Is this a competitive Dredge Operators salary in 2026?
Based on BLS OEWS wage percentiles, JOLTS June 2026 demand signals, and ECI Q2 2026 wage growth.
$Competitive · ~P50
P10$41K
P25$46K
P50$50K
P75$62K
P90$74K
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Demand: ACTIVE. Demand is active -- the broader market openings are at 4.4% (JOLTS, June 2026). A balanced market where the median is a solid, competitive anchor.
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Merit budget: Wages in private industry are rising about 3.1% a year (BLS ECI, Q2 2026). Budget a 2.7-3.2% merit increase to hold this role at market.
Our read
For a competitive 2026 offer, target $49,629 to $62,067 (market median to the 75th percentile). The median-to-P75 range keeps offers competitive.
Figures are market benchmarks from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics; apply professional judgment before making pay decisions.
How Dredge 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 2.5% between the May 2024 and May 2025 BLS surveys, trailing the 3.1% wage growth of the broader market (BLS ECI).
Hiring demand · MODERATE
the broader market is running a 4.4% job-openings rate with quits at 2.0% (BLS JOLTS).
Pay spread
Top earners (P90) make about 1.8 times what entry-level (P10) workers make in this role. That spread is narrower than typical, so pay is fairly standardized; small differences move a candidate across the market.
What changed recently
Aug 4, 2026JOLTS June 2026: national job openings little changed at 7.4M (4.4% rate), hires flat at 5.3M, quits steady at 2.0%.
Jul 31, 2026ECI Q2 2026: national wages rose 3.2% over the year while CPI reached 3.5%, the first negative real-wage reading since 2022. Benefit costs accelerated to 3.8%.
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 Dredge Operators is $49,629 per year ($23.86/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $46,426 and $62,067 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $74,152 per year. There are approximately 1,040 dredge operators employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+1.2%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
100
per year, on avg
Workforce today
1K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% 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 4 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction
NAICS 237900
560
$48,990
Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying
NAICS 212300
280
$56,090
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999300
50
$56,480
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999200
40
$49,640
Wage range across top 5 industries: $48,990 to $56,480 (15% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$19.75
$41,080
P25
$22.32
$46,426
P50MEDIAN
$23.86
$49,629
P75
$29.84
$62,067
P90
$35.65
$74,152
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · other sector
Active
Openings Rate
4.4%
Quits Rate
2.0%
The labor market stayed steady in June: job openings were little changed at 7.4M (rate 4.4%), hires held at 5.3M, and total separations changed little at 5.4M. Quits were 3.2M (rate 2.0%). Openings rose in transportation, warehousing & utilities (+97K) and fell in wholesale trade (-74K).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average dredge operators salary?
The national median salary for Dredge Operators is $49,629 per year ($23.86/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $46,426 and $62,067 annually.
How much do top-earning dredge operators make?
The 90th percentile salary for Dredge Operators is $74,152 per year ($35.65/hr). The 75th percentile is $62,067 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for dredge operators?
Entry-level Dredge Operators (10th percentile) earn approximately $41,080 per year ($19.75/hr). The 25th percentile is $46,426 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.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.
