Wages
Heavy Equipment Operator Pay in the US in 2026: Wages in All 50 States
Updated October 31, 2026
In the United States, the median wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) is $28.78 an hour (BLS, data from May 2025). Pay depends on the state, the metro area and the machine. The tables below give wages for every state and DC, and for the metro areas with the most operators.
What do heavy equipment operators earn in the US?
The first two tables give the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) wages across the United States, by the hour and by the year. BLS counts these workers as operating engineers and other construction equipment operators. Half of them earn more than the median, and half earn less.
Sources4
Equipment operator wages across the United States
Yearly equipment operator pay across the United States
Which states pay equipment operators the most?
In the state table, Hawaii has the highest median, and Arkansas has the lowest. The table also gives the 10th and 90th percentiles for each state, beside the median. The yearly table after it gives the same states in yearly pay.
Sources4
Equipment operator wages in all 50 states and DC
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) · Hourly, US dollars · Data from May 2025
| Place | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $17.42[4] | $22.84[4] | $32.54[4] |
| Alaska | $30.00[4] | $37.41[4] | $49.95[4] |
| Arizona | $22.92[4] | $29.14[4] | $38.20[4] |
| Arkansas | $17.08[4] | $21.41[4] | $28.21[4] |
| California | $25.37[4] | $41.90[4] | $63.56[4] |
| Colorado | $23.79[4] | $30.11[4] | $37.92[4] |
| Connecticut | $28.85[4] | $37.86[4] | $51.41[4] |
| Delaware | $18.80[4] | $27.89[4] | $46.89[4] |
| District of Columbia | $24.30[4] | $35.87[4] | $47.25[4] |
| Florida | $18.66[4] | $23.75[4] | $30.78[4] |
| Georgia | $18.18[4] | $23.02[4] | $30.21[4] |
| Hawaii | $30.00[4] | $55.70[4] | $62.31[4] |
| Idaho | $22.71[4] | $29.66[4] | $38.29[4] |
| Illinois | $23.93[4] | $46.99[4] | $59.30[4] |
| Indiana | $22.90[4] | $38.26[4] | $47.53[4] |
| Iowa | $22.45[4] | $29.01[4] | $42.05[4] |
| Kansas | $19.00[4] | $24.82[4] | $41.07[4] |
| Kentucky | $21.45[4] | $27.78[4] | $38.89[4] |
| Louisiana | $18.00[4] | $24.86[4] | $36.14[4] |
| Maine | $22.21[4] | $26.99[4] | $36.25[4] |
| Maryland | $22.48[4] | $29.53[4] | $37.92[4] |
| Massachusetts | $25.31[4] | $36.93[4] | $60.29[4] |
| Michigan | $22.29[4] | $30.14[4] | $43.55[4] |
| Minnesota | $26.91[4] | $38.04[4] | $49.01[4] |
| Mississippi | $17.39[4] | $22.79[4] | $32.23[4] |
| Missouri | $20.81[4] | $29.10[4] | $45.25[4] |
| Montana | $23.14[4] | $29.61[4] | $38.41[4] |
| Nebraska | $21.45[4] | $28.06[4] | $36.40[4] |
| Nevada | $24.55[4] | $34.33[4] | $53.46[4] |
| New Hampshire | $23.93[4] | $29.91[4] | $42.18[4] |
| New Jersey | $24.41[4] | $43.11[4] | $64.10[4] |
| New Mexico | $21.54[4] | $25.00[4] | $33.51[4] |
| New York | $24.13[4] | $38.94[4] | $69.67[4] |
| North Carolina | $18.78[4] | $23.71[4] | $30.98[4] |
| North Dakota | $23.96[4] | $29.88[4] | $48.35[4] |
| Ohio | $22.52[4] | $31.22[4] | $47.17[4] |
| Oklahoma | $18.00[4] | $23.06[4] | $30.95[4] |
| Oregon | $25.68[4] | $35.30[4] | $56.40[4] |
| Pennsylvania | $22.49[4] | $29.10[4] | $45.64[4] |
| Rhode Island | $25.22[4] | $30.58[4] | $47.54[4] |
| South Carolina | $18.61[4] | $23.53[4] | $30.93[4] |
| South Dakota | $22.72[4] | $28.61[4] | $36.48[4] |
| Tennessee | $20.00[4] | $25.00[4] | $36.27[4] |
| Texas | $18.70[4] | $24.26[4] | $33.66[4] |
| Utah | $22.80[4] | $29.20[4] | $36.48[4] |
| Vermont | $24.17[4] | $28.30[4] | $35.51[4] |
| Virginia | $19.65[4] | $27.48[4] | $37.62[4] |
| Washington | $27.50[4] | $39.28[4] | $60.33[4] |
| West Virginia | $17.55[4] | $24.66[4] | $37.01[4] |
| Wisconsin | $24.70[4] | $36.19[4] | $48.15[4] |
| Wyoming | $23.26[4] | $30.27[4] | $41.17[4] |
Yearly equipment operator pay by state
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) · Yearly, US dollars · Data from May 2025
| Place | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,520[4] | $67,690[4] |
| Alaska | $77,810[4] | $103,900[4] |
| Arizona | $60,620[4] | $79,460[4] |
| Arkansas | $44,520[4] | $58,670[4] |
| California | $87,160[4] | $132,210[4] |
