Operate one or several types of power construction equipment such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, cranes, and shovels.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators earn a median $27.55/hr ($57,300/yr). Top-paying state: Illinois at $44.88/hr. True labor cost with burden: ~$37.19/hr.
Source: BLS OEWS May 2024. Percentiles represent the wage below which a given percentage of workers fall.
| # | State | Median Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $44.88 |
| 2 | New York | $42.33 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $41.55 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $40.22 |
| 5 | Alaska | $39.67 |
| # | Metro Area | Median Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $50.55 |
| 2 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $48.22 |
| 3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $46.88 |
| 4 | Honolulu, HI | $43.55 |
| 5 | Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $42.33 |
The base wage of $27.55/hr becomes approximately $37.19/hr after applying a 1.35x burden rate (payroll taxes, insurance, benefits, overhead).