A heavy equipment operator in Hawaii earns a median $55.70 an hour. An operator running the same excavator in Arkansas earns $21.41. The Hawaii median is 160% higher. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program (SOC 47-2073, Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, May 2025 data, the most recent release) puts the national median at $28.78/hr, or $59,850 a year. That national number hides one of the widest state-to-state spreads in construction, and a second spread inside every state: the seat you sit in. A loader operator and a crane operator can both fall under SOC 47-2073 and be paid very differently on the same jobsite.
Heavy equipment operator pay by state is really three questions: where you work, what you run, and whether you are working under a union or prevailing-wage rate. The table answers the first. The rest of this article covers the other two.
National Baseline: $28.78/hr Median, 478,090 Operators
BLS OEWS counts 478,090 wage-and-salary operating engineers and construction equipment operators nationally as of May 2025. The distribution (BLS OEWS, May 2025):
- 10th percentile: $20.28/hr
- 25th percentile: $23.40/hr
- Median: $28.78/hr ($59,850/year)
- Mean: $31.87/hr ($66,290/year)
- 75th percentile: $37.10/hr ($77,170/year)
- 90th percentile: $48.60/hr ($101,090/year)
The mean sits more than $3/hr above the median, and the 90th percentile clears $100,000 a year. The top of this trade is paid far above the middle, and that top end is concentrated in a small set of high-wage states. The gap from the median to the 75th percentile ($8.32/hr) is larger than the gap from the 25th percentile to the median ($5.38/hr), so the move from an average seat to a well-paid one is worth more than climbing out of the bottom quarter.
These are base wages. Union operators also earn negotiated fringes (health, pension, annuity, training) paid per hour on top of the posted rate, and non-union benefits vary by employer. When you compare offers, compare the full package per hour, not the base rate.
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook projects 4% employment growth for construction equipment operators from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations, with about 42,500 openings a year, most of them replacing workers who retire or leave the occupation. (The Handbook's group is slightly broader than SOC 47-2073 and includes paving and pile driver operators.)
Full State Wage Table (SOC 47-2073), Ranked
Median hourly wage, median annual wage, and employment for every state plus the District of Columbia, sorted highest to lowest (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The next OEWS release, covering May 2026, is due in spring 2027.
| Rank | State | Median Hourly | Median Annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $55.70 | $115,860 | 2,380 |
| 2 | Illinois | $46.99 | $97,740 | 12,290 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $43.11 | $89,660 | 5,980 |
| 4 | California | $41.90 | $87,160 | 36,020 |
| 5 | Washington | $39.28 | $81,700 | 10,290 |
| 6 | New York | $38.94 | $80,980 | 14,490 |
| 7 | Indiana | $38.26 | $79,580 | 11,520 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $38.04 | $79,130 | 8,590 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $37.86 | $78,750 | 2,860 |
| 10 | Alaska | $37.41 | $77,810 | 3,050 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $36.93 | $76,820 | 9,680 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $36.19 | $75,280 | 8,140 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $35.87 | $74,610 | 620 |
| 14 | Oregon | $35.30 | $73,430 | 5,630 |
| 15 | Nevada | $34.33 | $71,410 | 5,410 |
| 16 | Ohio | $31.22 | $64,940 | 16,920 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $30.58 | $63,610 | 970 |
| 18 | Wyoming | $30.27 | $62,960 | 3,800 |
| 19 | Michigan | $30.14 | $62,690 | 9,500 |
| 20 | Colorado | $30.11 | $62,620 | 11,700 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $29.91 | $62,200 | 1,330 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $29.88 | $62,150 | 4,890 |
| 23 | Idaho | $29.66 | $61,680 | 4,270 |
| 24 | Montana | $29.61 | $61,580 | 3,750 |
| 25 | Maryland | $29.53 | $61,410 | 6,610 |
| 26 | Utah | $29.20 | $60,740 | 7,880 |
| 27 | Arizona | $29.14 | $60,620 | 13,200 |
| 28 | Missouri | $29.10 | $60,540 | 10,470 |
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $29.10 | $60,530 | 22,120 |
| 30 | Iowa | $29.01 | $60,330 | 5,530 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $28.61 | $59,500 | 2,050 |
| 32 | Vermont | $28.30 | $58,870 | 1,280 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $28.06 | $58,360 | 3,180 |
| 34 | Delaware | $27.89 | $58,020 | 1,230 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $27.78 | $57,780 | 7,050 |
| 36 | Virginia | $27.48 | $57,160 | 12,100 |
| 37 | Maine | $26.99 | $56,140 | 2,210 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $25.00 | $52,000 | 5,520 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $25.00 | $52,000 | 10,660 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $24.86 | $51,700 | 7,860 |
| 41 | Kansas | $24.82 | $51,620 | 7,070 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $24.66 | $51,300 | 7,830 |
| 43 | Texas | $24.26 | $50,460 | 55,540 |
| 44 | Florida | $23.75 | $49,400 | 27,510 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $23.71 | $49,310 | 16,580 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $23.53 | $48,940 | 8,160 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $23.06 | $47,970 | 7,050 |
| 48 | Georgia | $23.02 | $47,880 | 15,700 |
| 49 | Alabama | $22.84 | $47,520 | 9,640 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $22.79 | $47,410 | 4,170 |
| 51 | Arkansas | $21.41 | $44,520 | 5,800 |
| — | National | $28.78 | $59,850 | 478,090 |
Thirty of the 51 jurisdictions sit above the national median. The national figure is held down by the size of the low-wage Sun Belt workforces: Texas alone employs 55,540 operators at a $24.26 median, more than any other state, and Florida (27,510), North Carolina (16,580), and Georgia (15,700) all sit in the bottom ten.
