How Much Does a Heavy Equipment Operator Make? (2024)
Heavy Equipment · SOC Code 47-2073 · 3-year apprenticeship
The average heavy equipment operator earns $68,475 per year ($33/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $48,240 to $117,350 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $63,670 and top earners making $148,270+.
Yes — top-decile heavy equipment operators clear $100K in 11 of 30 metros
The 90th-percentile heavy equipment operator in San Francisco, CA earns $148,270 per year ($71/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median heavy equipment operator pay nationally is $68,475 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Heavy Equipment Operator salaries range from $48,240 to $117,350 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Heavy Equipment Operator Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $117,350 | $63,670 – $148,270 | $61,763 | C | 4,560 |
| Chicago, IL | $101,200 | $55,900 – $121,410 | $94,579 | C | 7,760 |
| New York, NY | $98,610 | $59,420 – $157,700 | $52,733 | C | 11,790 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $93,220 | $52,920 – $129,130 | $56,157 | C | 8,430 |
| Seattle, WA | $85,520 | $58,600 – $125,410 | $57,396 | C | 4,470 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $81,770 | $62,330 – $98,720 | $77,142 | C | 4,060 |
| St. Louis, MO | $81,260 | $49,990 – $100,840 | $90,289 | C | 3,690 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $80,050 | $49,180 – $92,160 | $87,967 | C | 3,480 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $77,510 | $56,960 – $97,050 | $80,740 | C | 1,730 |
| Portland, OR | $76,800 | $57,340 – $117,040 | $59,077 | C | 2,840 |
| Columbus, OH | $75,000 | $48,070 – $95,690 | $80,645 | C | 3,170 |
| Boston, MA | $73,680 | $51,290 – $126,020 | $48,474 | D | 6,740 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $66,700 | $47,380 – $110,470 | $58,000 | C | 5,360 |
| Detroit, MI | $65,210 | $48,150 – $90,790 | $73,270 | C | 3,760 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $64,380 | $49,240 – $118,440 | $61,904 | C | 2,850 |
| Denver, CO | $63,290 | $51,630 – $79,930 | $49,445 | D | 5,400 |
| Kansas City, MO | $62,420 | $46,690 – $91,650 | $66,404 | C | 3,770 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $62,210 | $46,820 – $79,520 | $60,398 | C | 8,390 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $60,440 | $47,160 – $73,580 | $58,115 | C | 2,190 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $59,570 | $44,930 – $91,580 | $64,750 | C | 4,600 |
| Miami, FL | $59,080 | $40,010 – $187,120 | $48,426 | D | 8,160 |
| New Orleans, LA | $51,430 | $38,950 – $77,900 | $54,137 | C | 1,330 |
| Charlotte, NC | $50,790 | $41,000 – $67,440 | $51,827 | D | 4,310 |
| Raleigh, NC | $50,660 | $40,660 – $62,230 | $50,660 | D | 2,670 |
| Houston, TX | $50,510 | $39,500 – $70,400 | $52,615 | C | 13,150 |
| Dallas, TX | $50,080 | $39,760 – $67,920 | $49,098 | D | 12,120 |
| Nashville, TN | $49,640 | $42,150 – $65,610 | $48,194 | D | 3,500 |
| San Antonio, TX | $49,040 | $38,740 – $66,310 | $54,489 | C | 3,970 |
| Tampa, FL | $48,600 | $38,470 – $69,650 | $48,119 | D | 3,810 |
| Atlanta, GA | $48,240 | $36,930 – $63,490 | $45,509 | D | 8,070 |
About Heavy Equipment Operator Pay
Heavy Equipment Operators earn a national median salary of $68,475 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $117,350 median, while Atlanta offers the lowest at $48,240.
Becoming a heavy equipment operator typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $63,670, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $148,270 or more. With 4% wage growth over the past 5 years, this trade is growing at a steady pace.
See how this compares to other trades on our highest paying trades ranking, or browse the best cities for trade workers.
Thinking about becoming a heavy equipment operator?
Step-by-step path: 3-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Heavy Equipment Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — top-decile heavy equipment operators clear $100K in 11 of the 30 metros tracked. The 90th-percentile heavy equipment operator in San Francisco earns $148,270, well above six figures. Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression, plus union membership, specialization (industrial, commercial, or licensed-master tier), or running a small contracting business.
Heavy Equipment Operators earn a national median of $68,475 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 90th percentile reaching $148,270 in San Francisco. Specific pay depends on city, certifications, union status, and specialization — see the per-city table above for any metro you're targeting.
Heavy Equipment Operators in Atlanta, GA earn a median of $48,240 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with top earners (90th percentile) reaching $63,490. Pay scales with experience, certifications, and whether the role is residential, commercial, or industrial.
Heavy Equipment Operator pay varies by metro. The lowest-paying tracked city for heavy equipment operators pays $48,240 median, while the highest-paying pays $117,350 — see the city table above for any specific metro.
The average heavy equipment operator salary is $68,475 per year ($33/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $48,240 to $117,350 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Heavy Equipment Operators earn an average hourly wage of $33/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $31/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $71/hour or more.
San Francisco offers the highest median pay for heavy equipment operators at $117,350. However, cost of living matters, the COL-adjusted pay may tell a different story. Check our city-by-city breakdown above.
With a Trade Pay Score of C and 4% wage growth over 5 years, heavy equipment operator offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 160,130 jobs nationwide across 30 metro areas.
Becoming a heavy equipment operator typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $63,670 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2024. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.
For this entity, the underlying data on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. The breakdown above is the federal record; the paragraphs below add the per-entity context that makes the headline numbers usable for a real decision rather than just a data lookup.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
Practical use of this page is in combination with the comparison and ranking pages elsewhere on the site, which surface the same data for this entity’s peers within U.S. trades, cities, and states. A single-entity reading without peer context can be misleading when an entity is an outlier on one axis but typical on another.