Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) earn a median $59,850 a year ($28.78 an hour) in the United States, with 478,090 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Hawaii.
What operating engineers and other construction equipment operators do
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators run one or several types of power equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, backhoes, front-end loaders, tractors, shovels, derricks, compressors and pumps, to dig, move and grade earth, put up structures, or place concrete and other hard-surface paving. The operator starts engines, moves throttles, switches or levers, or depresses pedals, and aligns machines, cutterheads or depth gauges with reference stakes and guidelines. Loads and machine movements are coordinated with hand or audio signals from crew members. Before beginning, operators locate underground services such as pipes and wires and take steps to avoid hazards such as other equipment, other workers and falling objects. They also learn and follow safety regulations, and may make emergency adjustments, help with major repairs or maintain their equipment. Extraction workers (47-5000) and crane and tower operators (53-7021) are classified elsewhere.
Typical entry: Most workers in this occupation report a high school diploma or equivalent as their level of education, according to O*NET.
Also called: Angle Dozer Operator, Asphalt Roller Operator, Back Hoe Operator, Backhoe Operator, Blade Grader Operator.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.28 | $23.40 | $28.78 | $37.10 | $48.60 | $31.87 | 478,090 |
| Annual | $42,190 | $48,680 | $59,850 | $77,170 | $101,090 | $66,290 | ||
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 operating engineers and other construction 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 | ||||||
| Hawaii | Hourly | $30.00 | $35.19 | $55.70 | $58.55 | $62.31 | $49.05 | 2,380 | 3.79 | 1.23 |
| Annual | $62,390 | $73,200 | $115,860 | $121,780 | $129,590 | $102,020 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $23.93 | $33.28 | $46.99 | $52.56 | $59.30 | $43.51 | 12,290 | 2.02 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $49,770 | $69,230 | $97,740 | $109,320 | $123,330 | $90,500 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $24.41 | $30.82 | $43.11 | $60.74 | $64.10 | $44.84 | 5,980 | 1.40 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $50,760 | $64,100 | $89,660 | $126,330 | $133,330 | $93,270 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $25.37 | $31.36 | $41.90 | $60.37 | $63.56 | $45.19 | 36,020 | 1.98 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $52,760 | $65,230 | $87,160 | $125,560 | $132,210 | $94,000 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $27.50 | $30.96 | $39.28 | $55.12 | $60.33 | $42.45 | 10,290 | 2.90 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $57,200 | $64,390 | $81,700 | $114,640 | $125,490 | $88,290 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $18.70 | $22.17 | $24.26 | $28.84 | $33.66 | $25.84 | 55,540 | 3.95 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $38,900 | $46,120 | $50,460 | $59,990 | $70,010 | $53,740 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $25.37 | $31.36 | $41.90 | $60.37 | $63.56 | $45.19 | 36,020 | 1.98 | 0.64 |
| Annual | $52,760 | $65,230 | $87,160 | $125,560 | $132,210 | $94,000 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $18.66 | $22.27 | $23.75 | $28.06 | $30.78 | $25.28 | 27,510 | 2.77 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $38,820 | $46,330 | $49,400 | $58,360 | $64,020 | $52,590 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $22.49 | $24.42 | $29.10 | $37.40 | $45.64 | $31.69 | 22,120 | 3.65 | 1.19 |
| Annual | $46,780 | $50,790 | $60,530 | $77,780 | $94,930 | $65,920 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $22.52 | $26.17 | $31.22 | $44.68 | $47.17 | $34.54 | 16,920 | 3.05 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $46,850 | $54,430 | $64,940 | $92,930 | $98,100 | $71,830 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | Hourly | $32.64 | $33.42 | $60.09 | $62.07 | $63.68 | $51.43 | 400 | 5.49 | 1.78 |
