SECTION 3 Pay Rate Benchmarks by Role Family Wages have risen more than 5% nationally over the past twelve months, and candidates know it. With pay ranges visible on nearly every job board and salary tools widely available, organizations that are not actively reviewing their pay bands are not just at risk of losing candidates at the offer stage. They are often filtered out before the interview. The table below provides Lightcast's national median advertised pay ranges across the role families most relevant to HR leaders using this publication. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Pay band reviews are no longer a once-a-year exercise. In a market where advertised wages are moving 4 to 7% annually and candidates have instant access to salary data, an organization operating on 2024 pay ranges is already behind. A compensation review does not always mean across-the-board increases. It means knowing where your most critical roles sit relative to the market, and closing the gaps that are costing you offers. Eastridge can provide a role-specific pay benchmark for any position you are actively hiring. Role family Median advertised Typical range YoY growth Planning guidance Assembly / Production operator $19-22/hr $17-$26/hr +6% Review bands if not updated since mid-2025. Pay below $18 is increasingly non-competitive. Warehouse / Material handler $20-23/hr $16-$28/hr +5% Competing with e-commerce and healthcare support roles for the same candidates. General machine operator $21-25/hr $18-$32/hr +6% Shift differential and overtime visibility matter as much as base rate for this profile. Maintenance technician $24-30/hr $20-$40/hr +7% Highest wage growth in manufacturing. Budget $30+ for experienced multi-trade technicians. Electrical / Mech. engineer $42-52/hr $35-$68/hr +5% Salary-only packages are losing ground to total comp offers that include equity and flexibility. Project manager $38-50/hr $30-$65/hr +6% PMP certification commands a 10-15% premium over non-certified candidates at the same level. HR generalist / specialist $28-38/hr $22-$50/hr +4% HRIS proficiency is now a baseline expectation, not a differentiator. Factor it into the range. Controller / financial analyst $40-55/hr $32-$75/hr +6% Hybrid flexibility is a near-universal expectation for finance roles at this level. Contracts / compliance mgr. $35-50/hr $28-$65/hr +5% Industry-specific experience commands a premium, especially in pharma, government, and SaaS. Customer service representative $18-24/hr $15-$32/hr +4% Career growth narrative and schedule flexibility are often more decisive than hourly rate. Source: Lightcast Q3 2026 Dataset. National medians for advertised postings, April - June 2026. Regional and industry variation applies. YoY = July 2025 vs. June 2026.