Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for operating engineers and other construction equipment operatorss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $66,290 ≈ $32/hr
National median salary $59,850
Total employment 478,090 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +3.6%
About as fast as average
Annual openings 41,900 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 489,300 → 507,100 (+17,800)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Hawaii$102,020
- California$94,000
- New Jersey$93,270
- New York$90,690
- Illinois$90,500
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Arkansas$45,890
- Georgia$49,660
- Mississippi$50,010
- Oklahoma$50,110
- Alabama$50,680
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $102,020 | $115,860 | $49 | +53.9% | 2,380 |
| 2 | California | $94,000 | $87,160 | $45 | +41.8% | 36,020 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $93,270 | $89,660 | $45 | +40.7% | 5,980 |
| 4 | New York | $90,690 | $80,980 | $44 | +36.8% | 14,490 |
| 5 | Illinois | $90,500 | $97,740 | $44 | +36.5% | 12,290 |
| 6 | Washington | $88,290 | $81,700 | $42 | +33.2% | 10,290 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $84,730 | $76,820 | $41 | +27.8% | 9,680 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $83,380 | $78,750 | $40 | +25.8% | 2,860 |
| 9 | Alaska | $82,680 | $77,810 | $40 | +24.7% | 3,050 |
| 10 | Oregon | $79,270 | $73,430 | $38 | +19.6% | 5,630 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $79,070 | $79,130 | $38 | +19.3% | 8,590 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $77,770 | $75,280 | $37 | +17.3% | 8,140 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $76,470 | $74,610 | $37 | +15.4% | 620 |
| 14 | Nevada | $76,050 | $71,410 | $37 | +14.7% | 5,410 |
| 15 | Indiana | $75,300 | $79,580 | $36 | +13.6% | 11,520 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $72,470 | $63,610 | $35 | +9.3% | 970 |
| 17 | Ohio | $71,830 | $64,940 | $35 | +8.4% | 16,920 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $68,640 | $62,150 | $33 | +3.5% | 4,890 |
| 19 | Missouri | $67,960 | $60,540 | $33 | +2.5% | 10,470 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $67,270 | $62,200 | $32 | +1.5% | 1,330 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $67,010 | $62,960 | $32 | +1.1% | 3,800 |
| 22 | Michigan | $66,920 | $62,690 | $32 | +1% | 9,500 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $65,920 | $60,530 | $32 | -0.6% | 22,120 |
| 24 | Colorado | $64,550 | $62,620 | $31 | -2.6% | 11,700 |
| 25 | Idaho | $63,920 | $61,680 | $31 | -3.6% | 4,270 |
| 26 | Iowa | $63,770 | $60,330 | $31 | -3.8% | 5,530 |
| 27 | Montana | $63,350 | $61,580 | $30 | -4.4% | 3,750 |
| 28 | Maryland | $61,650 | $61,410 | $30 | -7% | 6,610 |
| 29 | Arizona | $61,520 | $60,620 | $30 | -7.2% | 13,200 |
| 30 | Utah | $60,840 | $60,740 | $29 | -8.2% | 7,880 |
| 31 | Delaware | $60,690 | $58,020 | $29 | -8.4% | 1,230 |
| 32 | Vermont | $60,310 | $58,870 | $29 | -9% | 1,280 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $59,330 | $59,500 | $29 | -10.5% | 2,050 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $59,320 | $57,780 | $29 | -10.5% | 7,050 |
| 35 | Virginia | $58,400 | $57,160 | $28 | -11.9% | 12,100 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $58,240 | $58,360 | $28 | -12.1% | 3,180 |
| 37 | Maine | $58,230 | $56,140 | $28 | -12.2% | 2,210 |
| 38 | Kansas | $57,540 | $51,620 | $28 | -13.2% | 7,070 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $55,380 | $51,700 | $27 | -16.5% | 7,860 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $55,050 | $52,000 | $26 | -17% | 10,660 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $54,810 | $52,000 | $26 | -17.3% | 5,520 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $54,480 | $51,300 | $26 | -17.8% | 7,830 |
| 43 | Texas | $53,740 | $50,460 | $26 | -18.9% | 55,540 |
| 44 | Florida | $52,590 | $49,400 | $25 | -20.7% | 27,510 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $52,310 | $49,310 | $25 | -21.1% | 16,580 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $51,640 | $48,940 | $25 | -22.1% | 8,160 |
| 47 | Alabama | $50,680 | $47,520 | $24 | -23.5% | 9,640 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $50,110 | $47,970 | $24 | -24.4% | 7,050 |
| 49 | Mississippi | $50,010 | $47,410 | $24 | -24.6% | 4,170 |
| 50 | Georgia | $49,660 | $47,880 | $24 | -25.1% | 15,700 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $45,890 | $44,520 | $22 | -30.8% | 5,800 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 521 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $124,990 | $106,970 | 400 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $124,750 | $110,300 | 4,080 |
| 3 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $124,340 | $111,400 | 1,360 |
| 4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $117,630 | $104,010 | 1,430 |
| 5 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $105,080 | $101,710 | 710 |
| 6 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $103,100 | $96,370 | 7,930 |
| 7 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $103,060 | $92,780 | 260 |
| 8 | Decatur, IL | $100,520 | $91,810 | 100 |
| 9 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $98,120 | $84,420 | 170 |
| 10 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $97,770 | $82,640 | 420 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing operating engineers and other construction equipment operatorss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sector 52 - Finance and Insurance | $107,190 | $88,830 | 100 |
| 2 | Painting and Wall Covering Contractors | $103,630 | $106,140 | — |
| 3 | Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $100,330 | $99,310 | 920 |
| 4 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $95,500 | $89,150 | 2,220 |
| 5 | Natural Gas Distribution | $94,860 | $95,590 | 1,430 |
| 6 | Building Finishing Contractors | $94,270 | $89,550 | 410 |
| 7 | Scientific Research and Development Services | $92,600 | $94,110 | 110 |
| 8 | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $92,600 | $94,110 | 110 |
| 9 | Utilities | $90,340 | $85,370 | 4,420 |
| 10 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $90,340 | $85,370 | 4,420 |
| 11 | Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas | $87,010 | $85,110 | 260 |
| 12 | Pipeline Transportation | $85,450 | $83,690 | 280 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in the U.S.?
The median operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary in the United States is $59,850 per year (mean $66,290), and about 80% earn between $42,190 and $101,090.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make per hour?
Roughly $32 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $66,290 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays operating engineers and other construction equipment operators the most?
Hawaii has the highest average pay for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at $102,020 per year (median $115,860).
What is the job outlook for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Employment is projected to change +3.6% from 2024 to 2034 (About as fast as average), with about 41,900 openings per year.