The average salary for a drill press operator in California is around $49,080 per year.
Avg Salary
Drill press operators earn an average yearly salary of $49,080.
Wages typically start from $37,520 and go up to $66,250.
35% below national average Updated in 2025
Drill press operator earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level drill press operator earnings begin at:
$31.85 per hour
$66,250 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level drill press operator earnings begin at:
$27.34 per hour
$56,870 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level drill press operator earnings begin at:
$23.60 per hour
$49,080 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level drill press operator earnings begin at:
$21.79 per hour
$45,330 per year
10th percentile
Starting level drill press operator earnings begin at:
$18.04 per hour
$37,520 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 California. On average, they make less than machinists but more than hand polishing workers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Machinist salary | $57K |
| Welder salary | $58K |
| Pump operator salary | $58K |
| Log grader salary | $57K |
| Machine assembler salary | $47K |
| Drill press operator salary | $49K |
| Molding and casting worker salary | $49K |
| Fork lift operator salary | $48K |
| Metal worker salary | $47K |
| Hand polishing worker salary | $44K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)