How much does a heavy equipment operator make?
Typical yearly pay for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in the United States.
median pay per year, about $4,988 a month or $28.77 an hour.
That's more than 42% of the 100 jobs in our salary guide, ranking #58 of 100.
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| Mail carrier | $60,550 |
| Interpreter or translator | $60,170 |
| Water treatment operator | $60,020 |
| Heavy equipment operator | $59,850 |
| Firefighter | $59,280 |
| Correctional officer | $58,940 |
| Embalmer | $58,780 |
Similar jobs
- Carpenter$60,580
- HVAC technician$61,010
- Electrician$63,190
- Plumber$63,800
- Telecom installer$63,890
- Tile setter$55,690
How much does a heavy equipment operator make per hour?
About $28.77 an hour, if you spread the median yearly pay over a standard 40-hour week, 52 weeks a year. Actual hourly pay varies with overtime, shift work and location.
Becoming a heavy equipment operator
The U.S. Department of Labor's career profile covers the training, licenses and day-to-day tasks for this job.
How to become a heavy equipment operator
About this number
This is the national median wage for the occupation “Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators” (code 47-2073.00) from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025 release, as published on O*NET OnLine. The median is the middle value: half of workers earn more, half earn less.