Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$35,760
- 25th Percentile — Junior$38,870
- 50th Percentile — Median$46,330
- 75th Percentile — Senior$55,410
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$65,510
The top 10% of Cutting Machine Operators earn $65,510 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $35,760, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $75,066 | +55.0% |
| District of Columbia (est.) | $73,614 | +52.0% |
| Oregon | $55,390 | +14.4% |
| Washington | $55,150 | +13.9% |
| Colorado | $55,080 | +13.7% |
| Maine | $52,050 | +7.5% |
| Michigan | $51,880 | +7.1% |
| Illinois | $51,740 | +6.8% |
| California | $51,620 | +6.6% |
| North Dakota | $51,620 | +6.6% |
| Alaska | $51,270 | +5.9% |
| Rhode Island | $50,870 | +5.0% |
| Minnesota | $50,850 | +5.0% |
| Missouri | $50,680 | +4.6% |
| Wisconsin | $50,500 | +4.3% |
| New York | $50,330 | +3.9% |
| Indiana | $49,900 | +3.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $49,670 | +2.6% |
| Massachusetts | $49,360 | +1.9% |
| Montana | $49,330 | +1.9% |
| Nebraska | $49,090 | +1.4% |
| Kansas | $48,770 | +0.7% |
| Kentucky | $48,770 | +0.7% |
| Utah | $48,760 | +0.7% |
| Virginia | $48,270 | -0.3% |
| Connecticut | $48,190 | -0.5% |
| New Hampshire | $48,150 | -0.6% |
| Wyoming | $48,060 | -0.8% |
| Iowa | $47,960 | -1.0% |
| South Dakota | $47,740 | -1.4% |
| Arizona | $47,680 | -1.5% |
| New Jersey | $47,670 | -1.6% |
| Maryland | $47,280 | -2.4% |
| Georgia | $47,040 | -2.9% |
| Vermont | $46,870 | -3.2% |
| Nevada | $46,710 | -3.6% |
| Ohio | $46,370 | -4.3% |
| North Carolina | $45,980 | -5.1% |
| South Carolina | $45,540 | -6.0% |
| West Virginia | $45,130 | -6.8% |
| Louisiana | $44,990 | -7.1% |
| Delaware | $44,700 | -7.7% |
| Arkansas | $44,480 | -8.2% |
| Oklahoma | $44,240 | -8.7% |
| Mississippi | $44,140 | -8.9% |
| Tennessee | $43,980 | -9.2% |
| Alabama | $43,760 | -9.6% |
| Texas | $43,580 | -10.0% |
| Idaho | $42,920 | -11.4% |
| Florida | $41,940 | -13.4% |
| New Mexico | $40,630 | -16.1% |
What Factors Affect Cutting Machine Operators Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Cutting Machine Operators is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Oregon pays an average of $55,390, while New Mexico pays $40,630 — a gap of $14,760 per year.
The middle half of Cutting Machine Operators earn between $38,870 and $55,410 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $35,760, while the top 10% earn more than $65,510.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Cutting Machine Operators?
The average salary for Cutting Machine Operators in the United States is $48,430 per year, with a median of $46,330.
What is the starting salary for Cutting Machine Operators?
Entry-level Cutting Machine Operators typically earn between $35,760 and $38,870 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Cutting Machine Operators the most?
Oregon pays Cutting Machine Operators the most at $55,390 per year on average, followed by Washington ($55,150) and Colorado ($55,080).
How much do Cutting Machine Operators make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $48,430, Cutting Machine Operators earn approximately $23.28 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Cutting Machine Operators a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 171,200 Cutting Machine Operators jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $48,430 and a median of $46,330 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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