SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties. Excludes “Extraction Workers” (47-5000) and “Crane and Tower Operators” (53-7021).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 47-2073.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $42,190 | $3,516 | $811 | $20.28 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $48,680 | $4,057 | $936 | $23.40 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $59,850 | $4,988 | $1,151 | $28.78 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $77,170 | $6,431 | $1,484 | $37.10 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $101,090 | $8,424 | $1,944 | $48.60 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators is $59,850, which is 17% higher. Among the 60 occupations of the field Construction and Extraction, it ranks number 22 by median pay. With 478,090 jobs, it makes up about 31 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($66,290) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay by state
The highest median pay was in Hawaii ($115,860), Illinois ($97,740) and New Jersey ($89,660). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($29,810), Guam ($39,170) and Arkansas ($44,520). The most jobs were in Texas (55,540), California (36,020) and Florida (27,510). The occupation is most concentrated in Wyoming, where its share of all jobs is 4.4 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 2,380 | $115,860 | $102,020 | $55.70 |
| Illinois | 12,290 | $97,740 | $90,500 | $46.99 |
| New Jersey | 5,980 | $89,660 | $93,270 | $43.11 |
| California | 36,020 | $87,160 | $94,000 | $41.90 |
| Washington | 10,290 | $81,700 | $88,290 | $39.28 |
| New York | 14,490 | $80,980 | $90,690 | $38.94 |
| Indiana | 11,520 | $79,580 | $75,300 | $38.26 |
| Minnesota | 8,590 | $79,130 | $79,070 | $38.04 |
| Connecticut | 2,860 | $78,750 | $83,380 | $37.86 |
| Alaska | 3,050 | $77,810 | $82,680 | $37.41 |
| Massachusetts | 9,680 | $76,820 | $84,730 | $36.93 |
| Wisconsin | 8,140 | $75,280 | $77,770 | $36.19 |
| District of Columbia | 620 | $74,610 | $76,470 | $35.87 |
| Oregon | 5,630 | $73,430 | $79,270 | $35.30 |
| Nevada | 5,410 | $71,410 | $76,050 | $34.33 |
| Ohio | 16,920 | $64,940 | $71,830 | $31.22 |
| Rhode Island | 970 | $63,610 | $72,470 | $30.58 |
| Wyoming | 3,800 | $62,960 | $67,010 | $30.27 |
| Michigan | 9,500 | $62,690 | $66,920 | $30.14 |
| Colorado | 11,700 | $62,620 | $64,550 | $30.11 |
| New Hampshire | 1,330 | $62,200 | $67,270 | $29.91 |
| North Dakota | 4,890 | $62,150 | $68,640 | $29.88 |
| Idaho | 4,270 | $61,680 | $63,920 | $29.66 |
| Montana | 3,750 | $61,580 | $63,350 | $29.61 |
| Maryland | 6,610 | $61,410 | $61,650 | $29.53 |
| Utah | 7,880 | $60,740 | $60,840 | $29.20 |
| Arizona | 13,200 | $60,620 | $61,520 | $29.14 |
| Missouri | 10,470 | $60,540 | $67,960 | $29.10 |
| Pennsylvania | 22,120 | $60,530 | $65,920 | $29.10 |
| Iowa | 5,530 | $60,330 | $63,770 | $29.01 |
| South Dakota | 2,050 | $59,500 | $59,330 | $28.61 |
| Vermont | 1,280 | $58,870 | $60,310 | $28.30 |
| Nebraska | 3,180 | $58,360 | $58,240 | $28.06 |
| Delaware | 1,230 | $58,020 | $60,690 | $27.89 |
| Kentucky | 7,050 | $57,780 | $59,320 | $27.78 |
| Virginia | 12,100 | $57,160 | $58,400 | $27.48 |
| Maine | 2,210 | $56,140 | $58,230 | $26.99 |
| New Mexico | 5,520 | $52,000 | $54,810 | $25.00 |
| Tennessee | 10,660 | $52,000 | $55,050 | $25.00 |
| Louisiana | 7,860 | $51,700 | $55,380 | $24.86 |
| Kansas | 7,070 | $51,620 | $57,540 | $24.82 |
| West Virginia | 7,830 | $51,300 | $54,480 | $24.66 |
| Texas | 55,540 | $50,460 | $53,740 | $24.26 |
| Florida | 27,510 | $49,400 | $52,590 | $23.75 |
| North Carolina | 16,580 | $49,310 | $52,310 | $23.71 |
| South Carolina | 8,160 | $48,940 | $51,640 | $23.53 |
| Oklahoma | 7,050 | $47,970 | $50,110 | $23.06 |
| Georgia | 15,700 | $47,880 | $49,660 | $23.02 |
| Virgin Islands | 120 | $47,650 | $53,470 | $22.91 |
| Alabama | 9,640 | $47,520 | $50,680 | $22.84 |
| Mississippi | 4,170 | $47,410 | $50,010 | $22.79 |
| Arkansas | 5,800 | $44,520 | $45,890 | $21.41 |
| Guam | 650 | $39,170 | $42,890 | $18.83 |
| Puerto Rico | 2,400 | $29,810 | $32,380 | $14.33 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters$61,390 a year
- Carpenters$60,580 a year
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas$60,190 a year
- Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers$58,970 a year
- Drywall and Ceiling Tile Installers$58,930 a year
- Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas$58,620 a year
Common questions
How much do Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators earn in the United States?
The median pay was $59,850 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $42,190 and the highest-paid 10% more than $101,090.
How many people work as Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators?
About 478,090 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.