Machine Operator Hourly Pay, Skills & Requirements (2026)
Advertised pay, starting pay, skills and experience from 20,043 US job postings by 4,635 employers. Data as of October 2026.
What US employers post for machine operators: advertised pay, the skills and experience they ask for, and the job titles they use, from 20,043 open job postings (October 2026).
- The median advertised pay for machine operators in US job postings is $21.38 an hour (4,594 postings from 1,477 employers, October 2026).
- The middle half of those postings offer $19.00 to $24.13 an hour.
- Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $21.75 an hour (997 postings).
- The skills that most set machine operator postings apart are mechanical aptitude, attention to detail, basic math skills.
- Postings that state a minimum ask for a median of 1 year of experience.
Machine Operator job postings in the US, October 2026
- $21.38/hr
- Median advertised pay (4,594 postings)
- $19.00–$24.13
- Middle 50% of postings
- $21.75/hr
- Starting pay (postings asking up to 1 year)
- 20,043
- US job postings from 4,635 employers
How much does a machine operator make an hour?
The median advertised pay is $21.38 an hour, from 4,594 US job postings by 1,477 employers that state pay. That is about $45,000 a year at 2,080 hours.
Advertised pay in 4,594 US machine operator job postings: median $45,000 a year ($21.38 an hour), middle half $40,000 to $50,000.
- Median: $45,000 ($21.38/hr)
- 25th percentile: $40,000
- 75th percentile: $50,000
The figures as a table
| Annual pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| $10K–$20K | 0.1% |
| $20K–$30K | 1.9% |
| $30K–$40K | 25.9% |
| $40K–$50K | 45.6% |
| $50K–$60K | 20.0% |
| $60K–$70K | 4.6% |
| $70K–$80K | 1.2% |
Midpoint of each posting's pay range, hourly pay × 2,080 hours; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
| Median | Middle 50% | Postings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postings that state an hourly rate | $21.38 | $19.00–$24.13 | 4,068 |
| All pay postings, annualised | $45,000 | $40K–$50K | 4,594 |
What is the starting salary for a machine operator?
Postings that ask for up to 1 year of experience advertise a median of $21.75 an hour (997 postings).
| Experience asked | Median advertised pay | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 years | $21.75/hr | 997 |
| 2-4 years | $24.50/hr | 547 |
| 5+ years | withheld | 90 |
Machine operator levels and pay
Levels as they appear in job titles, ordered by the median experience asked.
| Level in title | Share of postings | Median experience asked | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| No level in title | 84.6% | 1 year | $21.55/hr |
| Associate | 8.3% | 1 year | $19.50/hr |
| Level I | 5.0% | 1 year | $20.70/hr |
Highest-paying machine operator jobs
Specializations with at least 250 postings that state pay.
| Specialization | Median pay | Postings with pay | Employers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press Operator | $24.50/hr | 301 | 103 |
| Production Operator | $22.00/hr | 718 | 323 |
| Machine Operator (general) | $21.50/hr | 1,350 | 537 |
| Production Worker | $20.00/hr | 318 | 175 |
| Production Associate | $19.91/hr | 422 | 213 |
Machine operator pay by state
Single-location US postings; states with at least 100 postings that state pay. States with pay-transparency laws (such as California, Colorado, New York and Washington) are over-represented among postings that state pay.
| State | Median pay | Middle 50% | Postings with pay | Share of postings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $23.38/hr | $20.23–$25.98 | 179 | 3.2% |
| Wisconsin | $22.96/hr | $21.00–$25.14 | 208 | 6.7% |
| California | $22.30/hr | $19.61–$25.00 | 254 | 4.5% |
| Indiana | $21.80/hr | $19.88–$23.85 | 107 | 3.8% |
| Kentucky | $21.70/hr | $18.00–$23.50 | 119 | 2.4% |
| Illinois | $21.00/hr | $18.78–$23.50 | 348 | 5.4% |
| Pennsylvania | $21.00/hr | $18.60–$25.20 | 172 | 5.1% |
| North Carolina | $21.00/hr | $18.00–$24.02 | 123 | 4.7% |
| New York | $21.00/hr | $18.50–$24.50 | 205 | 3.8% |
| Massachusetts | $21.00/hr | $19.50–$24.50 | 131 | 2.2% |
| Michigan | $20.85/hr | $18.56–$26.56 | 113 | 3.0% |
| Ohio | $20.50/hr | $18.21–$24.00 | 223 | 6.0% |
| Texas | $19.50/hr | $17.00–$22.20 | 171 | 7.9% |
Skills employers ask for in machine operator job postings
| Skill | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| Attention to detail | 28% |
| Communication | 18% |
| Problem-solving | 11% |
| Mechanical aptitude | 9% |
| Work independently | 9% |
| Basic computer skills | 8% |
| Teamwork | 7% |
| Basic math skills | 7% |
| Positive attitude | 5% |
| Organizational skills | 5% |
Skills named in the posting text; at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026. Methodology.
Skills that set machine operators apart
- Mechanical aptitude13.3× as often as in all postings · 9%
- Basic math skills8.2× as often as in all postings · 7%
- Basic computer skills4.2× as often as in all postings · 8%
Skills named in at least 5% of these postings and at least 3 times as often as in job postings overall.
