRecruiter today.
What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entry Level Machine Operator Jobs
We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Entry Level Machine Operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Two Rivers, WI, , with Nome, AK, and Berkeley, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, CA, beats the national average by $8,153 (22.4%), and Two Rivers, WI, furthers that trend with another $12,691 (34.9%) above the $36,327 average.
With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Entry Level 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 13% between Two Rivers, WI, and San Francisco, 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 an Entry Level Machine Operator role.
City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Two Rivers, WI | $49,018 | $23.57 |
Nome, AK | $45,063 | $21.66 |
Berkeley, CA | $44,480 | $21.38 |
Union City, CA | $43,859 | $21.09 |
Sitka, AK | $43,762 | $21.04 |
Bonsall, CA | $43,759 | $21.04 |
Mountain View, CA | $43,229 | $20.78 |
Poway, CA | $43,195 | $20.77 |
Menlo Park, CA | $42,810 | $20.58 |
San Francisco, CA | $42,799 | $20.58 |
What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Entry Level Machine Operator Jobs in the U.S.
We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Entry Level Machine Operator category.
For example Excavator Operator jobs pay as much as $18,081 (49.8%) more than the average Entry Level Machine Operator salary of $36,327. If you're qualified, finding work as an Excavator Operator may help you make more money than that of the average Entry Level Machine Operator position.
Job Title | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|
Excavator Operator | $54,408 | $26.16 |
Extrusion Machine Operator | $40,023 | $19.24 |
Machine Operator Assistant | $38,471 | $18.50 |
211 Operator | $38,222 | $18.38 |
Filling Machine Operator | $35,817 | $17.22 |
About Our Data
ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.
