Computer operators

Add Comparison

Total Workforce

96k

Average Age

42.5

Average Salary

$43,516

Average Male Salary

$47,847

Average Female Salary

$37,925

About

Computer operators are most often employed by the Computer Systems Design industry. The average yearly wage for Computer operators was $43,516 in 2016. The top 3 most similar occupations to Computer operators by wage are Human resources assistants, except payroll & timekeeping, Payroll & timekeeping clerks, and Welding, soldering, & brazing workers.

Computer operators are part of the Office & Administrative Support Occupations, along with Firstline supervisors of office & administrative support workers, Switchboard operators, including answering service, Telephone operators, Communications equipment operators, all other, Bill & account collectors, and 45 more.

The top 3 locations that employ the most Computer operators are Hope Mills & Spring Lake Towns PUMA, NC, Jacksonville City PUMA, NC, and Norfolk City (Northeast) PUMA, VA. The top 3 locations with a relatively high concentration of Computer operators are Hope Mills & Spring Lake Towns PUMA, NC, Jacksonville City PUMA, NC, and Norfolk City (Northeast) PUMA, VA.

Sales & Office Occupations Office & Administrative Support Occupations Office & Administrative Support Occupations

Information on the businesses and industries that employ Computer operators and on wages and locations for those in the field. Computer Systems Design is the industry that employs the most Computer operators, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Computer operators, by average wage, is Electric power generation, transmission & distribution. Computer operators are paid most in Mower, Steele, Freeborn & Dodge Counties PUMA, MN but are relatively concentrated in Hope Mills & Spring Lake Towns PUMA, NC.

Wages

Yearly Wage

$43,516

AVERAGE SALARY

± $2,422

In 2017, Computer operators earned an average of $43,516, $10,372 less than than the average national salary of $53,888.

Welding, soldering, & brazing workers make somewhat more than Computer operators while Human resources assistants, except payroll & timekeeping make somewhat less. This chart shows the various occupations closest to Computer operators as measured by average annual salary in the US.

Wage Distribution

0.354

WAGE GINI

In 2017, Computer operators had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.354, which is lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Computer operators (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

Wage by Location

HIGHEST PAYING PUMAS

This map shows the Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States shaded by average annual wage for Computer operators.

Spatial Concentration

PUMAs with a Relatively High Concentration of Computer operators

This map displays which Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMAs) in the United States have a relatively high population of Computer operators.

Industries

Most Common

The most common industries employing Computer operators, by number of employees, are Computer Systems Design, Banking & related activities, and Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries for Computer operators, by average wage, are Electric power generation, transmission & distribution, Electronic component & product manufacturing, n.e.c. , and Nondepository credit & related activities.

Industries by Share

96k

2017 Workforce

± 7,603

-0.209%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 11.2%

The number of people employed as Computer operators has been declining at a rate of -0.209%, from 96,155 people in 2016 to 95,954 people in 2017.

This graphic shows the share of Computer operators employed by various industries. Computer Systems Design employs the largest share of Computer operators at 8.85%, followed by Banking & related activities with 6.33% and Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges with 5.43%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Computer operators in the US. The average age of male Computer operators in the workforce is 41.3 and of female Computer operators is 44.1, and the most common race/ethnicity for Computer operators is White (Non-Hispanic).

Gender Composition

54.1k

MALE WORKFORCE

± 5,708

41.9k

FEMALE WORKFORCE

± 5,024

56.3% of Computer operators are Male, making them the more common gender in the occupation. This chart shows the gender breakdown of Computer operators.

Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity of Computer operators

White (Non-Hispanic)
Black (Non-Hispanic)
Asian (Non-Hispanic)

63.6% of Computer operators are White (Non-Hispanic), making that the most common race or ethnicity in the occupation. Representing 13.4% of Computer operators, Black (Non-Hispanic) is the second most common race or ethnicity in this occupation. This chart shows the racial and ethnic breakdown of Computer operators.

Age by Gender

41.3

AVERAGE MALE AGE

± 1.52

44.1

AVERAGE FEMALE AGE

± 1.75

The median age of Computer operators is 42.5, and Male employees are generally 2.89 years younger than than their Female counterparts.

Education

Data on higher education choices for Computer operators from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Computer operators is Business but a relatively high number of Computer operators hold a major in Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degree-majorss. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree-majors obtained.

MOST COMMON MAJORS

MOST SPECIALIZED MAJORS

Skills

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Computer operators from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Computer operators need many skills, but most especially Monitoring, Operation Monitoring, and Reading Comprehension. The revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Computer operators need more than the average amount of Programming, Troubleshooting, and Operation and Control.