47 Series · SOC 47-2073
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $59,850
- Median / year
- +1.9%
- 2024→2025
- $101,090
- Top 10% earn
- +3.6%
- Growth '24–'34
- 478,090
- Estimated US jobs
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators earn a median of $59,850 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $59,850, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $42,190 (10th percentile) to $101,090 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 478,090 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Hawaii ($115,860).
The pay verdict
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators earn a median of $59,850, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 48% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Construction and Extraction, it ranks #22 of 60 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.6% by 2034.
- $59,850
- Median annual wage
- Top 52%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #22 of 60
- in Construction and Extraction
- 2.4×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Hawaii at $115,860. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators moved from $48,980 in May 2019 to $59,850 in May 2025 (+22.2%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators sits -2.3 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) has a national median of $59,850 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $42,190 to $101,090, and the published mean is $66,290. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 478,090 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 527 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $58,710 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $59,850 in May 2025, a rise of $1,140 (+1.9%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.6% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 41,900 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Construction and Extraction Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Hawaii pays the highest state median at $115,860, which is +94% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Kahului-Wailuku, HI at $124,990. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$59,850
per year
Median Hourly
$28.78/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$66,290
average
Employment
478,090
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$59,850 Bottom 48% higher than 48% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 (this entry) | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$59,850 · 48th percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 47-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Construction Laborers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.3%, Median annual wage $47120
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.3%, Median annual wage $79920
- Electricians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 9.5%, Median annual wage $63190
- Carpenters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $60580
- Operating Engineers …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.6%, Median annual wage $59850
- Plumbers, Pipefitter…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.5%, Median annual wage $63800
- Painters, Constructi…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $49400
- Cement Masons and Co…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.8%, Median annual wage $57020
- Highway Maintenance …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $50260
- Construction and Bui…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.8%, Median annual wage $74690
- Roofers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.9%, Median annual wage $55440
- Sheet Metal Workers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.4%, Median annual wage $61800
- Drywall and Ceiling …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.2%, Median annual wage $58930
- Structural Iron and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $62780
- Helpers--Electricians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.2%, Median annual wage $42670
- Glaziers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.3%, Median annual wage $57080
- Brickmasons and Bloc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $62120
- Hazardous Materials …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1%, Median annual wage $49450
- Roustabouts, Oil and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2.5%, Median annual wage $46960
- Insulation Workers, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.8%, Median annual wage $49120
- Helpers--Pipelayers,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $42360
- Service Unit Operato…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.4%, Median annual wage $58160
- Paving, Surfacing, a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $53340
- Tile and Stone Setters: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 10.1%, Median annual wage $55690
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+3.6%
About as fast as average
Annual Openings
41,900
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+17,800
489,300 (2024) → 507,100 (2034)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Construction and Extraction Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
12.4/100K
Injury Rate
3.5/100
Danger Index
20.2/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Learn and follow safety regulations.
