Linux Operator

Linux Operator Salary

$101K

$152K

$176.5K

$149,062

/year

$71.66

/hour

Linux Operator Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$149,062

Columbus

Ohio

$143,979

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    How much does a Linux Operator make?

    As of May 31, 2026, the average annual pay for a Linux Operator in the United States is $149,062 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $71.66 an hour. This is the equivalent of $2,866/week or $12,421/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $176,500 and as low as $101,000, the majority of Linux Operator salaries currently range between $136,500 (25th percentile) to $165,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $173,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Linux Operator varies little (about 28500), which suggests that regardless of location, there are not many opportunities for increased pay or advancement, even with several years of experience.

    A Linux Operator in your area makes on average $143,979 per year, or $5,083 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $149,062. Ohio ranks number 31 out of 50 states nationwide for Linux Operator salaries.

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

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

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Linux Operator Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Linux Operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Nome, AK, , with Cupertino, CA, and Berkeley, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, CA, beats the national average by $33,455 (22.4%), and Nome, AK, furthers that trend with another $35,849 (24.0%) above the $149,062 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Linux 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 Nome, AK, and San Jose, 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 Linux Operator role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Nome, AK

    $184,911

    $88.90

    Cupertino, CA

    $183,904

    $88.42

    Berkeley, CA

    $182,517

    $87.75

    Sitka, AK

    $179,572

    $86.33

    Menlo Park, CA

    $175,663

    $84.45

    San Francisco, CA

    $175,621

    $84.43

    Burleigh County, ND

    $175,388

    $84.32

    Sunnyvale, CA

    $174,947

    $84.11

    Livermore, CA

    $174,848

    $84.06

    San Jose, CA

    $174,699

    $83.99

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

    Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Linux Operator job category, we found that Data Cabling Engineer jobs have average salaries similar than Linux Operator jobs.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Data Cabling Engineer

    $147,461

    $70.89

    Network Infrastructure

    $135,377

    $65.09

    Install Coordinator

    $57,869

    $27.82

    Wireless Technician

    $55,730

    $26.79

    Verizon Central Office Technician

    $41,544

    $19.97

    About Our Data

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

    Infographic detailing Linux Operator salary across the United States as of May 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $149,062 per year or $71.66 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.