Logging Equipment Operators
Logging Equipment Operators (SOC 45-4022) earn a median $49,740 a year ($23.91 an hour) in the United States, with 21,060 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Washington.
What logging equipment operators do
Logging equipment operators drive a logging tractor or wheeled vehicle fitted with attachments, among them a bulldozer blade, frontal shear, grapple, logging arch, cable winch, hoisting rack, or crane boom. The machines are used to fell trees, to skid, load, unload, or stack logs, and to pull stumps or clear brush. The group includes operators of stand-alone logging machines such as log chippers. Operators run hydraulic tractors with tree clamps and booms that lift, swing, and bunch trees after they are sheared, and they use crawler or wheeled tractors to haul logs from the felling site to the log landing areas, where they are processed and loaded. Some drive tractors to build or repair logging and skid roads. They inspect equipment for safety before use and perform basic maintenance, grade logs by characteristics such as knot size and straightness according to industry or company standards, and fill out required job or shift report forms. Logging truck drivers are not part of this group; they are classified with heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. Feller buncher operator and grapple operator are alternate titles.
Typical entry: O*NET survey respondents most often report less than a high school diploma as the education level for this occupation.
Also called: Buncher Operator, Chain Hooker, Cutter Operator, Delimber, Delimber Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $16.91 | $21.14 | $23.91 | $29.35 | $35.72 | $25.57 | 21,060 |
| Annual | $35,170 | $43,970 | $49,740 | $61,050 | $74,300 | $53,190 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where logging equipment operators earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Washington | Hourly | $29.47 | $31.46 | $36.12 | $37.25 | $40.27 | $35.57 | 1,150 | 0.32 | 2.38 |
| Annual | $61,300 | $65,430 | $75,140 | $77,480 | $83,750 | $73,980 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $19.23 | $20.32 | $34.19 | $37.58 | $44.47 | $30.26 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.05 |
| Annual | $39,990 | $42,260 | $71,100 | $78,170 | $92,490 | $62,930 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $15.52 | $22.31 | $30.24 | $30.80 | $34.99 | $27.02 | 500 | 0.04 | 0.26 |
| Annual | $32,280 | $46,400 | $62,890 | $64,070 | $72,770 | $56,190 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $24.22 | $29.28 | $29.78 | $35.32 | $60.82 | $35.68 | 950 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $50,370 | $60,890 | $61,940 | $73,470 | $126,510 | $74,210 | ||||
| South Dakota | Hourly | $21.72 | $23.33 | $28.24 | $28.43 | $28.52 | $26.81 | 50 | 0.12 | 0.88 |
| Annual | $45,170 | $48,530 | $58,740 | $59,130 | $59,330 | $55,770 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Alabama | Hourly | $14.03 | $17.98 | $22.99 | $28.57 | $31.52 | $23.34 | 1,860 | 0.88 | 6.50 |
| Annual | $29,180 | $37,390 | $47,810 | $59,420 | $65,560 | $48,550 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $22.88 | $24.84 | $28.23 | $30.13 | $35.87 | $28.69 | 1,860 | 0.95 | 6.98 |
| Annual | $47,580 | $51,660 | $58,720 | $62,670 | $74,620 | $59,670 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $16.13 | $17.93 | $21.67 | $29.11 | $35.83 | $23.96 | 1,620 | 0.33 | 2.45 |
| Annual | $33,560 | $37,280 | $45,080 | $60,540 | $74,520 | $49,850 | ||||
