Lift Operator

Lift Operator Salary

$25.5K

$40K

$47.5K

$39,182

/year

$18.84

/hour

Lift Operator Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$39,182

Columbus

Ohio

$37,846

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    How much does a Lift Operator make?

    As of Aug 7, 2026, the average annual pay for a Lift Operator in the United States is $39,182 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $18.84 an hour. This is the equivalent of $753/week or $3,265/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $47,500 and as low as $25,500, the majority of Lift Operator salaries currently range between $35,500 (25th percentile) to $42,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $44,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Lift Operator varies little (about 6500), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

    A Lift Operator in your area makes on average $37,846 per year, or $1,336 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $39,182. Ohio ranks number 31 out of 50 states nationwide for Lift Operator salaries.

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

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

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Lift Operator Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Lift Operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Berkeley, CA, , with Aspen, CO, and Sitka, AK, close behind in the second and third positions. Sitka, AK, beats the national average by $8,020 (20.5%), and Berkeley, CA, furthers that trend with another $8,794 (22.4%) above the $39,182 average.

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

    Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 4% between Berkeley, CA, and Livermore, 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 Lift Operator role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Berkeley, CA

    $47,976

    $23.07

    Aspen, CO

    $47,360

    $22.77

    Sitka, AK

    $47,202

    $22.69

    Pennington County, SD

    $46,606

    $22.41

    Snowmass Village, CO

    $46,463

    $22.34

    San Francisco, CA

    $46,164

    $22.19

    Redmond, WA

    $46,161

    $22.19

    Santa Clara, CA

    $46,017

    $22.12

    Sunnyvale, CA

    $45,986

    $22.11

    Livermore, CA

    $45,960

    $22.10

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

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

    For example Lead Operator jobs pay as much as $11,865 (30.3%) more than the average Lift Operator salary of $39,182. If you're qualified, finding work as a Lead Operator may help you make more money than that of the average Lift Operator position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Lead Operator

    $51,047

    $24.54

    Digital Press Operator

    $42,066

    $20.22

    Print On Demand

    $39,309

    $18.90

    Copy Operator

    $38,668

    $18.59

    Finishing Operator

    $37,670

    $18.11

    About Our Data

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

    Infographic detailing Lift Operator salary across the United States as of August 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $39,182 per year or $18.84 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.