- ▸ Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
- ▸ Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.
- ▸ Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
- ▸ Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
- ▸ Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.
- ▸ Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.
- ▸ Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines.
- ▸ Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.
- ▸ Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $44,600 |
| 2016 | $45,890 |
| 2017 | $47,040 |
| 2018 | $47,810 |
| 2019 | $48,980 |
| 2020 | $49,770 |
| 2021 | $48,360 |
| 2022 | $51,430 |
| 2023 | $56,160 |
| 2024 | $58,710 |
| 2025 | $59,850 |
2015 median
$44,600
2025 median
$59,850
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$10,870 (+22.2%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+3.4%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $44,600 | First banked release | 355,140 |
| May 2016 | $45,890 | +2.9% | 356,750 |
| May 2017 | $47,040 | +2.5% | 365,300 |
| May 2018 | $47,810 | +1.6% | 383,480 |
| May 2019 | $48,980 | Classification break | 405,750 |
| May 2020 | $49,770 | +1.6% | 402,870 |
| May 2021 | $48,360 | -2.8% | 404,820 |
| May 2022 | $51,430 | +6.3% | 423,040 |
| May 2023 | $56,160 | +9.2% | 450,370 |
| May 2024 | $58,710 | +4.5% | 469,270 |
| May 2025 | $59,850 | +1.9% | 478,090 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $44,600 in May 2015 to $59,850 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.4% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 405,750 in May 2019 to 478,090 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
View all 54 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $115,860 | +94% above national |
| 2 | Illinois | $97,740 | +63% above national |
| 3 | New Jersey | $89,660 | +50% above national |
| 4 | California | $87,160 | +46% above national |
| 5 | Washington | $81,700 | +37% above national |
| 6 | New York | $80,980 | +35% above national |
| 7 | Indiana | $79,580 | +33% above national |
| 8 | Minnesota | $79,130 | +32% above national |
| 9 | Connecticut | $78,750 | +32% above national |
| 10 | Alaska | $77,810 | +30% above national |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $76,820 | +28% above national |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $75,280 | +26% above national |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $74,610 | +25% above national |
| 14 | Oregon | $73,430 | +23% above national |
| 15 | Nevada | $71,410 | +19% above national |
| 16 | Ohio | $64,940 | +9% above national |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $63,610 | +6% above national |
| 18 | Wyoming | $62,960 | +5% above national |
| 19 | Michigan | $62,690 | +5% above national |
| 20 | Colorado | $62,620 | +5% above national |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $62,200 | +4% above national |
| 22 | North Dakota | $62,150 | +4% above national |
| 23 | Idaho | $61,680 | +3% above national |
| 24 | Montana | $61,580 | +3% above national |
| 25 | Maryland | $61,410 | +3% above national |
| 26 | Utah | $60,740 | +1% above national |
| 27 | Arizona | $60,620 | +1% above national |
| 28 | Missouri | $60,540 | +1% above national |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $60,530 | +1% above national |
| 30 | Iowa | $60,330 | +1% above national |
| 31 | South Dakota | $59,500 | 1% below national |
| 32 | Vermont | $58,870 | 2% below national |
| 33 | Nebraska | $58,360 | 2% below national |
| 34 | Delaware | $58,020 | 3% below national |
| 35 | Kentucky | $57,780 | 3% below national |
| 36 | Virginia | $57,160 | 4% below national |
| 37 | Maine | $56,140 | 6% below national |
| 38 | New Mexico | $52,000 | 13% below national |
| 39 | Tennessee | $52,000 | 13% below national |
| 40 | Louisiana | $51,700 | 14% below national |
| 41 | Kansas | $51,620 | 14% below national |
| 42 | West Virginia | $51,300 | 14% below national |
| 43 | Texas | $50,460 | 16% below national |
| 44 | Florida | $49,400 | 17% below national |
| 45 | North Carolina | $49,310 | 18% below national |
| 46 | South Carolina | $48,940 | 18% below national |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $47,970 | 20% below national |
| 48 | Georgia | $47,880 | 20% below national |
| 49 | Virgin Islands | $47,650 | 20% below national |
| 50 | Alabama | $47,520 | 21% below national |
| 51 | Mississippi | $47,410 | 21% below national |
| 52 | Arkansas | $44,520 | 26% below national |
| 53 | Guam | $39,170 | 35% below national |
| 54 | Puerto Rico | $29,810 | 50% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 392 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $124,990 | +109% above national |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $124,750 | +108% above national |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $124,340 | +108% above national |
| 4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $117,630 | +97% above national |
| 5 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $105,080 | +76% above national |
| 6 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $103,100 | +72% above national |
| 7 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $103,060 | +72% above national |
| 8 | Decatur, IL | $100,520 | +68% above national |
| 9 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $98,120 | +64% above national |