| Annual | $67,880 | $69,510 | $124,990 | $129,110 | $132,440 | $106,970 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $29.29 | $38.08 | $59.97 | $64.34 | $71.76 | $53.03 | 4,080 | 1.72 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $60,910 | $79,200 | $124,750 | $133,820 | $149,260 | $110,300 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $29.17 | $38.21 | $59.78 | $62.57 | $73.44 | $53.56 | 1,360 | 1.20 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $60,680 | $79,470 | $124,340 | $130,150 | $152,760 | $111,400 | ||||
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Hourly | $29.32 | $42.10 | $56.55 | $57.93 | $62.10 | $50.00 | 1,430 | 3.20 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $60,990 | $87,570 | $117,630 | $120,500 | $129,170 | $104,010 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $27.36 | $36.00 | $50.52 | $62.96 | $69.36 | $48.90 | 710 | 3.44 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $56,900 | $74,880 | $105,080 | $130,960 | $144,270 | $101,710 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $18.83 | $22.50 | $24.54 | $29.76 | $34.60 | $26.64 | 14,000 | 4.26 | 1.38 |
| Annual | $39,170 | $46,810 | $51,040 | $61,900 | $71,960 | $55,410 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $20.05 | $22.95 | $24.70 | $29.04 | $34.17 | $26.51 | 11,510 | 2.84 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $41,700 | $47,730 | $51,370 | $60,400 | $71,080 | $55,140 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $27.25 | $34.22 | $45.70 | $62.31 | $74.06 | $48.42 | 11,430 | 1.21 | 0.39 |
| Annual | $56,680 | $71,170 | $95,050 | $129,600 | $154,040 | $100,710 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $25.22 | $31.40 | $44.66 | $60.51 | $62.85 | $45.29 | 8,780 | 1.40 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $52,460 | $65,310 | $92,890 | $125,860 | $130,720 | $94,200 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $19.04 | $22.23 | $23.77 | $28.47 | $31.10 | $25.05 | 8,360 | 2.89 | 0.94 |
| Annual | $39,610 | $46,240 | $49,430 | $59,220 | $64,680 | $52,100 | ||||
Top industries employing operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
Other Specialty Trade Contractors employ 25.0% of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators nationally (119,340 jobs) at a median $60,160 a year ($28.92 an hour), followed by Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) (13.5%) and Utility System Construction (13.1%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors NAICS 238900 | 119,340 | 25.0% | $60,160 | $28.92 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999300 | 64,660 | 13.5% | $52,080 | $25.04 |
| Utility System Construction NAICS 237100 | 62,660 | 13.1% | $61,740 | $29.68 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction NAICS 237300 | 58,950 | 12.3% | $71,260 | $34.26 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction NAICS 237900 | 18,690 | 3.9% | $60,730 | $29.20 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (478,090). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $48,360 for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in May 2021 and $59,850 in May 2025, with employment of 404,820 and 478,090.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,360 | $23.25 | 404,820 |
| May 2022 | $51,430 | $24.73 | 423,040 |
| May 2023 | $56,160 | $27.00 | 450,370 |
| May 2024 | $58,710 | $28.23 | 469,270 |
| May 2025 | $59,850 | $28.78 | 478,090 |
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
51 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 | Hawaii profile | $55.70 | $115,860 | $62,390 | $129,590 | 2,380 | 3.79 | 1.23 |
| 2 | Illinois profile | $46.99 | $97,740 | $49,770 | $123,330 | 12,290 | 2.02 | 0.66 |
| 3 | New Jersey profile | $43.11 | $89,660 | $50,760 | $133,330 | 5,980 | 1.40 | 0.45 |
| 4 | California profile | $41.90 | $87,160 | $52,760 | $132,210 | 36,020 | 1.98 | 0.64 |
| 5 | Washington profile | $39.28 | $81,700 | $57,200 | $125,490 | 10,290 | 2.90 | 0.94 |
| 6 | New York profile | $38.94 | $80,980 | $50,190 | $144,920 | 14,490 | 1.50 | 0.49 |
| 7 | Indiana profile | $38.26 | $79,580 | $47,630 | $98,850 | 11,520 | 3.60 | 1.17 |
| 8 | Minnesota profile | $38.04 | $79,130 | $55,960 | $101,930 | 8,590 | 2.91 | 0.95 |
