Computer Operators Job Overview
Computer operators oversee the operation of computer hardware systems and ensure the machines are used securely and efficiently. Computer operators work with mainframes, minicomputers and networks of personal computers. They control the console of a mainframe digital computer or a group of minicomputers. A computer operator sets the controls of computers to run computer tasks.
Computer Operators Schools and Degrees
Courses are available in network operations and database maintenance.
Job Requirements
Typically, computer operators only need to have a high school diploma. They're provided on-the-job training. Due to advances in technology, the duties of many computer operators are moving to areas such as network operations, user support, and database maintenance. Those who have formal computer education and have knowledge about a variety of operating systems and the newest technology will have the best employment opportunities.
Nature of Work
- Retrieve and sort program output and send data to specific users
- Monitor the system for performance errors and equipment failures
- Monitor the control console and respond to computer and operating messages
- Maintain logbooks of operating records
Computer Operators Jobs and Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a minus 19 percent employment growth for computer operators from 2008 to 2018. Sophisticated software combined with robotics allows computers to perform a lot of basic tasks that used to be performed by computer operators.
The major employers of computer operators are shown below:
- Banks
- Insurance companies
- Data processing services companies
- Educational institutions
- Government agencies
The median salary for computer operators in 2009 was $36,110.
Job Numbers and Growth Nationally, there are 130,000 computer operators. The occupation is characterized by a low joblessness level. The unemployment rate for employees was 4% in 2008. Area Job Conditions Looking at computer operators per capita, Morgantown (West Virginia), Durham (North Carolina), and Springfield (Illinois) rise to the top of the list. Nashua (New Hampshire), Youngstown (Ohio), and Salem (Oregon) have the fewest per capita. The highest salaries for workers are in and around Danbury (Connecticut), Boulder (Colorado), and Fairbanks (Alaska). The lowest-paying areas are Decatur (Alabama), Waco (Texas), and Prescott (Arizona). Training and Education Successful employees find it useful to have moderate-term on-the-job training. According to recent surveys, 27% of computer operators had received a degree. Workers with some schooling beyond high school, but not a college degree, total about 46%. A high school degree was all that was needed for 27% of employees. Recommended schools are shown in the column to the right; request information from them to help you decide which if any could help you with this career. Part-Time Work and Self-Employment Computer operators working less than full time, whether by design or chance, were 11% of the total. If you have this occupation and work on your own rather than for another company, you are part of the 2% of workers who do so.
Computer Operators by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings) In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation. Alabama | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Auburn | $30,000 | 40 | +29% | | Birmingham | $33,000 | 460 | +11% | | Decatur | $21,000 | 30 | -21% | | Huntsville | $32,000 | 260 | +62% | | Mobile | $30,000 | 90 | -36% | | Montgomery | $31,000 | 130 | -1% | | Tuscaloosa | $28,000 | 40 | -39% |
Alaska | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Anchorage | $40,000 | 140 | +14% | | Fairbanks | $45,000 | 40 | +84% |
Arizona | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Phoenix | $35,000 | 2,240 | +50% | | Prescott | $19,000 | 90 | +104% | | Tucson | $32,000 | 310 | +7% |