| 10 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $97,770 | +63% above national |
| 11 | Rockford, IL | $97,250 | +62% above national |
| 12 | Bloomington, IL | $96,250 | +61% above national |
| 13 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $95,750 | +60% above national |
| 14 | Springfield, IL | $95,310 | +59% above national |
| 15 | Vallejo, CA | $95,100 | +59% above national |
| 16 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $95,050 | +59% above national |
| 17 | Kankakee, IL | $94,270 | +58% above national |
| 18 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $92,900 | +55% above national |
| 19 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $92,890 | +55% above national |
| 20 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $91,650 | +53% above national |
| 21 | Bellingham, WA | $91,510 | +53% above national |
| 22 | Wausau, WI | $90,900 | +52% above national |
| 23 | Modesto, CA | $90,560 | +51% above national |
| 24 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $90,320 | +51% above national |
| 25 | Napa, CA | $90,060 | +50% above national |
| 26 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $89,460 | +49% above national |
| 27 | Peoria, IL | $86,440 | +44% above national |
| 28 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $85,390 | +43% above national |
| 29 | Evansville, IN | $84,500 | +41% above national |
| 30 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $83,670 | +40% above national |
| 31 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $83,460 | +39% above national |
| 32 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $83,340 | +39% above national |
| 33 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $83,290 | +39% above national |
| 34 | Madison, WI | $83,060 | +39% above national |
| 35 | Appleton, WI | $83,010 | +39% above national |
| 36 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $82,540 | +38% above national |
| 37 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $82,390 | +38% above national |
| 38 | Kokomo, IN | $82,270 | +37% above national |
| 39 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $82,270 | +37% above national |
| 40 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $82,250 | +37% above national |
| 41 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $82,190 | +37% above national |
| 42 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $81,500 | +36% above national |
| 43 | Yuba City, CA | $80,620 | +35% above national |
| 44 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $80,460 | +34% above national |
| 45 | Salinas, CA | $80,320 | +34% above national |
| 46 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $79,850 | +33% above national |
| 47 | New Haven, CT | $79,840 | +33% above national |
| 48 | Rochester, MN | $79,580 | +33% above national |
| 49 | St. Cloud, MN | $79,530 | +33% above national |
| 50 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $79,430 | +33% above national |
| 51 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $79,340 | +33% above national |
| 52 | Chico, CA | $79,040 | +32% above national |
| 53 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $79,040 | +32% above national |
| 54 | Columbus, OH | $78,950 | +32% above national |
| 55 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $78,720 | +32% above national |
| 56 | Mankato, MN | $78,560 | +31% above national |
| 57 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $78,330 | +31% above national |
| 58 | Fresno, CA | $78,310 | +31% above national |
| 59 | Battle Creek, MI | $78,020 | +30% above national |
| 60 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $77,960 | +30% above national |
| 61 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $77,780 | +30% above national |
| 62 | Fort Wayne, IN | $77,450 | +29% above national |
| 63 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $77,420 | +29% above national |
| 64 | Redding, CA | $77,090 | +29% above national |
| 65 | Worcester, MA | $77,050 | +29% above national |
| 66 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $77,020 | +29% above national |
| 67 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $76,940 | +29% above national |
| 68 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $76,740 | +28% above national |
| 69 | Vineland, NJ | $76,740 | +28% above national |
| 70 | Anchorage, AK | $76,520 | +28% above national |
| 71 | Green Bay, WI | $76,290 | +27% above national |
| 72 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $76,240 | +27% above national |
| 73 | Eau Claire, WI | $75,970 | +27% above national |
| 74 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $75,640 | +26% above national |
| 75 | Bay City, MI | $75,310 | +26% above national |
| 76 | Flint, MI | $75,140 | +26% above national |
| 77 | Duluth, MN-WI | $75,040 | +25% above national |
| 78 | Merced, CA | $74,800 | +25% above national |
| 79 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $74,360 | +24% above national |
| 80 | Salem, OR | $74,270 | +24% above national |
| 81 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $73,650 | +23% above national |
| 82 | Reno, NV | $73,260 | +22% above national |
| 83 | Kenosha, WI | $73,190 | +22% above national |
| 84 | Springfield, MA | $73,070 | +22% above national |
| 85 | Barnstable Town, MA | $72,920 | +22% above national |