| Arkansas | Hourly | $13.94 | $19.12 | $23.21 | $27.78 | $31.25 | $23.48 | 1,280 | 0.98 | 7.26 |
| Annual | $28,990 | $39,770 | $48,280 | $57,790 | $65,000 | $48,830 | ||||
| Mississippi | Hourly | $17.09 | $18.18 | $23.86 | $24.51 | $28.92 | $22.85 | 1,220 | 1.05 | 7.77 |
| Annual | $35,550 | $37,820 | $49,620 | $50,980 | $60,150 | $47,520 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Bellingham, WA | Hourly | $30.91 | $35.32 | $37.17 | $37.44 | $44.76 | $36.60 | 50 | 0.54 | 3.98 |
| Annual | $64,290 | $73,460 | $77,310 | $77,870 | $93,100 | $76,120 | ||||
| Longview-Kelso, WA | Hourly | $30.62 | $32.14 | $37.01 | $37.25 | $37.25 | $35.74 | 180 | 4.27 | 31.56 |
| Annual | $63,690 | $66,850 | $76,980 | $77,480 | $77,480 | $74,340 | ||||
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | Hourly | $28.41 | $30.14 | $36.12 | $37.50 | $46.05 | $35.76 | 110 | 0.44 | 3.25 |
| Annual | $59,100 | $62,690 | $75,140 | $77,990 | $95,780 | $74,390 | ||||
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | Hourly | $30.74 | $34.67 | $35.96 | $39.39 | $40.27 | $36.44 | 110 | 0.87 | 6.42 |
| Annual | $63,940 | $72,110 | $74,790 | $81,930 | $83,750 | $75,790 | ||||
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | Hourly | $31.46 | $33.72 | $34.44 | $36.96 | $36.96 | $34.26 | 30 | 0.66 | 4.89 |
| Annual | $65,430 | $70,140 | $71,620 | $76,870 | $76,870 | $71,260 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $17.93 | $17.93 | $18.76 | $24.14 | $35.89 | $22.63 | 300 | 0.10 | 0.76 |
| Annual | $37,280 | $37,280 | $39,020 | $50,200 | $74,640 | $47,070 | ||||
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | Hourly | $26.40 | $29.19 | $31.02 | $34.99 | $37.59 | $31.82 | 290 | 0.24 | 1.78 |
| Annual | $54,910 | $60,720 | $64,520 | $72,770 | $78,180 | $66,190 | ||||
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | Hourly | $22.85 | $24.33 | $27.97 | $29.49 | $35.41 | $27.91 | 250 | 1.56 | 11.52 |
| Annual | $47,530 | $50,610 | $58,170 | $61,340 | $73,640 | $58,040 | ||||
| Longview-Kelso, WA | Hourly | $30.62 | $32.14 | $37.01 | $37.25 | $37.25 | $35.74 | 180 | 4.27 | 31.56 |
| Annual | $63,690 | $66,850 | $76,980 | $77,480 | $77,480 | $74,340 | ||||
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Hourly | $14.38 | $17.38 | $22.36 | $27.89 | $33.40 | $22.85 | 160 | 1.46 | 10.77 |
| Annual | $29,910 | $36,150 | $46,510 | $58,020 | $69,470 | $47,530 | ||||
Top industries employing logging equipment operators
Logging employ 79.2% of logging equipment operators nationally (16,680 jobs) at a median $50,840 a year ($24.44 an hour), followed by Sawmills and Wood Preservation (12.2%) and Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing (1.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logging NAICS 113300 | 16,680 | 79.2% | $50,840 | $24.44 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation NAICS 321100 | 2,570 | 12.2% | $42,070 | $20.23 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing NAICS 321200 | 230 | 1.1% | $45,100 | $21.68 |
| Truck Transportation NAICS 484000 | 150 | 0.7% | $50,450 | $24.25 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing NAICS 321900 | 110 | 0.5% | $34,730 | $16.70 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (21,060). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $46,400 for logging equipment operators in May 2021 and $49,740 in May 2025, with employment of 25,510 and 21,060.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $46,400 | $22.31 | 25,510 |
| May 2022 | $46,400 | $22.31 | 24,780 |
| May 2023 | $48,240 | $23.19 | 23,720 |
| May 2024 | $49,210 | $23.66 | 22,520 |