Arkansas | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Fort Smith | $31,000 | 50 | -43% | | Jonesboro | $29,000 | 40 | +17% | | Little Rock | $33,000 | 300 | +12% |
California | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Bakersfield | $38,000 | 100 | -52% | | Chico | $26,000 | 50 | +0% | | Fresno | $35,000 | 170 | -35% | | Modesto | $37,000 | 60 | -52% | | Oxnard | $41,000 | 90 | -61% | | Riverside | $36,000 | 480 | -53% | | Sacramento | $39,000 | 1,570 | +121% | | San Diego | $39,000 | 860 | -20% | | San Francisco | $45,000 | 1,190 | +49% | | San Luis Obispo | $40,000 | 40 | -46% | | Santa Ana | $40,000 | 1,220 | -1% | | Santa Cruz | $43,000 | 40 | -38% | | Santa Rosa | $44,000 | 60 | -58% | | Stockton | $36,000 | 100 | -39% | | Vallejo | $41,000 | 40 | -56% |
Colorado | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Boulder | $45,000 | 210 | +71% | | Colorado Springs | $40,000 | 190 | -3% | | Denver | $40,000 | 980 | -2% | | Fort Collins | $30,000 | 40 | -56% | | Pueblo | $36,000 | 40 | +7% |
Connecticut | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Bridgeport | $46,000 | 500 | +44% | | Danbury | $49,000 | 40 | -22% | | Hartford | $42,000 | 590 | +28% | | New Haven | $43,000 | 200 | -9% | | Norwich | $37,000 | 90 | -4% | | Waterbury | $35,000 | 50 | +2% |
Delaware | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Wilmington | $41,000 | 490 | +89% |
District of Columbia | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Washington | $44,000 | 2,770 | +49% |
Florida | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Cape Coral | $38,000 | 140 | -14% | | Deltona | $38,000 | 80 | -32% | | Fort Lauderdale | $36,000 | 370 | -37% | | Fort Walton Beach | $30,000 | 40 | -27% | | Gainesville | $38,000 | 60 | -30% | | Jacksonville | $39,000 | 350 | -27% | | Lakeland | $37,000 | 110 | -26% | | Miami | $36,000 | 720 | -9% | | Orlando | $36,000 | 820 | -2% | | Palm Bay | $36,000 | 120 | -21% | | Pensacola | $29,000 | 90 | -21% | | Port St Lucie | $35,000 | 70 | -26% | | Sarasota | $41,000 | 70 | -66% | | Tallahassee | $33,000 | 200 | +61% | | Tampa | $36,000 | 720 | -26% | | West Palm Beach | $38,000 | 400 | -6% |
Georgia | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Albany | $30,000 | 60 | +39% | | Athens | $33,000 | 40 | -26% | | Atlanta | $39,000 | 2,140 | +12% | | Augusta | $28,000 | 100 | -37% | | Columbus | $31,000 | 90 | +11% | | Gainesville | $34,000 | 40 | -21% | | Macon | $30,000 | 110 | +50% | | Savannah | $29,000 | 40 | -65% |
Hawaii | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Honolulu | $41,000 | 310 | -10% |
Idaho | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Boise | $36,000 | 170 | -19% | | Coeur Dalene | $32,000 | 50 | +30% |
Illinois | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Champaign | $38,000 | 90 | +30% | | Chicago | $44,000 | 3,240 | +5% | | Peoria | $27,000 | 70 | -46% | | Rockford | $37,000 | 40 | -65% | | Springfield | $37,000 | 200 | +162% |
Indiana | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Bloomington | $30,000 | 110 | +124% | | Elkhart | $31,000 | 40 | -59% | | Evansville | $36,000 | 50 | -62% | | Fort Wayne | $35,000 | 170 | +3% | | Gary | $33,000 | 110 | -50% | | Indianapolis | $36,000 | 870 | +21% | | Lafayette | $33,000 | 80 | +46% | | Muncie | $28,000 | 30 | -4% | | South Bend | $25,000 | 130 | +27% | | Terre Haute | $41,000 | 50 | +0% |
Iowa | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Cedar Rapids | $31,000 | 150 | +48% | | Davenport | $38,000 | 90 | -36% | | Des Moines | $34,000 | 490 | +90% | | Dubuque | $29,000 | 90 | +152% | | Sioux City | $31,000 | 30 | -41% | | Waterloo | $31,000 | 90 | +44% |
Kansas | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Lawrence | $29,000 | 60 | +93% | | Topeka | $33,000 | 170 | +107% | | Wichita | $34,000 | 170 | -29% |