| 86 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $72,240 | +21% above national |
| 87 | Yakima, WA | $71,810 | +20% above national |
| 88 | Cleveland, OH | $71,740 | +20% above national |
| 89 | Fond du Lac, WI | $71,560 | +20% above national |
| 90 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $71,430 | +19% above national |
| 91 | Jefferson City, MO | $71,140 | +19% above national |
| 92 | Boulder, CO | $71,060 | +19% above national |
| 93 | El Centro, CA | $70,830 | +18% above national |
| 94 | Kingston, NY | $70,370 | +18% above national |
| 95 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $69,900 | +17% above national |
| 96 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $69,800 | +17% above national |
| 97 | Bozeman, MT | $68,160 | +14% above national |
| 98 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $68,130 | +14% above national |
| 99 | Albany, OR | $68,080 | +14% above national |
| 100 | Walla Walla, WA | $67,750 | +13% above national |
| 101 | Bend, OR | $67,520 | +13% above national |
| 102 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $66,950 | +12% above national |
| 103 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $66,850 | +12% above national |
| 104 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $66,830 | +12% above national |
| 105 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $66,810 | +12% above national |
| 106 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $66,320 | +11% above national |
| 107 | Mansfield, OH | $66,100 | +10% above national |
| 108 | Elmira, NY | $65,760 | +10% above national |
| 109 | Rochester, NY | $65,720 | +10% above national |
| 110 | Midland, MI | $65,710 | +10% above national |
| 111 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $65,390 | +9% above national |
| 112 | Columbus, IN | $64,970 | +9% above national |
| 113 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $64,850 | +8% above national |
| 114 | Carson City, NV | $64,820 | +8% above national |
| 115 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $64,650 | +8% above national |
| 116 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $64,540 | +8% above national |
| 117 | Pittsfield, MA | $64,460 | +8% above national |
| 118 | Toledo, OH | $64,380 | +8% above national |
| 119 | Sheboygan, WI | $64,290 | +7% above national |
| 120 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $64,150 | +7% above national |
| 121 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $64,080 | +7% above national |
| 122 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $64,060 | +7% above national |
| 123 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $64,050 | +7% above national |
| 124 | Missoula, MT | $64,050 | +7% above national |
| 125 | Akron, OH | $63,920 | +7% above national |
| 126 | Grants Pass, OR | $63,920 | +7% above national |
| 127 | Idaho Falls, ID | $63,910 | +7% above national |
| 128 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $63,910 | +7% above national |
| 129 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $63,850 | +7% above national |
| 130 | Syracuse, NY | $63,810 | +7% above national |
| 131 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $63,310 | +6% above national |
| 132 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $63,050 | +5% above national |
| 133 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $63,050 | +5% above national |
| 134 | Minot, ND | $62,990 | +5% above national |
| 135 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $62,820 | +5% above national |
| 136 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $62,610 | +5% above national |
| 137 | Helena, MT | $62,570 | +5% above national |
| 138 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $62,540 | +4% above national |
| 139 | Ann Arbor, MI | $62,490 | +4% above national |
| 140 | Medford, OR | $62,410 | +4% above national |
| 141 | Ames, IA | $62,400 | +4% above national |
| 142 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $62,340 | +4% above national |
| 143 | Pittsburgh, PA | $62,320 | +4% above national |
| 144 | Reading, PA | $62,290 | +4% above national |
| 145 | Utica-Rome, NY | $62,270 | +4% above national |
| 146 | Dubuque, IA | $62,250 | +4% above national |
| 147 | Bismarck, ND | $62,150 | +4% above national |
| 148 | Bloomington, IN | $62,120 | +4% above national |
| 149 | Great Falls, MT | $62,090 | +4% above national |
| 150 | Billings, MT | $61,990 | +4% above national |
| 151 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $61,890 | +3% above national |
| 152 | York-Hanover, PA | $61,870 | +3% above national |
| 153 | Corvallis, OR | $61,780 | +3% above national |
| 154 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $61,750 | +3% above national |
| 155 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $61,730 | +3% above national |
| 156 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $61,710 | +3% above national |
| 157 | Fargo, ND-MN | $61,690 | +3% above national |
| 158 | Colorado Springs, CO | $61,660 | +3% above national |
| 159 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $61,660 | +3% above national |
| 160 | Terre Haute, IN | $61,630 | +3% above national |
| 161 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $61,520 | +3% above national |
| 162 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $61,480 | +3% above national |