Have a machine operator job posting in front of you? See which of its skills your resume is missing.
What does a machine operator do?
Employers post these jobs as Production Operator, Production Associate, Production Worker, Press Operator, Manufacturing Associate and other titles. The largest specializations are Production Operator (15%), Production Associate (10%), Production Worker (6%), Press Operator (5%), Operator (5%), Packer (4%).
The closest official occupation is Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic (51-4081.00). Its most important tasks:
- Inspect workpieces for defects, and measure workpieces to determine accuracy of machine operation, using rules, templates, or other measuring instruments.
- Position, adjust, and secure stock material or workpieces against stops, on arbors, or in chucks, fixtures, or automatic feeding mechanisms, manually or using hoists.
- Read blueprints or job orders to determine product specifications and tooling instructions and to plan operational sequences.
- Select, install, and adjust alignment of drills, cutters, dies, guides, and holding devices, using templates, measuring instruments, and hand tools.
- Observe machine operation to detect workpiece defects or machine malfunctions, adjusting machines as necessary.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
How much experience do you need to be a machine operator?
Among 3,692 postings that state a minimum, the median is 1 year. 4% say 0 years and 59% ask for 1 year or less.
Minimum experience asked in 3,692 US machine operator job postings: median 1 year, and 59% ask for 1 year or less.
The figures as a table
| Minimum experience asked | Share of postings |
|---|---|
| 0 yr | 11% |
| 1 yr | 49% |
| 2 yrs | 23% |
| 3-4 yrs | 12% |
| 5-7 yrs | 5% |
| 8-9 yrs | under 1% |
| 10+ yrs | under 1% |
Postings that state a minimum (required or preferred); at most 20 postings per employer; US, October 2026.
We do not show a degree figure: in our checks, degree requirements in posting text were found too rarely to publish one. Why.
Full-time 96%, Part-time 4% of the 1,684 postings that state working hours.
Other names for a machine operator: job titles employers use
| Job title | Employers using it |
|---|---|
| Machine Operator | 1,260 (27.2%) |
| Production Operator | 535 (11.5%) |
| Production Associate | 346 (7.5%) |
| Production Worker | 277 (6.0%) |
| Press Operator | 234 (5.1%) |
| Manufacturing Associate | 164 (3.5%) |
| Machine Operator I | 149 (3.2%) |
| Operator | 137 (3.0%) |
| Manufacturing Operator | 134 (2.9%) |
| Packaging Operator | 131 (2.8%) |
| Line Operator | 115 (2.5%) |
| Press Brake Operator | 115 (2.5%) |
| Packer | 94 (2.0%) |
| Production Team Member | 84 (1.8%) |
| Laser Operator | 81 (1.8%) |
| Mill Operator | 68 (1.5%) |
| Machine Operator II | 68 (1.5%) |
| Extrusion Operator | 64 (1.4%) |
| Production Operator I | 63 (1.4%) |
| Finishing Operator | 62 (1.3%) |
Titles read in our audit and used by at least 3 employers.
Machine operator job titles compared
The titles people search for most, from the US job postings that use each exact title (October 2026).
| Job title | Open postings | Employers | Median pay | Median experience | Skills named most |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | 264 | 137 | – | – | articulated dump truck, dozer, operating excavator |
| Production Associate | 1,020 | 346 | – | – | attention to detail, teamwork, positive attitude |
| Production Operator | 1,611 | 535 | $22.00/hr | 1 year | attention to detail, communication, basic computer skills |
| Production Worker | 765 | 277 | – | – | attention to detail, communication, basic math skills |
Machine Operator compared with similar careers
| Career | Median pay | Median experience | Postings | Shares N of top 25 skills |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Machine Operator | $21.38/hr | 1 year | 20,043 | – |
| Manufacturing Technician | $25.00/hr | 2 years | 3,947 | 18 |
| Assembler | $21.45/hr | 1 year | 6,799 | 19 |
| Plant Operator | – | 2 years | 1,418 | 17 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | $27.00/hr | 2 years | 5,295 | 17 |
Similar careers
| Career | Shares N of the top 25 skills | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Technician | 18 | $25.00/hr |
| Assembler | 19 | $21.45/hr |
| Plant Operator | 17 | – |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | 17 | $27.00/hr |
| Warehouse Associate | 19 | $20.00/hr |
| Painter | 18 | $23.50/hr |
Applying for machine operator jobs?
- Machine operator resume examples: one-page examples for these roles
- Match your resume to a job: paste a posting and see the skills your resume is missing
- Check your resume: see how an applicant tracking system reads it
- Find machine operator jobs: search open postings
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Production Operator make?
Source and method
Open US job postings collected from employers' applicant tracking systems, de-duplicated, counted only when their job title was read in our audit. Shares count at most 20 postings per employer, and franchise locations of one brand count as one employer. Pay uses hourly and annual figures only; a figure is shown when leaving out the largest employer moves it by 10% or less. Every figure states its number of postings. Methodology and measured accuracy.
Accuracy check: we read 20 randomly chosen postings counted on this page in full; 19 of them were this career or a closely related one (October 2026).
Download the figures on this page (CSV): every number above with its count of postings. Aggregate figures are licensed CC BY 4.0; cite the page when you reuse them.