Manufacturing Operator

Manufacturing Operator Salary

$27K

$38.5K

$51K

$39,654

/year

$19.06

/hour

Manufacturing Operator Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$39,654

Columbus

Ohio

$38,301

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    How much does a Manufacturing Operator make?

    As of Jul 26, 2026, the average annual pay for a Manufacturing Operator in the United States is $39,654 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $19.06 an hour. This is the equivalent of $762/week or $3,304/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $51,000 and as low as $27,000, the majority of Manufacturing Operator salaries currently range between $35,000 (25th percentile) to $42,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $47,500 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Manufacturing 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.

    A Manufacturing Operator in your area makes on average $38,301 per year, or $1,353 (3.412%) less than the national average annual salary of $39,654. Ohio ranks number 31 out of 50 states nationwide for Manufacturing Operator salaries.

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

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

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Manufacturing Operator Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Manufacturing 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 $8,116 (20.5%), and Nome, AK, furthers that trend with another $9,536 (24.0%) above the $39,654 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Manufacturing 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 Santa Clara, 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 Manufacturing Operator role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Nome, AK

    $49,190

    $23.65

    Berkeley, CA

    $48,554

    $23.34

    Sitka, AK

    $47,770

    $22.97

    South San Francisco, CA

    $47,651

    $22.91

    Holdrege, NE

    $47,500

    $22.84

    Marysville, WA

    $47,493

    $22.83

    San Jose, CA

    $46,948

    $22.57

    Pennington County, SD

    $46,752

    $22.48

    San Francisco, CA

    $46,719

    $22.46

    Santa Clara, CA

    $46,556

    $22.38

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

    Analyzing some similar jobs related to the Manufacturing Operator job category, we found that Tape Operator jobs have average salaries greater than Manufacturing Operator jobs.

    Significantly, Tape Operator jobs pay $1,428 (3.6%) more than the average Manufacturing Operator salary of $39,654. If you're qualified, finding work as a Tape Operator may help you make more money than that of the average Manufacturing Operator position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Tape Operator

    $41,082

    $19.75

    Machine Operator Assistant

    $38,471

    $18.50

    Production Machine Operator

    $38,296

    $18.41

    Machine Operator

    $37,827

    $18.19

    Overhead Crane Operator

    $37,735

    $18.14

    About Our Data

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

    Infographic detailing Manufacturing Operator salary across the United States as of July 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $39,654 per year or $19.06 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.