National Salary Info » Computer Operators

Highest Paying Industries for Computer Operators

The top 100 highest paying industries for computer operators (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $66,240, electric power generation, transmission and distribution is the highest paying industry for computer operators. It is followed by utilities industry (average annual salary $65,800). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of computer operators in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Computer Operators

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$66,240	$42,190	300
2	Utilities	$65,800	$42,350	330
3	Technical and trade schools - Privately owned	$57,260	$49,570	n/a
4	Federal government, including USPS	$56,630	$49,870	1,810
5	Postal Service (federal government)	$56,630	$54,030	1,420
6	Technical and Trade Schools	$56,250	$33,380	n/a
7	Transportation and Warehousing	$53,360	$25,360	3,310
8	Chemical Manufacturing	$52,720	$27,740	120
9	Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing	$52,670	$25,040	70
10	Wired Telecommunications Carriers	$52,540	$32,120	370
11	Telecommunications	$52,260	$31,580	430
12	Monetary Authorities-Central Bank	$51,670	$28,890	n/a
13	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$51,150	$39,170	390
14	Facilities Support Services	$49,460	$29,390	50
15	Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers	$48,980	$25,810	n/a
16	Other Financial Investment Activities	$47,010	$33,690	220
17	Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing	$45,730	$22,230	n/a
18	Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing	$45,550	$29,780	30
19	Freight Transportation Arrangement	$45,310	$26,770	40
20	Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities	$45,200	$29,090	540
21	Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation	$45,110	$28,700	90
22	Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$45,010	$26,420	80
23	Engineering Services	$44,710	$23,310	390
24	Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing	$44,580	$22,550	250
25	Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing	$44,530	$27,090	70
26	Specialty hospitals - Privately owned	$44,490	$28,690	60
27	Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals	$44,490	$28,690	60
28	Primary Metal Manufacturing	$44,380	$26,660	30
29	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$44,240	$28,830	150
30	Television Broadcasting	$44,060	$22,380	160
31	Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$43,900	$18,290	160
32	Miscellaneous Durable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$43,870	$26,680	120
33	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$43,830	$26,410	10,120
34	Miscellaneous Manufacturing	$43,660	$31,120	50
35	Scientific Research and Development Services	$43,590	$28,330	170
36	Direct Insurance (except Life, Health, and Medical) Carriers	$43,560	$25,950	700
37	Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage	$43,390	$26,810	310
38	Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers	$43,290	$19,870	620
39	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$43,250	$24,360	540
40	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$43,240	$26,450	1,000
41	Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing	$43,070	$21,980	50
42	Hardware, and Plumbing and Heating Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	$42,940	$28,470	60
43	Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers	$42,700	$27,460	150
44	Warehousing and Storage	$42,690	$22,080	1,530
45	Social Advocacy Organizations	$42,610	$26,390	30
46	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$42,460	$26,980	5,310
47	Federal, State, and Local Government	$42,460	$26,980	5,310
48	Educational Services - Privately owned	$42,380	$25,490	750
49	Hospitals - State government owned	$42,360	$28,930	90
50	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$42,320	$26,480	530
51	Other Motor Vehicle Dealers	$42,300	$24,730	60
52	Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers	$42,200	$25,710	160
53	Automobile Dealers	$42,180	$21,470	1,020
54	Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing	$42,030	$25,010	90
55	Metal and Mineral (except Petroleum) Merchant Wholesalers	$42,000	$32,390	n/a
56	Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers	$41,890	$21,590	1,190
57	Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services	$41,880	$25,470	260
58	Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories	$41,850	$32,610	120
59	Broadcasting (except Internet)	$41,660	$20,180	250
60	Other Insurance Related Activities	$41,550	$23,740	550
61	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$41,500	$28,510	2,170
62	Insurance Carriers	$41,400	$25,410	1,870
63	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - State government owned	$41,300	$28,420	70
64	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$41,270	$25,120	2,760
65	Support Activities for Transportation	$41,250	$24,760	210
66	Pharmacies and Drug Stores	$41,180	$25,850	70
67	Insurance Carriers and Related Activities	$41,170	$24,850	2,640
68	Radio and Television Broadcasting	$41,140	$19,820	230
69	Miscellaneous Nondurable Goods Merchant Wholesalers	$40,920	$24,030	180
70	Investigation and Security Services	$40,790	$26,570	420
71	Grantmaking and Giving Services	$40,780	$25,620	80
72	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$40,720	$22,880	7,540
73	Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities	$40,610	$23,570	780
74	Security Systems Services	$40,540	$23,400	240
75	Machinery Manufacturing	$40,370	$26,250	60
76	Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services	$40,330	$22,730	570
77	Manufacturing	$40,250	$23,730	1,720
78	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$40,090	$25,570	4,340
79	Information	$39,960	$22,330	6,660
80	Computer Systems Design and Related Services	$39,930	$22,770	4,400
81	Lumber and Other Construction Materials Merchant Wholesalers	$39,910	$21,950	60
82	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$39,820	$24,550	4,570
83	State government, including schools and hospitals	$39,800	$26,770	3,740
84	Support Activities for Air Transportation	$39,570	$23,130	160
85	Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods	$39,540	$22,690	1,290
86	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$39,470	$17,890	380
87	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$39,360	$25,510	1,750
88	Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services	$39,280	$22,270	4,660
89	Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing	$39,250	$25,890	30
90	Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers	$39,210	$24,790	630
91	Publishing Industries (except Internet)	$39,100	$21,180	1,010
92	Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations	$39,030	$18,150	260
93	Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers	$38,960	$23,810	60
94	Furniture and Home Furnishing Merchant Wholesalers	$38,840	$20,930	40
95	Wholesale Trade	$38,800	$21,880	2,820
96	Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles	$38,740	$26,050	n/a
97	Printing and Related Support Activities	$38,710	$22,730	590
98	Employment Services	$38,680	$21,560	3,050
99	Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Stores	$38,660	$21,130	110
100	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$38,650	$22,940	1,210