| 163 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $61,390 | +3% above national |
| 164 | Lancaster, PA | $61,340 | +2% above national |
| 165 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $61,290 | +2% above national |
| 166 | Traverse City, MI | $61,200 | +2% above national |
| 167 | Pueblo, CO | $61,130 | +2% above national |
| 168 | Binghamton, NY | $61,000 | +2% above national |
| 169 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $60,960 | +2% above national |
| 170 | Boise City, ID | $60,930 | +2% above national |
| 171 | Lexington Park, MD | $60,930 | +2% above national |
| 172 | Monroe, MI | $60,910 | +2% above national |
| 173 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $60,830 | +2% above national |
| 174 | Lincoln, NE | $60,810 | +2% above national |
| 175 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $60,740 | +1% above national |
| 176 | Greeley, CO | $60,690 | +1% above national |
| 177 | Rapid City, SD | $60,660 | +1% above national |
| 178 | State College, PA | $60,540 | +1% above national |
| 179 | Iowa City, IA | $60,530 | +1% above national |
| 180 | Visalia, CA | $60,530 | +1% above national |
| 181 | Sandusky, OH | $60,380 | +1% above national |
| 182 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $60,370 | +1% above national |
| 183 | Ogden, UT | $60,250 | +1% above national |
| 184 | Bowling Green, KY | $60,180 | +1% above national |
| 185 | Lawrence, KS | $60,080 | same as national |
| 186 | Glens Falls, NY | $60,030 | same as national |
| 187 | Omaha, NE-IA | $60,020 | same as national |
| 188 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $60,010 | same as national |
| 189 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $60,000 | same as national |
| 190 | Muncie, IN | $59,910 | same as national |
| 191 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $59,880 | same as national |
| 192 | Jackson, MI | $59,860 | same as national |
| 193 | Saginaw, MI | $59,830 | same as national |
| 194 | Charlottesville, VA | $59,790 | same as national |
| 195 | Beckley, WV | $59,700 | same as national |
| 196 | Niles, MI | $59,670 | same as national |
| 197 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $59,660 | same as national |
| 198 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $59,530 | 1% below national |
| 199 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $59,330 | 1% below national |
| 200 | Pocatello, ID | $59,250 | 1% below national |
| 201 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $59,210 | 1% below national |
| 202 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $59,140 | 1% below national |
| 203 | Paducah, KY-IL | $59,000 | 1% below national |
| 204 | Lima, OH | $58,860 | 2% below national |
| 205 | Chambersburg, PA | $58,800 | 2% below national |
| 206 | Flagstaff, AZ | $58,720 | 2% below national |
| 207 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $58,560 | 2% below national |
| 208 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $58,420 | 2% below national |
| 209 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $58,250 | 3% below national |
| 210 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $58,240 | 3% below national |
| 211 | Baton Rouge, LA | $58,210 | 3% below national |
| 212 | Tucson, AZ | $58,100 | 3% below national |
| 213 | Manhattan, KS | $58,080 | 3% below national |
| 214 | Erie, PA | $58,030 | 3% below national |
| 215 | Cheyenne, WY | $57,970 | 3% below national |
| 216 | Midland, TX | $57,900 | 3% below national |
| 217 | St. George, UT | $57,900 | 3% below national |
| 218 | Grand Junction, CO | $57,700 | 4% below national |
| 219 | Charleston, WV | $57,640 | 4% below national |
| 220 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $57,320 | 4% below national |
| 221 | Springfield, OH | $57,230 | 4% below national |
| 222 | Logan, UT-ID | $56,980 | 5% below national |
| 223 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $56,850 | 5% below national |
| 224 | Columbia, MO | $56,770 | 5% below national |
| 225 | Topeka, KS | $56,760 | 5% below national |
| 226 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $56,140 | 6% below national |
| 227 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $56,030 | 6% below national |
| 228 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $55,960 | 6% below national |
| 229 | Lebanon, PA | $55,750 | 7% below national |
| 230 | Salisbury, MD | $55,480 | 7% below national |
| 231 | Odessa, TX | $55,430 | 7% below national |
| 232 | Richmond, VA | $55,280 | 8% below national |
| 233 | Farmington, NM | $55,180 | 8% below national |
| 234 | Grand Island, NE | $55,020 | 8% below national |
| 235 | Casper, WY | $54,870 | 8% below national |
| 236 | Ithaca, NY | $54,820 | 8% below national |
| 237 | Birmingham, AL | $54,330 | 9% below national |
| 238 | Yuma, AZ | $54,270 | 9% below national |
| 239 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $53,870 | 10% below national |
| 240 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $53,380 | 11% below national |
| 241 | Springfield, MO | $53,340 | 11% below national |
| 242 | Joplin, MO-KS | $53,210 | 11% below national |
| 243 | Morgantown, WV | $52,970 | 11% below national |
| 244 | Gettysburg, PA | $52,960 | 12% below national |
| 245 | Twin Falls, ID | $52,080 | 13% below national |
| 246 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $52,060 | 13% below national |