Top 10 States: Where the High Rates Are
Hawaii ($55.70/hr): The Outlier
Hawaii's median is $8.71/hr above the next state, Illinois. With 2,380 operators, it is not a tiny sample. Islands where every machine and every operator must be on hand locally and the state's prevailing-wage law on public construction both contribute.
Illinois, New Jersey, New York ($38.94-$46.99/hr): Prevailing Wage Country
Illinois ($46.99, 12,290 operators) is the highest-paying state with a large operator workforce. New Jersey ($43.11) and New York ($38.94, 14,490 operators) follow. All three have strong operating engineers' locals and state prevailing-wage laws (the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, New Jersey's Prevailing Wage Act, and New York Labor Law Section 220) that set union-equivalent rates on public work. The statewide medians blend those rates with lower-paid private and rural work.
California and Washington ($39.28-$41.90/hr): Big Workforces, High Rates
California employs 36,020 operators, the second-largest workforce in the country, at a $41.90 median. Washington employs 10,290 at $39.28. Both combine large public-works programs, state prevailing-wage enforcement, and high-cost metros.
The Midwest Surprise: Indiana and Minnesota
Indiana ($38.26, 11,520 operators) and Minnesota ($38.04) both rank in the top ten, and Wisconsin ($36.19) is close behind. All three pay well above the national median while prices run near or below the national average, which matters more than the nominal number once cost of living is counted (below). Connecticut ($37.86) and Alaska ($37.41) complete the top ten.
Bottom 10 States: The Southern Belt, and What Cost of Living Gives Back
The bottom ten are Arkansas ($21.41), Mississippi ($22.79), Alabama ($22.84), Georgia ($23.02), Oklahoma ($23.06), South Carolina ($23.53), North Carolina ($23.71), Florida ($23.75), Texas ($24.26), and West Virginia ($24.66). All ten are right-to-work states. Non-union grading and site contractors set the market, and statewide medians land $4.12 to $7.37/hr under the national figure.
Cost of living gives some of the gap back, but less than people assume. Divide each median by the state's Regional Price Parity from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024, national average = 100, retrieved via FRED):
| State | Median Hourly | BEA RPP (2024) | Adjusted Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $55.70 | 110.0 | $50.66 |
| Illinois | $46.99 | 100.0 | $47.01 |
| Indiana | $38.26 | 93.3 | $40.99 |
| New Jersey | $43.11 | 108.8 | $39.62 |
| Minnesota | $38.04 | 98.6 | $38.57 |
| Wisconsin | $36.19 | 94.1 | $38.46 |
| California | $41.90 | 110.7 | $37.84 |
| New York | $38.94 | 107.9 | $36.08 |
| Texas | $24.26 | 97.1 | $25.00 |
| Florida | $23.75 | 103.4 | $22.97 |
Hawaii and Illinois hold the top two spots after adjustment. Indiana jumps to third, ahead of New Jersey and California, because its prices run about 7% below average. Florida falls to last in the country once its above-average prices are counted, and Texas, despite prices slightly below average, still lands near the bottom. A Gulf Coast operator weighing a move north should run this table before loading the truck: the nominal raise to Illinois or Indiana mostly survives the cost-of-living adjustment.
The Seat Matters: Cranes, Grade, and Certification
Within SOC 47-2073, the machine you run moves your pay as much as the state line. BLS does not publish OEWS wages by machine type, so the honest benchmark for a specialty seat is the upper percentiles: $37.10/hr at the 75th and $48.60/hr at the 90th, nationally.
Crane Certification Is a Hard Gate
OSHA's crane standard, 29 CFR 1926.1427, requires operators of most cranes used in construction to be certified by an accredited testing organization (NCCCO is the most widely used) or qualified through an audited employer program. That certification wall narrows the labor pool and is the clearest route to the top of the distribution. Some states and cities layer their own crane licenses on top, and the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook notes that some require pile driver operators to hold a crane license. Check your state's licensing board before you take a crane seat across a state line.