| Colorado | $62,620[4] | $78,870[4] |
| Connecticut | $78,750[4] | $106,920[4] |
| Delaware | $58,020[4] | $97,520[4] |
| District of Columbia | $74,610[4] | $98,270[4] |
| Florida | $49,400[4] | $64,020[4] |
| Georgia | $47,880[4] | $62,840[4] |
| Hawaii | $115,860[4] | $129,590[4] |
| Idaho | $61,680[4] | $79,650[4] |
| Illinois | $97,740[4] | $123,330[4] |
| Indiana | $79,580[4] | $98,850[4] |
| Iowa | $60,330[4] | $87,460[4] |
| Kansas | $51,620[4] | $85,420[4] |
| Kentucky | $57,780[4] | $80,890[4] |
| Louisiana | $51,700[4] | $75,180[4] |
| Maine | $56,140[4] | $75,390[4] |
| Maryland | $61,410[4] | $78,870[4] |
| Massachusetts | $76,820[4] | $125,400[4] |
| Michigan | $62,690[4] | $90,580[4] |
| Minnesota | $79,130[4] | $101,930[4] |
| Mississippi | $47,410[4] | $67,030[4] |
| Missouri | $60,540[4] | $94,130[4] |
| Montana | $61,580[4] | $79,880[4] |
| Nebraska | $58,360[4] | $75,700[4] |
| Nevada | $71,410[4] | $111,210[4] |
| New Hampshire | $62,200[4] | $87,730[4] |
| New Jersey | $89,660[4] | $133,330[4] |
| New Mexico | $52,000[4] | $69,690[4] |
| New York | $80,980[4] | $144,920[4] |
| North Carolina | $49,310[4] | $64,450[4] |
| North Dakota | $62,150[4] | $100,570[4] |
| Ohio | $64,940[4] | $98,100[4] |
| Oklahoma | $47,970[4] | $64,380[4] |
| Oregon | $73,430[4] | $117,310[4] |
| Pennsylvania | $60,530[4] | $94,930[4] |
| Rhode Island | $63,610[4] | $98,870[4] |
| South Carolina | $48,940[4] | $64,330[4] |
| South Dakota | $59,500[4] | $75,880[4] |
| Tennessee | $52,000[4] | $75,430[4] |
| Texas | $50,460[4] | $70,010[4] |
| Utah | $60,740[4] | $75,880[4] |
| Vermont | $58,870[4] | $73,860[4] |
| Virginia | $57,160[4] | $78,250[4] |
| Washington | $81,700[4] | $125,490[4] |
| West Virginia | $51,300[4] | $76,970[4] |
| Wisconsin | $75,280[4] | $100,140[4] |
| Wyoming | $62,960[4] | $85,630[4] |
Which metro areas pay equipment operators the most?
The table lists the 20 metro areas with the most equipment operators, by name. Among them, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN has the highest median, and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA has the lowest. Before you move, compare the metro area with its state in the state table.
Sources4
Equipment operator wages in the 20 metro areas with the most operators
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) · Hourly, US dollars · Data from May 2025
| Place | 10th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $19.04[4] | $23.77[4] | $31.10[4] |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $19.43[4] | $24.50[4] | $34.32[4] |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $25.96[4] | $36.99[4] | $60.51[4] |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $20.18[4] | $24.46[4] | $33.85[4] |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $27.92[4] | $49.57[4] | $59.69[4] |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $20.05[4] | $24.70[4] | $34.17[4] |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $25.23[4] | $30.81[4] | $38.42[4] |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $18.83[4] | $24.54[4] | $34.60[4] |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $25.22[4] | $44.66[4] | $62.85[4] |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $19.33[4] | $24.91[4] | $34.23[4] |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $28.89[4] | $40.07[4] | $50.12[4] |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $27.25[4] | $45.70[4] | $74.06[4] |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $18.88[4] | $24.53[4] | $30.68[4] |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $23.45[4] | $32.12[4] | $54.47[4] |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $23.39[4] | $30.07[4] | $39.05[4] |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $22.83[4] | $29.96[4] | $45.47[4] |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $23.39[4] | $37.85[4] | $61.46[4] |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $28.77[4] | $46.04[4] | $61.74[4] |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $22.70[4] | $39.56[4] | $48.47[4] |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $22.39[4] | $29.64[4] | $40.47[4] |
Does the machine you run change the rate?
