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Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks

SOC 47-2073 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data

Median Annual Salary
$59,862
$28.78/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026

Is this a competitive Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary in 2026?

Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.

$Competitive · ~P50
P10$42K
P25$49K
P50$60K
P75$77K
P90$101K
Drag the dot or type an amount above.
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Demand: STABLE. Demand is stable -- manufacturing openings are at 3.7% (JOLTS, June 2026). A standard market: pay near the median, no urgency premium needed.
📈
Merit budget: Wages in manufacturing are rising about 3.3% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.9-3.4% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $59,862 to $77,168 (market median to the 75th percentile). Anchor on the median.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.

How Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay is moving in 2026

Trend, demand, and spread context from BLS OEWS, JOLTS, and ECI

Pay trend

Median pay for this role rose 1.9% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 3.3% wage growth of Manufacturing (BLS ECI).

Hiring demand · STABLE

Manufacturing is running a 3.7% job-openings rate with quits at 1.5% (BLS JOLTS). The openings rate has drifted up from 3.4% to 3.7% over the past quarter.

Pay spread

Top earners (P90) make about 2.4 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is in the typical range for U.S. occupations; standard 80% to 120% pay bands around the median work well.

What changed recently
  • Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: sector openings eased to 3.7%, with nondurable goods driving the pullback. Quits steady at 1.5%.
  • Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: sector wages growing 3.3% per year, holding steady.

Commentary is generated from published BLS figures (OEWS May 2025 vs May 2024, JOLTS June 2026, ECI Q2 2026) and refreshed each release. It is interpretation, not a BLS product.

Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators is $59,862 per year ($28.78/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $48,672 and $77,168 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $101,088 per year. There are approximately 478,090 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators employed in the United States.

About This Role

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018

Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.

Career Outlook

BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+3.6%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
42K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
489K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
4% from new growth96% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Experience
None
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training

Industry Wage Breakdown

Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
IndustryWorkforce Median Pay
Other Specialty Trade Contractors
NAICS 238900
119K$60,160
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
65K$52,080
Utility System Construction
NAICS 237100
63K$61,740
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction
NAICS 237300
59K$71,260
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
NAICS 237900
19K$60,730
Wage range across top 5 industries: $52,080 to $71,260 (37% spread)

Wage Percentiles

Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
PercentileHourly RateAnnual Salary
P10$20.28$42,182
P25$23.40$48,672
P50MEDIAN$28.78$59,862
P75$37.10$77,168
P90$48.60$101,088

Market Context Signal

JOLTS · manufacturing sector
Stable
Openings Rate
3.7%
Quits Rate
1.5%

Manufacturing openings eased to 481K (-36K) in June, rate 3.7%, with nondurable goods driving the pullback (-55K). Quits held at 1.5%. The sector remains stable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary?

The national median salary for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators is $59,862 per year ($28.78/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $48,672 and $77,168 annually.

How much do top-earning operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make?

The 90th percentile salary for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators is $101,088 per year ($48.60/hr). The 75th percentile is $77,168 per year.

What is the entry-level salary for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?

Entry-level Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (10th percentile) earn approximately $42,182 per year ($20.28/hr). The 25th percentile is $48,672 per year.

Related Salary Data

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Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary by State

Top 5 states by employment
Texas55,540 workersCalifornia36,020 workersFlorida27,510 workersPennsylvania22,120 workersOhio16,920 workers

About This Data

Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.

P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.

Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.

Next OEWS release: May 2027Verify on BLS.gov →

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