| May 2025 | $49,740 | $23.91 | 21,060 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
36 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington profile | $36.12 | $75,140 | $61,300 | $83,750 | 1,150 | 0.32 | 2.38 |
| 2 | Illinois profile | $34.19 | $71,100 | $39,990 | $92,490 | 40 | 0.01 | 0.05 |
| 3 | Texas profile | $30.24 | $62,890 | $32,280 | $72,770 | 500 | 0.04 | 0.26 |
| 4 | California profile | $29.78 | $61,940 | $50,370 | $126,510 | 950 | 0.05 | 0.39 |
| 5 | South Dakota profile | $28.24 | $58,740 | $45,170 | $59,330 | 50 | 0.12 | 0.88 |
| 6 | Oregon profile | $28.23 | $58,720 | $47,580 | $74,620 | 1,860 | 0.95 | 6.98 |
| 7 | Louisiana profile | $28.17 | $58,600 | $43,410 | $78,530 | 770 | 0.40 | 2.96 |
| 8 | Minnesota profile | $28.17 | $58,590 | $46,800 | $59,760 | 320 | 0.11 | 0.81 |
| 9 | Montana profile | $27.18 | $56,530 | $47,490 | $89,800 | 190 | 0.37 | 2.72 |
| 10 | Idaho profile | $27.16 | $56,490 | $42,660 | $77,550 | 560 | 0.66 | 4.86 |
| 11 | Vermont profile | $25.44 | $52,910 | $35,140 | $68,140 | 60 | 0.21 | 1.58 |
| 12 | New Hampshire profile | $24.78 | $51,540 | $29,060 | $72,370 | 170 | 0.25 | 1.87 |
| 13 | Ohio profile | $24.32 | $50,590 | $39,020 | $58,280 | 260 | 0.05 | 0.34 |
| 14 | Wyoming profile | $23.87 | $49,650 | $23,990 | $61,280 | 40 | 0.13 | 0.93 |
| 15 | Colorado profile | $23.86 | $49,620 | $42,170 | $87,930 | 70 | 0.02 | 0.18 |
| 16 | Mississippi profile | $23.86 | $49,620 | $35,550 | $60,150 | 1,220 | 1.05 | 7.77 |
| 17 | Florida profile | $23.74 | $49,370 | $37,440 | $62,760 | 770 | 0.08 | 0.57 |
| 18 | Massachusetts profile | $23.54 | $48,960 | $48,040 | $74,010 | ** | ** | ** |
| 19 | North Carolina profile | $23.28 | $48,420 | $37,800 | $78,010 | 990 | 0.20 | 1.48 |
| 20 | Arkansas profile | $23.21 | $48,280 | $28,990 | $65,000 | 1,280 | 0.98 | 7.26 |
| 21 | Alabama profile | $22.99 | $47,810 | $29,180 | $65,560 | 1,860 | 0.88 | 6.50 |
| 22 | South Carolina profile | $22.91 | $47,650 | $37,910 | $65,320 | 920 | 0.40 | 2.94 |
| 23 | Michigan profile | $22.89 | $47,610 | $38,320 | $62,190 | 860 | 0.20 | 1.44 |
| 24 | New York profile | $22.86 | $47,540 | $36,770 | $65,670 | 290 | 0.03 | 0.22 |
| 25 | Maryland profile | $22.85 | $47,530 | $31,200 | $67,800 | 60 | 0.02 | 0.15 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $22.54 | $46,880 | $31,050 | $60,500 | 360 | 0.06 | 0.44 |
| 27 | Wisconsin profile | $22.29 | $46,360 | $33,220 | $62,090 | 480 | 0.16 | 1.20 |
| 28 | Indiana profile | $22.27 | $46,320 | $36,360 | $58,110 | 150 | 0.05 | 0.35 |
| 29 | Tennessee profile | $22.26 | $46,310 | $30,460 | $61,310 | 400 | 0.12 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Virginia profile | $22.16 | $46,090 | $30,980 | $72,220 | 570 | 0.14 | 1.02 |
| 31 | Georgia profile | $21.67 | $45,080 | $33,560 | $74,520 | 1,620 | 0.33 | 2.45 |
| 32 | Maine profile | $21.53 | $44,780 | $39,250 | $58,870 | 830 | 1.30 | 9.56 |
| 33 | Missouri profile | $20.08 | $41,770 | $34,730 | $76,620 | 140 | 0.05 | 0.35 |
| 34 | Oklahoma profile | $17.92 | $37,270 | $31,460 | $57,880 | 130 | 0.07 | 0.54 |
| 35 | West Virginia profile | $17.37 | $36,130 | $29,270 | $63,590 | 310 | 0.45 | 3.29 |
| 36 | Kentucky profile | $14.53 | $30,230 | $20,800 | $51,460 | 300 | 0.15 | 1.11 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (45-4020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 45-4022 Logging Equipment Operators.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 45-4022, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 45-4022.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.