The Rest of the Ladder
Operators who can hold finish grade on a motor grader or run machine-control excavators on tight tolerances are consistently harder to hire than general dirt operators, and that shows up in what contractors will pay. Many operators also need a commercial driver's license to haul their own equipment to jobsites, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. A CDL is a low-cost credential that widens the jobs you can take.
Apprenticeship
The Occupational Outlook Handbook says some operators complete a 3- or 4-year apprenticeship, with a set number of classroom hours and paid on-the-job training each year. International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) locals run registered programs under 29 CFR Part 29, typically tuition-free and funded through the collective bargaining agreement, with wages set as a rising percentage of journeyman scale. Private operator schools are the alternative; compare their cost and placement record against an earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship before you pay tuition. Program comparisons are in our apprenticeship program rankings.
Per Diem and Travel Work
Heavy civil follows the work. Pipeline spreads, wind and solar farms, and rural highway packages are staffed partly by travelers, and per diem is a large part of the money. Two rules protect you. First, under the FLSA (29 CFR 778.217), reasonable per diem paid to reimburse travel expenses is excluded from your regular rate, but an employer cannot relabel wages as per diem to shrink the rate overtime is calculated on. Second, per diem does not count toward workers' compensation wage replacement or, for most plans, pension credit. An operator hurt on a travel job collects comp based on wages, not wages plus per diem.
Use the overtime calculator to check that your stubs compute overtime on the correct regular rate. For contractors: a traveler costs well above base wage once per diem, lodging, mobilization, and burden land. Run your number in the labor burden calculator before you bid out-of-state work at in-town rates.
Where the Work Is Going
Operators are the leading edge of horizontal construction. Highway, bridge, and water work funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is still moving through state DOTs; our IIJA funding tracker follows the spending. Data-center and industrial site work adds large earthmoving packages in several Sun Belt states. On the supply side, the Handbook expects most of the roughly 42,500 annual openings to come from replacement, not growth.
Compare operators with other trades in the same OEWS release: electricians post a $30.38/hr national median and roofers $26.65/hr (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Operators sit just below electricians and above roofers on median pay, and their 90th percentile clears $100,000 a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do heavy equipment operators make in 2026?
The national median is $28.78/hr ($59,850/year) for SOC 47-2073, per BLS OEWS May 2025 data, the latest available. State medians run from $21.41/hr in Arkansas to $55.70/hr in Hawaii. The 90th percentile nationally is $48.60/hr ($101,090/year).
What state pays heavy equipment operators the most?
Hawaii ($55.70/hr), then Illinois ($46.99), New Jersey ($43.11), California ($41.90), and Washington ($39.28). After cost-of-living adjustment with BEA Regional Price Parities, Hawaii and Illinois stay first and second, and Indiana moves up to third.
Do union operators earn more?
BLS does not publish OEWS wages by union status, so there is no official national union-versus-non-union figure for this occupation. The state data show the pattern: the highest medians are in states with strong IUOE locals and state prevailing-wage laws, and all of the bottom ten are right-to-work states. Union packages also add pension, health, and annuity fringes on top of the base rate; compare total package per hour.
Do crane operators need certification?
Yes, in most construction settings. OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1427 requires certification through an accredited testing organization or an audited employer program, and some states and cities require their own crane license as well.
Does Davis-Bacon apply to equipment operators?
On federally funded or assisted construction contracts over $2,000, yes. The wage determination for the project lists operator rates, usually by equipment group, plus fringe. If you are paid less than the determination rate on a covered job, you can file with the DOL Wage and Hour Division for back wages.
How do I become an operator without paying for a private school?
Apply to an IUOE or other registered apprenticeship. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook describes 3- or 4-year apprenticeships that combine classroom hours with paid on-the-job training. Union programs are typically tuition-free. Apply to more than one local if waiting lists are long.
Your Action Item for This Week
If you run equipment: find your state in the table and compare your base rate to the state median, not the national one. If you have several years of seat time and sit near your state's bottom, you have a case for a raise or a move. If you run cranes or finish grade, benchmark against the national 75th and 90th percentiles. If you are working a federally funded job, ask to see the wage determination.
If you employ operators: price one journeyman through the labor burden calculator at your current rates, then compare against the prevailing-wage determination on your next public bid. The gap is your exposure on a certified payroll audit and your retention risk before that.
Sources and data cited
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), SOC 47-2073, May 2025 data (national and state medians, percentiles, employment), retrieved via the BLS Public Data API: www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes472073.htm
- BLS OEWS May 2025 national medians for SOC 47-2111 (electricians) and 47-2181 (roofers)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Construction Equipment Operators (training, licensing, 2025-2035 projections): www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/construction-equipment-operators.htm
- BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024, retrieved via FRED (state series such as ILRPPALL)
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1427 (crane operator qualification and certification)
- FLSA regular rate rules, 29 CFR 778.217
- Davis-Bacon Act wage determinations: sam.gov/wage-determinations
- Related: Electrician Wages by State 2026 | Roofer Wages by State 2026
