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
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
Industry
Workforce
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)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual 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
3.5%
Quits Rate
1.4%
Manufacturing openings ticked up to 462K (+19K) in March, with the rate at 3.5%. Hires rose to 310K. The sector has stabilized after late-2025 softening.
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.
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.
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