Jetted FoxCareers · Heavy equipment & cranes
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
Run bulldozers, excavators, backhoes and loaders to dig, grade and move earth on construction sites. No college degree needed.
Start now · paid while you train
Starting pay ranges from about $18.44/hr in Arkansas to $35.19/hr in Hawaii.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $17.42–19.12/hr | $22.84/hr |
| Alaska | $30–32.13/hr | $37.41/hr |
| Arizona | $22.92–24.62/hr | $29.14/hr |
| Arkansas | $17.08–18.44/hr | $21.41/hr |
| California | $25.37–31.36/hr | $41.90/hr |
| Colorado | $23.79–27.74/hr | $30.11/hr |
| Connecticut | $28.85–31.11/hr | $37.86/hr |
| Delaware | $18.80–22.36/hr | $27.89/hr |
| Florida | $18.66–22.27/hr | $23.75/hr |
| Georgia | $18.18–20.03/hr | $23.02/hr |
| Hawaii | $30–35.19/hr | $55.70/hr |
| Idaho | $22.71–25.28/hr | $29.66/hr |
| Illinois | $23.93–33.28/hr | $46.99/hr |
| Indiana | $22.90–28/hr | $38.26/hr |
| Iowa | $22.45–25.77/hr | $29.01/hr |
| Kansas | $19–21.50/hr | $24.82/hr |
| Kentucky | $21.45–23.58/hr | $27.78/hr |
| Louisiana | $18–22.33/hr | $24.86/hr |
| Maine | $22.21–23.52/hr | $26.99/hr |
| Maryland | $22.48–23.76/hr | $29.53/hr |
| Massachusetts | $25.31–29.99/hr | $36.93/hr |
| Michigan | $22.29–26.30/hr | $30.14/hr |
| Minnesota | $26.91–30.44/hr | $38.04/hr |
| Mississippi | $17.39–19/hr | $22.79/hr |
| Missouri | $20.81–23.21/hr | $29.10/hr |
| Montana | $23.14–27.07/hr | $29.61/hr |
| Nebraska | $21.45–23.05/hr | $28.06/hr |
| Nevada | $24.55–29.19/hr | $34.33/hr |
| New Hampshire | $23.93–27.55/hr | $29.91/hr |
| New Jersey | $24.41–30.82/hr | $43.11/hr |
| New Mexico | $21.54–22.82/hr | $25/hr |
| New York | $24.13–29.11/hr | $38.94/hr |
| North Carolina | $18.78–21.97/hr | $23.71/hr |
| North Dakota | $23.96–27.97/hr | $29.88/hr |
| Ohio | $22.52–26.17/hr | $31.22/hr |
| Oklahoma | $18–20.15/hr | $23.06/hr |
| Oregon | $25.68–29.42/hr | $35.30/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $22.49–24.42/hr | $29.10/hr |
| Rhode Island | $25.22–29.65/hr | $30.58/hr |
| South Carolina | $18.61–21.62/hr | $23.53/hr |
| South Dakota | $22.72–24.37/hr | $28.61/hr |
| Tennessee | $20–22.35/hr | $25/hr |
| Texas | $18.70–22.17/hr | $24.26/hr |
| Utah | $22.80–24.91/hr | $29.20/hr |
| Vermont | $24.17–25.37/hr | $28.30/hr |
| Virginia | $19.65–23.10/hr | $27.48/hr |
| Washington | $27.50–30.96/hr | $39.28/hr |
| Washington, DC | $24.30–31.47/hr | $35.87/hr |
| West Virginia | $17.55–20.49/hr | $24.66/hr |
| Wisconsin | $24.70–29.58/hr | $36.19/hr |
| Wyoming | $23.26–26.14/hr | $30.27/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Once you're hired
State hoisting or operating engineer license: required in some states. It lets you operate heavy construction or hoisting equipment. Rules differ by state; check your state's licensing board.
Other way in: Start as a laborer.
A normal day
You run heavy machines on job sites, digging trenches, grading land and loading trucks. You check the machine at the start of the day, work from plans and signals, and keep track of people nearby. Days start early, outdoors in heat or cold.
The good parts
Paid apprenticeships with strong union pay. About 39,200 US openings a year. No college needed.
The hard parts
Loud, dusty, outdoor work in any weather. Accidents with heavy machines can be deadly. Work slows or stops in winter in cold states.
Where it leads
operators move to crane or specialty equipment, foreman or superintendent, and some start their own excavation business.
Quick answers
Do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators need a college degree?
No. You can start now: paid while you train.
How long is the training for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
3–4 year paid apprenticeship, or 1–2 years of paid training at work.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make?
About $20.28–23.40 an hour to start and $28.78 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
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Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.