Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$42,190
- 25th Percentile — Junior$48,680
- 50th Percentile — Median$59,850
- 75th Percentile — Senior$77,170
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$101,090
The top 10% of Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators earn $101,090 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $42,190, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $102,020 | +53.9% |
| California | $94,000 | +41.8% |
| New Jersey | $93,270 | +40.7% |
| New York | $90,690 | +36.8% |
| Illinois | $90,500 | +36.5% |
| Washington | $88,290 | +33.2% |
| Massachusetts | $84,730 | +27.8% |
| Connecticut | $83,380 | +25.8% |
| Alaska | $82,680 | +24.7% |
| Oregon | $79,270 | +19.6% |
| Minnesota | $79,070 | +19.3% |
| Wisconsin | $77,770 | +17.3% |
| District of Columbia | $76,470 | +15.4% |
| Nevada | $76,050 | +14.7% |
| Indiana | $75,300 | +13.6% |
| Rhode Island | $72,470 | +9.3% |
| Ohio | $71,830 | +8.4% |
| North Dakota | $68,640 | +3.5% |
| Missouri | $67,960 | +2.5% |
| New Hampshire | $67,270 | +1.5% |
| Wyoming | $67,010 | +1.1% |
| Michigan | $66,920 | +1.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $65,920 | -0.6% |
| Colorado | $64,550 | -2.6% |
| Idaho | $63,920 | -3.6% |
| Iowa | $63,770 | -3.8% |
| Montana | $63,350 | -4.4% |
| Maryland | $61,650 | -7.0% |
| Arizona | $61,520 | -7.2% |
| Utah | $60,840 | -8.2% |
| Delaware | $60,690 | -8.4% |
| Vermont | $60,310 | -9.0% |
| South Dakota | $59,330 | -10.5% |
| Kentucky | $59,320 | -10.5% |
| Virginia | $58,400 | -11.9% |
| Nebraska | $58,240 | -12.1% |
| Maine | $58,230 | -12.2% |
| Kansas | $57,540 | -13.2% |
| Louisiana | $55,380 | -16.5% |
| Tennessee | $55,050 | -17.0% |
| New Mexico | $54,810 | -17.3% |
| West Virginia | $54,480 | -17.8% |
| Texas | $53,740 | -18.9% |
| Florida | $52,590 | -20.7% |
| North Carolina | $52,310 | -21.1% |
| South Carolina | $51,640 | -22.1% |
| Alabama | $50,680 | -23.5% |
| Oklahoma | $50,110 | -24.4% |
| Mississippi | $50,010 | -24.6% |
| Georgia | $49,660 | -25.1% |
| Arkansas | $45,890 | -30.8% |
What Factors Affect Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Hawaii pays an average of $102,020, while Arkansas pays $45,890 — a gap of $56,130 per year.
The middle half of Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators earn between $48,680 and $77,170 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $42,190, while the top 10% earn more than $101,090.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
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- Plumbers Pipefitters and Steamfitters $72,170/yr United States +8.9% vs this role
- Carpenters $65,630/yr United States 1.0% vs this role
- Construction Laborers $52,030/yr United States 21.5% vs this role
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades $86,450/yr United States +30.4% vs this role
- Brickmasons and Blockmasons $68,280/yr United States +3.0% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States +53.0% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +107.1% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators?
The average salary for Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators in the United States is $66,290 per year, with a median of $59,850.
What is the starting salary for Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators?
Entry-level Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators typically earn between $42,190 and $48,680 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators the most?
Hawaii pays Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators the most at $102,020 per year on average, followed by California ($94,000) and New Jersey ($93,270).
How much do Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $66,290, Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators earn approximately $31.87 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 478,090 Operating Engineers and Equipment Operators jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $66,290 and a median of $59,850 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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