| 247 | Bangor, ME | $52,000 | 13% below national |
| 248 | Santa Fe, NM | $52,000 | 13% below national |
| 249 | Johnstown, PA | $51,830 | 13% below national |
| 250 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $51,800 | 13% below national |
| 251 | Burlington, NC | $51,570 | 14% below national |
| 252 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $51,550 | 14% below national |
| 253 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $51,370 | 14% below national |
| 254 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $51,290 | 14% below national |
| 255 | Albuquerque, NM | $51,160 | 15% below national |
| 256 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $51,110 | 15% below national |
| 257 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $51,040 | 15% below national |
| 258 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $51,040 | 15% below national |
| 259 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $51,020 | 15% below national |
| 260 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $51,000 | 15% below national |
| 261 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $50,960 | 15% below national |
| 262 | Elizabethtown, KY | $50,960 | 15% below national |
| 263 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $50,910 | 15% below national |
| 264 | Williamsport, PA | $50,890 | 15% below national |
| 265 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $50,870 | 15% below national |
| 266 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $50,820 | 15% below national |
| 267 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $50,800 | 15% below national |
| 268 | Altoona, PA | $50,790 | 15% below national |
| 269 | Winchester, VA-WV | $50,790 | 15% below national |
| 270 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $50,740 | 15% below national |
| 271 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $50,640 | 15% below national |
| 272 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $50,580 | 15% below national |
| 273 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $50,470 | 16% below national |
| 274 | Sumter, SC | $50,340 | 16% below national |
| 275 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $50,320 | 16% below national |
| 276 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $50,300 | 16% below national |
| 277 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $50,210 | 16% below national |
| 278 | Lynchburg, VA | $50,100 | 16% below national |
| 279 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $50,090 | 16% below national |
| 280 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $50,030 | 16% below national |
| 281 | Wichita, KS | $49,930 | 17% below national |
| 282 | Hammond, LA | $49,870 | 17% below national |
| 283 | Lafayette, LA | $49,800 | 17% below national |
| 284 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $49,710 | 17% below national |
| 285 | Harrisonburg, VA | $49,670 | 17% below national |
| 286 | Owensboro, KY | $49,550 | 17% below national |
| 287 | Abilene, TX | $49,500 | 17% below national |
| 288 | Decatur, AL | $49,470 | 17% below national |
| 289 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $49,460 | 17% below national |
| 290 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $49,430 | 17% below national |
| 291 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $49,330 | 18% below national |
| 292 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $49,310 | 18% below national |
| 293 | Lake Charles, LA | $49,270 | 18% below national |
| 294 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $49,140 | 18% below national |
| 295 | Huntsville, AL | $49,110 | 18% below national |
| 296 | Enid, OK | $49,050 | 18% below national |
| 297 | Roanoke, VA | $49,010 | 18% below national |
| 298 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $48,990 | 18% below national |
| 299 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $48,980 | 18% below national |
| 300 | Spartanburg, SC | $48,940 | 18% below national |
| 301 | Jacksonville, FL | $48,920 | 18% below national |
| 302 | Las Cruces, NM | $48,890 | 18% below national |
| 303 | Dover, DE | $48,860 | 18% below national |
| 304 | Punta Gorda, FL | $48,860 | 18% below national |
| 305 | Amarillo, TX | $48,850 | 18% below national |
| 306 | Savannah, GA | $48,810 | 18% below national |
| 307 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $48,750 | 19% below national |
| 308 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $48,750 | 19% below national |
| 309 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $48,700 | 19% below national |
| 310 | Knoxville, TN | $48,690 | 19% below national |
| 311 | Oklahoma City, OK | $48,690 | 19% below national |
| 312 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $48,640 | 19% below national |
| 313 | Rocky Mount, NC | $48,640 | 19% below national |
| 314 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $48,620 | 19% below national |
| 315 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $48,600 | 19% below national |
| 316 | Tulsa, OK | $48,420 | 19% below national |
| 317 | Columbia, SC | $48,410 | 19% below national |
| 318 | Fayetteville, NC | $48,390 | 19% below national |
| 319 | Gainesville, GA | $48,350 | 19% below national |
| 320 | Corpus Christi, TX | $48,320 | 19% below national |
| 321 | Cleveland, TN | $48,210 | 19% below national |