Kentucky | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Bowling Green | $30,000 | 30 | -26% | | Lexington | $38,000 | 320 | +70% | | Louisville | $37,000 | 490 | 0% |
Louisiana | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Baton Rouge | $35,000 | 450 | +55% | | Houma | $31,000 | 40 | -43% | | Lafayette | $31,000 | 50 | -54% | | Monroe | $31,000 | 40 | -30% | | New Orleans | $32,000 | 380 | -6% | | Shreveport | $31,000 | 70 | -48% |
Maine | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Lewiston | $33,000 | 40 | +17% | | Portland | $37,000 | 110 | -30% |
Maryland | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Baltimore | $42,000 | 1,670 | +60% | | Bethesda | $41,000 | 980 | +115% | | Hagerstown | $33,000 | 130 | +77% | | Salisbury | $37,000 | 40 | +9% |
Massachusetts | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Boston | $42,000 | 1,380 | 0% | | Lowell | $38,000 | 70 | -23% | | Springfield | $40,000 | 220 | -6% | | Worcester | $41,000 | 130 | -33% |
Michigan | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Ann Arbor | $29,000 | 200 | +58% | | Detroit | $41,000 | 390 | -31% | | Flint | $44,000 | 70 | -32% | | Grand Rapids | $33,000 | 230 | -23% | | Kalamazoo | $40,000 | 40 | -61% | | Lansing | $34,000 | 190 | +28% | | Saginaw | $41,000 | 40 | -27% | | Warren | $43,000 | 840 | -9% |
Minnesota | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Minneapolis | $39,000 | 1,110 | -23% | | Rochester | $38,000 | 40 | -41% | | St Cloud | $36,000 | 40 | -47% |
Mississippi | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Gulfport | $30,000 | 110 | +36% | | Hattiesburg | $23,000 | 50 | +25% | | Jackson | $39,000 | 250 | +26% | | Pascagoula | $32,000 | 40 | +23% |
Missouri | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Columbia | $27,000 | 80 | +34% | | Jefferson City | $31,000 | 70 | +42% | | Joplin | $22,000 | 40 | -31% | | Kansas City | $36,000 | 1,020 | +24% | | Springfield | $30,000 | 130 | -14% | | St Louis | $38,000 | 1,210 | +11% |
Nebraska | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Lincoln | $30,000 | 210 | +68% | | Omaha | $32,000 | 940 | +156% |
Nevada | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Las Vegas | $40,000 | 250 | -66% | | Reno | $37,000 | 90 | -44% |
New Hampshire | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Manchester | $36,000 | 80 | +3% | | Nashua | $39,000 | 30 | -71% |
New Jersey | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Atlantic City | $37,000 | 140 | +25% | | Camden | $40,000 | 740 | +76% | | Edison | $42,000 | 1,170 | +42% | | Newark | $41,000 | 1,290 | +60% | | Trenton | $44,000 | 400 | +141% |
New Mexico | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Albuquerque | $35,000 | 270 | -12% | | Las Cruces | $40,000 | 90 | +107% | | Santa Fe | $39,000 | 40 | -11% |
New York | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Albany | $35,000 | 870 | +151% | | Binghamton | $29,000 | 150 | +90% | | Buffalo | $32,000 | 650 | +52% | | Ithaca | $29,000 | 50 | +73% | | Kingston | $33,000 | 40 | -5% | | Nassau | $42,000 | 1,220 | +21% | | New York | $38,000 | 6,600 | +60% | | Poughkeepsie | $37,000 | 190 | +2% | | Rochester | $34,000 | 640 | +61% | | Syracuse | $29,000 | 200 | -18% | | Utica | $35,000 | 100 | +4% |
North Carolina | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Asheville | $40,000 | 140 | +2% | | Charlotte | $37,000 | 580 | -18% | | Durham | $37,000 | 590 | +176% | | Fayetteville | $28,000 | 50 | -45% | | Greensboro | $39,000 | 230 | -22% | | Greenville | $35,000 | 40 | -22% | | Hickory | $31,000 | 40 | -68% | | Raleigh | $35,000 | 640 | +58% | | Wilmington | $34,000 | 130 | +19% | | Winston Salem | $40,000 | 120 | -28% |
North Dakota | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Bismarck | $29,000 | 50 | +26% | | Fargo | $34,000 | 130 | +50% | | Grand Forks | $31,000 | 50 | +50% |
