Process Operators

Process Operators Salary

$29.5K

$42K

$64K

$43,984

/year

$21.15

/hour

Process Operators Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$43,984

Columbus

Ohio

$42,484

    Do you get a good deal as a Process Operators?

    Take The Breakroom Quiz to find out if your job offers fair pay and conditions. The 3-minute quiz lets you compare your pay, hours, benefits, and more.

    Take The Breakroom Quiz

    Breakroom banner

    How much does a Process Operators make?

    As of Jun 7, 2026, the average annual pay for a Process Operators in the United States is $43,984 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $21.15 an hour. This is the equivalent of $845/week or $3,665/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $64,000 and as low as $29,500, the majority of Process Operators salaries currently range between $38,000 (25th percentile) to $48,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $55,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for a Process Operators varies greatly (by as much as 10000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    A Process Operators in your area makes on average $42,484 per year, or $1,500 (3.410%) less than the national average annual salary of $43,984. Ohio ranks number 30 out of 50 states nationwide for Process Operators salaries.

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

    Find your next high paying job as a Process Operators on ZipRecruiter today.

    What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Process Operators Jobs

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for a Process Operators job is above the national average. Topping the list is Berkeley, CA, , with Sitka, AK, and Mojave, CA, close behind in the second and third positions. Mojave, CA, beats the national average by $8,971 (20.4%), and Berkeley, CA, furthers that trend with another $9,872 (22.4%) above the $43,984 average.

    With these 10 cities having average salaries higher than the national average, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as a Process Operators 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 Berkeley, CA, and Santa Cruz, 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 Process Operators role.

    City

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Berkeley, CA

    $53,856

    $25.89

    Sitka, AK

    $52,987

    $25.47

    Mojave, CA

    $52,955

    $25.46

    Sunnyvale, CA

    $51,622

    $24.82

    Livermore, CA

    $51,593

    $24.80

    San Jose, CA

    $51,549

    $24.78

    Milpitas, CA

    $51,258

    $24.64

    Santa Clara, CA

    $51,256

    $24.64

    Daly City, CA

    $50,964

    $24.50

    Santa Cruz, CA

    $50,787

    $24.42

    What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Process Operators Jobs in the U.S.

    We found a few related jobs that pay more than jobs in the Process Operators category.

    For example Lab Pack Chemist jobs pay as much as $46,744 (106.3%) more than the average Process Operators salary of $43,984. If you're qualified, finding work as a Lab Pack Chemist may help you make more money than that of the average Process Operators position.

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Lab Pack Chemist

    $90,728

    $43.62

    Water Quality Chemist

    $64,466

    $30.99

    Water Waste Management

    $61,893

    $29.76

    Journeyman Crane Operator

    $58,350

    $28.05

    Electrical Purchasing Agent

    $54,033

    $25.98

    About Our Data

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

    Infographic detailing Process Operators salary across the United States as of June 2026. Displays a bar chart with salary percentiles, a national average salary of $43,984 per year or $21.15 an hour, and a color-coded map showing state-by-state salary variations.