| 322 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $48,190 | 19% below national |
| 323 | Gainesville, FL | $48,190 | 19% below national |
| 324 | Morristown, TN | $48,170 | 20% below national |
| 325 | San Angelo, TX | $48,120 | 20% below national |
| 326 | Warner Robins, GA | $48,110 | 20% below national |
| 327 | Longview, TX | $48,030 | 20% below national |
| 328 | Florence, SC | $48,000 | 20% below national |
| 329 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $47,980 | 20% below national |
| 330 | Asheville, NC | $47,970 | 20% below national |
| 331 | Greenville, NC | $47,940 | 20% below national |
| 332 | Wilmington, NC | $47,910 | 20% below national |
| 333 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $47,900 | 20% below national |
| 334 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $47,860 | 20% below national |
| 335 | Wichita Falls, TX | $47,860 | 20% below national |
| 336 | Waco, TX | $47,730 | 20% below national |
| 337 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $47,710 | 20% below national |
| 338 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $47,590 | 20% below national |
| 339 | Winston-Salem, NC | $47,590 | 20% below national |
| 340 | Johnson City, TN | $47,560 | 21% below national |
| 341 | Victoria, TX | $47,520 | 21% below national |
| 342 | Hinesville, GA | $47,510 | 21% below national |
| 343 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $47,450 | 21% below national |
| 344 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $47,450 | 21% below national |
| 345 | Mobile, AL | $47,400 | 21% below national |
| 346 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $47,340 | 21% below national |
| 347 | Jackson, MS | $47,340 | 21% below national |
| 348 | Jackson, TN | $47,240 | 21% below national |
| 349 | Goldsboro, NC | $47,180 | 21% below national |
| 350 | Dothan, AL | $47,120 | 21% below national |
| 351 | Hattiesburg, MS | $47,030 | 21% below national |
| 352 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $47,000 | 21% below national |
| 353 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $47,000 | 21% below national |
| 354 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $46,950 | 22% below national |
| 355 | Jacksonville, NC | $46,930 | 22% below national |
| 356 | Eagle Pass, TX | $46,920 | 22% below national |
| 357 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $46,850 | 22% below national |
| 358 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $46,800 | 22% below national |
| 359 | Sebring, FL | $46,760 | 22% below national |
| 360 | Tyler, TX | $46,670 | 22% below national |
| 361 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $46,600 | 22% below national |
| 362 | Tallahassee, FL | $46,530 | 22% below national |
| 363 | Ocala, FL | $46,500 | 22% below national |
| 364 | Lubbock, TX | $46,490 | 22% below national |
| 365 | Columbus, GA-AL | $46,430 | 22% below national |
| 366 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $46,300 | 23% below national |
| 367 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $46,290 | 23% below national |
| 368 | Laredo, TX | $46,100 | 23% below national |
| 369 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $46,060 | 23% below national |
| 370 | Lawton, OK | $46,030 | 23% below national |
| 371 | Monroe, LA | $46,000 | 23% below national |
| 372 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $45,650 | 24% below national |
| 373 | El Paso, TX | $45,630 | 24% below national |
| 374 | Jonesboro, AR | $45,590 | 24% below national |
| 375 | Albany, GA | $45,460 | 24% below national |
| 376 | Montgomery, AL | $44,860 | 25% below national |
| 377 | Alexandria, LA | $44,570 | 26% below national |
| 378 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $44,300 | 26% below national |
| 379 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $42,020 | 30% below national |
| 380 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $41,820 | 30% below national |
| 381 | Valdosta, GA | $41,500 | 31% below national |
| 382 | Dalton, GA | $40,860 | 32% below national |
| 383 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $40,190 | 33% below national |
| 384 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $39,200 | 35% below national |
| 385 | Hot Springs, AR | $37,760 | 37% below national |
| 386 | Gadsden, AL | $36,910 | 38% below national |
| 387 | Rome, GA | $36,400 | 39% below national |
| 388 | Arecibo, PR | $31,360 | 48% below national |
| 389 | Mayaguez, PR | $30,970 | 48% below national |
| 390 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $29,810 | 50% below national |
| 391 | Aguadilla, PR | $28,440 | 52% below national |
| 392 | Ponce, PR | $27,770 | 54% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 47 (Construction and Extraction Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Boilermakers
SOC 47-2011
Brickmasons and Blockmasons
SOC 47-2021
Carpenters
SOC 47-2031
Carpet Installers
SOC 47-2041
Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
SOC 47-2051
Showing 5 of 59 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Construction and Extraction Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($59,850 here) and reported employment (478,090 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $77,170/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Hawaii leads at $115,860/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.