Ohio | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Akron | $34,000 | 370 | +39% | | Canton | $38,000 | 40 | -70% | | Cincinnati | $40,000 | 680 | -18% | | Cleveland | $39,000 | 600 | -29% | | Columbus | $38,000 | 890 | +19% | | Dayton | $32,000 | 230 | -25% | | Toledo | $33,000 | 140 | -43% | | Youngstown | $36,000 | 50 | -72% |
Oklahoma | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Tulsa | $31,000 | 340 | -2% |
Oregon | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Eugene | $36,000 | 50 | -56% | | Portland | $38,000 | 560 | -33% | | Salem | $43,000 | 30 | -74% |
Pennsylvania | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Allentown | $33,000 | 270 | +1% | | Altoona | $28,000 | 50 | +19% | | Erie | $37,000 | 130 | +38% | | Harrisburg | $38,000 | 420 | +69% | | Johnstown | $32,000 | 30 | -24% | | Lancaster | $35,000 | 110 | -40% | | Philadelphia | $40,000 | 1,700 | +12% | | Pittsburgh | $37,000 | 850 | -7% | | Reading | $40,000 | 70 | -44% | | Scranton | $35,000 | 320 | +59% | | State College | $32,000 | 50 | +27% | | York | $36,000 | 80 | -42% |
Rhode Island | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Providence | $37,000 | 530 | +18% |
South Carolina | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Charleston | $35,000 | 250 | +9% | | Columbia | $32,000 | 600 | +117% | | Florence | $31,000 | 50 | -18% | | Greenville | $37,000 | 240 | +0% | | Myrtle Beach | $31,000 | 50 | -44% | | Spartanburg | $43,000 | 70 | -24% |
South Dakota | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Sioux Falls | $33,000 | 40 | -62% |
Tennessee | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Chattanooga | $31,000 | 460 | +154% | | Clarksville | $38,000 | 60 | +10% | | Kingsport | $28,000 | 60 | -30% | | Knoxville | $33,000 | 370 | +40% | | Memphis | $35,000 | 610 | +23% | | Nashville | $37,000 | 770 | +26% |
Texas | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Amarillo | $30,000 | 50 | -32% | | Austin | $35,000 | 560 | -8% | | Brownsville | | 40 | -57% | | Corpus Christi | $31,000 | 60 | -55% | | Dallas | $37,000 | 2,340 | +38% | | Fort Worth | $37,000 | 780 | +13% | | Houston | $36,000 | 1,890 | -9% | | Killeen | $28,000 | 110 | +23% | | Laredo | $26,000 | 30 | -50% | | Lubbock | $25,000 | 100 | +10% | | Mcallen | $29,000 | 50 | -70% | | San Antonio | $36,000 | 400 | -41% | | Waco | $26,000 | 90 | +27% |
Utah | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Ogden | $34,000 | 160 | +4% | | Provo | $30,000 | 230 | +82% | | Salt Lake City | $31,000 | 570 | +14% |
Virginia | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Charlottesville | $39,000 | 70 | +2% | | Richmond | $40,000 | 430 | -10% | | Roanoke | $38,000 | 60 | -50% | | Virginia Beach | $32,000 | 610 | +1% |
Washington | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Olympia | $34,000 | 60 | -13% | | Seattle | $42,000 | 1,150 | 0% | | Spokane | $34,000 | 80 | -50% | | Tacoma | $42,000 | 120 | -43% | | Yakima | $33,000 | 30 | -48% |
West Virginia | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Charleston | $32,000 | 170 | +55% | | Huntington | $32,000 | 60 | -29% | | Morgantown | $25,000 | 120 | +277% | | Parkersburg | $32,000 | 40 | -20% | | Weirton | $31,000 | 30 | +5% |
Wisconsin | City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|
| Appleton | $37,000 | 30 | -65% | | Eau Claire | $35,000 | 50 | -10% | | Green Bay | $39,000 | 70 | -45% | | Madison | $41,000 | 230 | -12% | | Milwaukee | $37,000 | 580 | -15% | | Oshkosh | $38,000 | 50 | -18% | | Wausau | $39,000 | 90 | +88% |
Salary and employment data obtained from the United States Department of Labor. Individual salaries depend on location, education and career background. Thanks to CityTownInfo.com for this computer operator schools and jobs info.
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