The average salary for a drill press operator in the United States is around $49,080 per year.
Avg Salary
Drill press operators earn an average yearly salary of $49,080.
Wages typically start from $36,300 and go up to $68,410.
26% below national average Updated in 2025
Drill press operator earnings by seniority
Top-level drill press operator earnings begin at:
$32.89 per hour
$68,410 per year
Senior-level drill press operator earnings begin at:
$27.85 per hour
$57,940 per year
Mid-level drill press operator earnings begin at:
$23.60 per hour
$49,080 per year
Junior-level drill press operator earnings begin at:
$20.05 per hour
$41,710 per year
Starting level drill press operator earnings begin at:
$17.45 per hour
$36,300 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Drill press operator salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Virginia | $90,390 |
| Massachusetts | $77,780 |
| Idaho | $69,590 |
| Florida | $66,340 |
| Michigan | $60,410 |
| New Hampshire | $59,800 |
| Illinois | $56,720 |
| New York | $55,310 |
| Oklahoma | $55,230 |
| Nevada | $53,970 |
| Alabama | $53,110 |
| South Carolina | $52,040 |
| Kentucky | $51,740 |
| Ohio | $51,670 |
| Colorado | $51,280 |
| Maryland | $51,250 |
| Mississippi | $49,930 |
| Wisconsin | $49,640 |
| California | $49,080 |
| Arizona | $48,140 |
| New Jersey | $47,870 |
| Minnesota | $47,010 |
| North Carolina | $46,970 |
| Arkansas | $46,730 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,370 |
| Georgia | $46,270 |
| Tennessee | $45,070 |
| West Virginia | $45,060 |
| Missouri | $44,990 |
| Texas | $44,350 |
| Iowa | $43,860 |
| Kansas | $42,320 |
| Maine | $42,030 |
| Connecticut | $41,080 |
| Oregon | $40,320 |
| Louisiana | $39,850 |
| Indiana | $39,110 |
| Nebraska | $38,750 |
| North Dakota | $35,740 |
| Rhode Island | $34,500 |
| South Dakota | $33,630 |
| Utah | $33,190 |
| Washington | $32,010 |
How do drill press operator salaries compare to similar careers?
Drill press operators earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than machine assemblers but more than molding and casting workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Machine assembler salary | $54K |
| Logging worker salary | $52K |
| Faller salary | $52K |
| Welder salary | $54K |
| Metal caster salary | $52K |
| Drill press operator salary | $49K |
| Quarry rock splitter salary | $49K |
| Fork lift operator salary | $46K |
| Log grader salary | $46K |
| Molding and casting worker salary | $46K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)