Logging Equipment Operators Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for logging equipment operatorss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- California$74,210
- Washington$73,980
- Illinois$62,930
- Oregon$59,670
- Montana$59,620
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Kentucky$37,120
- West Virginia$42,510
- Oklahoma$43,540
- Wyoming$44,400
- Tennessee$45,240
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $74,210 | $61,940 | $36 | +39.5% | 950 |
| 2 | Washington | $73,980 | $75,140 | $36 | +39.1% | 1,150 |
| 3 | Illinois | $62,930 | $71,100 | $30 | +18.3% | 40 |
| 4 | Oregon | $59,670 | $58,720 | $29 | +12.2% | 1,860 |
| 5 | Montana | $59,620 | $56,530 | $29 | +12.1% | 190 |
| 6 | Idaho | $59,610 | $56,490 | $29 | +12.1% | 560 |
| 7 | Louisiana | $57,400 | $58,600 | $28 | +7.9% | 770 |
| 8 | Colorado | $56,440 | $49,620 | $27 | +6.1% | 70 |
| 9 | Texas | $56,190 | $62,890 | $27 | +5.6% | 500 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $55,770 | $58,740 | $27 | +4.9% | 50 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $54,110 | $58,590 | $26 | +1.7% | 320 |
| 12 | Vermont | $53,020 | $52,910 | $25 | -0.3% | 60 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $52,560 | $51,540 | $25 | -1.2% | 170 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $52,170 | $48,960 | $25 | -1.9% | — |
| 15 | North Carolina | $52,040 | $48,420 | $25 | -2.2% | 990 |
| 16 | Maryland | $51,400 | $47,530 | $25 | -3.4% | 60 |
| 17 | Michigan | $50,510 | $47,610 | $24 | -5% | 860 |
| 18 | New York | $50,460 | $47,540 | $24 | -5.1% | 290 |
| 19 | South Carolina | $49,980 | $47,650 | $24 | -6% | 920 |
| 20 | Florida | $49,960 | $49,370 | $24 | -6.1% | 770 |
| 21 | Georgia | $49,850 | $45,080 | $24 | -6.3% | 1,620 |
| 22 | Ohio | $49,400 | $50,590 | $24 | -7.1% | 260 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $48,830 | $48,280 | $23 | -8.2% | 1,280 |
| 24 | Alabama | $48,550 | $47,810 | $23 | -8.7% | 1,860 |
| 25 | Maine | $48,200 | $44,780 | $23 | -9.4% | 830 |
| 26 | Missouri | $47,540 | $41,770 | $23 | -10.6% | 140 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $47,520 | $49,620 | $23 | -10.7% | 1,220 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $47,520 | $46,360 | $23 | -10.7% | 480 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $47,000 | $46,880 | $23 | -11.6% | 360 |
| 30 | Virginia | $46,840 | $46,090 | $23 | -11.9% | 570 |
| 31 | Indiana | $46,350 | $46,320 | $22 | -12.9% | 150 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $45,240 | $46,310 | $22 | -14.9% | 400 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $44,400 | $49,650 | $21 | -16.5% | 40 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $43,540 | $37,270 | $21 | -18.1% | 130 |
| 35 | West Virginia | $42,510 | $36,130 | $20 | -20.1% | 310 |
| 36 | Kentucky | $37,120 | $30,230 | $18 | -30.2% | 300 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 120 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bellingham, WA | $77,310 | $76,120 | 50 |
| 2 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $76,980 | $74,340 | 180 |
| 3 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $75,140 | $74,390 | 110 |
| 4 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $74,790 | $75,790 | 110 |
| 5 | Western Washington nonmetropolitan area | $73,930 | $72,300 | 380 |
| 6 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $73,240 | $72,260 | 50 |
| 7 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $71,620 | $71,260 | 30 |
| 8 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $64,520 | $66,190 | 290 |
| 9 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $63,580 | $59,220 | 70 |
| 10 | Eastern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $63,170 | $56,030 | 240 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing logging equipment operatorss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sector 52 - Finance and Insurance | $72,770 | $71,520 | — |
| 2 | Paper Manufacturing | $64,730 | $61,730 | 50 |
| 3 | Sectors 48 and 49 - Transportation and Warehousing | $56,380 | $62,250 | 160 |
| 4 | Sector 23 - Construction | $55,840 | $53,330 | 50 |
| 5 | Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $51,700 | $52,520 | 50 |
| 6 | Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | $51,700 | $51,950 | 50 |
| 7 | Forestry and Logging | $50,840 | $54,350 | 16,680 |
| 8 | Logging | $50,840 | $54,350 | 16,680 |
| 9 | Sector 11 - Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting | $50,840 | $54,350 | 16,680 |
| 10 | Truck Transportation | $50,450 | $61,620 | 150 |
| 11 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $49,740 | $53,190 | 21,060 |
| 12 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $49,730 | $53,190 | 21,050 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do logging equipment operators make in the U.S.?
The median logging equipment operators salary in the United States is $49,740 per year (mean $53,190), and about 80% earn between $35,170 and $74,300.
How much do logging equipment operators make per hour?
Roughly $26 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $53,190 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays logging equipment operators the most?
California has the highest average pay for logging equipment operators at $74,210 per year (median $61,940).
What is the job outlook for logging equipment operators?
Employment is projected to change -1.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 4,200 openings per year.