Loader Operator

Loader Operator Salary

$23K

$40K

$59.5K

$41,188

/year

$19.80

/hour

Loader Operator Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$41,188

Columbus

Ohio

$39,783

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    How much does a Loader Operator make?

    As of Jun 11, 2026, the average annual pay for a Loader Operator in the United States is $41,188 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $19.80 an hour. This is the equivalent of $792/week or $3,432/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $59,500 and as low as $23,000, the majority of Loader Operator salaries currently range between $35,500 (25th percentile) to $46,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $51,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Loader Operator varies greatly (by as much as 11000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    A Loader Operator in your area makes on average $39,783 per year, or $1,405 (3.411%) less than the national average annual salary of $41,188. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Loader Operator salaries.

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

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

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Loader Operator Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Loader Operator job is above the national average. Topping the list is Soledad, CA, , with Nome, AK, and Berkeley, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Berkeley, CA, beats the national average by $9,244 (22.4%), and Soledad, CA, furthers that trend with another $20,425 (49.6%) above the $41,188 average.

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

    However, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies modestly at 24% between Soledad, CA, and Santa Clara, CA, , suggesting it may be difficult to see much positive wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may help determine the balance between location and salary for a Loader Operator role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Soledad, CA

    $61,613

    $29.62

    Nome, AK

    $51,093

    $24.56

    Berkeley, CA

    $50,432

    $24.25

    Sitka, AK

    $49,618

    $23.85

    Mojave, CA

    $49,588

    $23.84

    South San Francisco, CA

    $49,494

    $23.80

    Wyoming, WY

    $49,121

    $23.62

    Justin, TX

    $48,642

    $23.39

    San Francisco, CA

    $48,526

    $23.33

    Santa Clara, CA

    $48,372

    $23.26

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

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

    For example Heavy Equipment Manager jobs pay as much as $29,282 (71.1%) more than the average Loader Operator salary of $41,188. If you're qualified, finding work as a Heavy Equipment Manager may help you make more money than that of the average Loader Operator position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Heavy Equipment Manager

    $70,470

    $33.88

    Railroad Safety Inspector

    $54,939

    $26.41

    Pipeline Operator

    $52,394

    $25.19

    Construction Equipment Operator

    $51,524

    $24.77

    Heavy Hauling

    $50,127

    $24.10

    About Our Data

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

    Infographic detailing Loader Operator salary across the United States as of June 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $41,188 per year or $19.80 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.