On public works, it often does. Prevailing wage schedules group machines into classes, and each class has its own rate. The list below gives three classes for Cook County, Illinois, and three for New York City. To compare a rate with the BLS median, find the metro area in the metro table. Each public-works rate is for one class of work, and the BLS median covers all operators in the area. The public-works schedules are dated 2026, and the BLS medians are for May 2025.
Published prevailing wage rates for operating engineers
- Cook County, Illinois prevailing wage for a building operating engineer in class 1, which includes cranes and hydraulic backhoes: $68.80 an hour base and $72.80 for a foreman, posted October 19, 2026.[1]
- Cook County, Illinois prevailing wage for a building operating engineer in class 2, which includes bulldozers, rollers and tractors: $67.50 an hour base.[1]
- Cook County, Illinois prevailing wage for a building operating engineer in class 4, which includes skid steer loaders: $63.20 an hour base.[1]
- In Cook County, Illinois, prevailing wage overtime for a building operating engineer is 2.0 times the base wage after 8 hours on a weekday and for every hour on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.[1]
- New York City prevailing wage for a heavy construction operating engineer I, which covers cherrypickers of 20 tons and over and loaders of six cubic yards and over: $79.50 an hour plus $51.76 in supplemental benefits, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.[2]
- New York City prevailing wage for a heavy construction operating engineer II, which covers backhoes, bulldozers, scrapers and motor graders: $76.95 an hour plus $51.76 in supplemental benefits.[2]
- New York City prevailing wage for a heavy construction operating engineer III, which covers minor equipment such as small rollers and forklifts: $72.72 an hour plus $51.76 in supplemental benefits.[2]
How much do apprentice operators earn?
Public-works schedules also set a rate for each apprentice year. The list below gives the New York City rate for each year of an operating engineer apprenticeship.
Sources3
New York City operating engineer apprentice prevailing wages, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
- First-year operating engineer apprentice in New York City: $38.96 an hour plus $29.90 in supplemental benefits, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.[3]
- Second-year operating engineer apprentice in New York City: $48.70 an hour plus $29.90 in supplemental benefits.[3]
- Third-year operating engineer apprentice in New York City: $58.44 an hour plus $29.90 in supplemental benefits.[3]
Before you move for equipment work
Check these points before you take a job in another state.
- Compare the metro median in the metro table, not only the state figure.
- Ask which machines you will run. On public works, the class of machine sets the rate.
- Ask whether the job is on a public-works or union contract. The prevailing-wage list above gives rates for two places.
- Ask how overtime is paid. The prevailing-wage list above gives the Cook County overtime rule.
- If you are an apprentice, ask which year you start in. The New York City list above gives a rate for each year.
How to read these figures
BLS gives percentiles for each place. The 10th percentile is the wage that 10 percent of these operators earn less than. The 90th percentile is the wage that 10 percent earn more than. All BLS figures on this page are for May 2025. A cell that says No published figure has no BLS figure for that place.
Questions and answers
How much does a heavy equipment operator make a year?
The yearly table gives the national figures. The yearly state table gives them for each state and DC.
How much does an equipment operator make in Texas?
Texas is in the state table. For a Texas city, look for its metro area in the metro table.
How much does an equipment operator make in California?
California is in the state table. For a California city, look for its metro area in the metro table.
Do union equipment operators earn more?
No source on this page compares union and non-union pay directly. The prevailing-wage list gives public-works rates for Cook County and New York City. Compare a rate with the state or metro median in the tables.
Can Werko match me with a US heavy equipment operator job?
No. Werko matches trades workers in Canada now. You can join the US waitlist on this page.
Sources
- Cook County Prevailing Wage Rates posted on 10/19/2026
Illinois Department of Labor. Retrieved October 31, 2026
- Construction Worker Prevailing Wage Schedule, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
Office of the Comptroller, City of New York (Bureau of Labor Law). Retrieved October 31, 2026
- Construction Apprentice Prevailing Wage Schedule, July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027
Office of the Comptroller, City of New York (Bureau of Labor Law). Retrieved October 31, 2026
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved October 31, 2026