| 9 | Connecticut profile | $37.86 | $78,750 | $60,000 | $106,920 | 2,860 | 1.68 | 0.55 |
| 10 | Alaska profile | $37.41 | $77,810 | $62,390 | $103,900 | 3,050 | 9.37 | 3.05 |
| 11 | Massachusetts profile | $36.93 | $76,820 | $52,630 | $125,400 | 9,680 | 2.66 | 0.87 |
| 12 | Wisconsin profile | $36.19 | $75,280 | $51,370 | $100,140 | 8,140 | 2.77 | 0.90 |
| 13 | District of Columbia profile | $35.87 | $74,610 | $50,540 | $98,270 | 620 | 0.88 | 0.29 |
| 14 | Oregon profile | $35.30 | $73,430 | $53,410 | $117,310 | 5,630 | 2.86 | 0.93 |
| 15 | Nevada profile | $34.33 | $71,410 | $51,050 | $111,210 | 5,410 | 3.49 | 1.13 |
| 16 | Ohio profile | $31.22 | $64,940 | $46,850 | $98,100 | 16,920 | 3.05 | 0.99 |
| 17 | Rhode Island profile | $30.58 | $63,610 | $52,460 | $98,870 | 970 | 1.94 | 0.63 |
| 18 | Wyoming profile | $30.27 | $62,960 | $48,370 | $85,630 | 3,800 | 13.52 | 4.40 |
| 19 | Michigan profile | $30.14 | $62,690 | $46,370 | $90,580 | 9,500 | 2.16 | 0.70 |
| 20 | Colorado profile | $30.11 | $62,620 | $49,480 | $78,870 | 11,700 | 4.07 | 1.32 |
| 21 | New Hampshire profile | $29.91 | $62,200 | $49,770 | $87,730 | 1,330 | 1.95 | 0.63 |
| 22 | North Dakota profile | $29.88 | $62,150 | $49,840 | $100,570 | 4,890 | 11.38 | 3.70 |
| 23 | Idaho profile | $29.66 | $61,680 | $47,230 | $79,650 | 4,270 | 4.98 | 1.62 |
| 24 | Montana profile | $29.61 | $61,580 | $48,130 | $79,880 | 3,750 | 7.33 | 2.38 |
| 25 | Maryland profile | $29.53 | $61,410 | $46,760 | $78,870 | 6,610 | 2.39 | 0.78 |
| 26 | Utah profile | $29.20 | $60,740 | $47,420 | $75,880 | 7,880 | 4.54 | 1.48 |
| 27 | Arizona profile | $29.14 | $60,620 | $47,680 | $79,460 | 13,200 | 4.08 | 1.33 |
| 28 | Missouri profile | $29.10 | $60,540 | $43,290 | $94,130 | 10,470 | 3.57 | 1.16 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania profile | $29.10 | $60,530 | $46,780 | $94,930 | 22,120 | 3.65 | 1.19 |
| 30 | Iowa profile | $29.01 | $60,330 | $46,690 | $87,460 | 5,530 | 3.55 | 1.15 |
| 31 | South Dakota profile | $28.61 | $59,500 | $47,260 | $75,880 | 2,050 | 4.48 | 1.46 |
| 32 | Vermont profile | $28.30 | $58,870 | $50,270 | $73,860 | 1,280 | 4.20 | 1.37 |
| 33 | Nebraska profile | $28.06 | $58,360 | $44,620 | $75,700 | 3,180 | 3.11 | 1.01 |
| 34 | Delaware profile | $27.89 | $58,020 | $39,090 | $97,520 | 1,230 | 2.54 | 0.82 |
| 35 | Kentucky profile | $27.78 | $57,780 | $44,620 | $80,890 | 7,050 | 3.53 | 1.15 |
| 36 | Virginia profile | $27.48 | $57,160 | $40,870 | $78,250 | 12,100 | 2.95 | 0.96 |
| 37 | Maine profile | $26.99 | $56,140 | $46,200 | $75,390 | 2,210 | 3.45 | 1.12 |
| 38 | New Mexico profile | $25.00 | $52,000 | $44,800 | $69,690 | 5,520 | 6.34 | 2.06 |
| 39 | Tennessee profile | $25.00 | $52,000 | $41,600 | $75,430 | 10,660 | 3.25 | 1.06 |
| 40 | Louisiana profile | $24.86 | $51,700 | $37,440 | $75,180 | 7,860 | 4.06 | 1.32 |
| 41 | Kansas profile | $24.82 | $51,620 | $39,520 | $85,420 | 7,070 | 4.92 | 1.60 |
| 42 | West Virginia profile | $24.66 | $51,300 | $36,500 | $76,970 | 7,830 | 11.16 | 3.63 |
| 43 | Texas profile | $24.26 | $50,460 | $38,900 | $70,010 | 55,540 | 3.95 | 1.28 |
| 44 | Florida profile | $23.75 | $49,400 | $38,820 | $64,020 | 27,510 | 2.77 | 0.90 |
| 45 | North Carolina profile | $23.71 | $49,310 | $39,050 | $64,450 | 16,580 | 3.36 | 1.09 |
| 46 | South Carolina profile | $23.53 | $48,940 | $38,720 | $64,330 | 8,160 | 3.54 | 1.15 |
| 47 | Oklahoma profile | $23.06 | $47,970 | $37,440 | $64,380 | 7,050 | 4.13 | 1.34 |
| 48 | Georgia profile | $23.02 | $47,880 | $37,810 | $62,840 | 15,700 | 3.21 | 1.04 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $22.84 | $47,520 | $36,230 | $67,690 | 9,640 | 4.56 | 1.48 |
| 50 | Mississippi profile | $22.79 | $47,410 | $36,180 | $67,030 | 4,170 | 3.58 | 1.17 |
| 51 | Arkansas profile | $21.41 | $44,520 | $35,520 | $58,670 | 5,800 | 4.45 | 1.45 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (47-2070), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Construction and Extraction 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 47-2073 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators.
- 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 47-2073, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 47-2073.00, 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.