Heavy Equipment Operator Salary (2025)
Heavy Equipment · SOC Code 47-2073 · 3-year apprenticeship
National Salary Range
Heavy Equipment Operator salaries range from $48,744 to $71,868 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA | $71,868 | $42,694 – $108,929 | $47,282 | C | 9,532 |
| San Francisco, CA | $68,502 | $40,737 – $104,086 | $36,054 | D | 7,190 |
| New York, NY | $66,378 | $39,634 – $99,592 | $35,496 | D | 6,785 |
| Chicago, IL | $65,159 | $40,809 – $92,497 | $60,896 | C | 3,895 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $63,424 | $39,175 – $95,102 | $55,151 | C | 3,676 |
| Portland, OR | $63,231 | $37,673 – $95,572 | $48,639 | C | 4,720 |
| Seattle, WA | $62,914 | $37,781 – $89,217 | $42,224 | D | 4,394 |
| Minneapolis, MN | $62,639 | $38,791 – $92,559 | $59,093 | C | 5,179 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $61,813 | $39,574 – $87,012 | $37,237 | D | 7,248 |
| Houston, TX | $59,104 | $37,149 – $84,726 | $61,567 | C | 3,279 |
| Milwaukee, WI | $58,389 | $35,789 – $83,868 | $60,822 | C | 4,333 |
| Denver, CO | $57,828 | $36,809 – $82,002 | $45,178 | D | 5,494 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $57,330 | $34,274 – $86,213 | $55,125 | C | 5,893 |
| St. Louis, MO | $55,785 | $34,532 – $81,290 | $61,983 | C | 4,600 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $54,596 | $34,610 – $77,647 | $59,343 | C | 3,267 |
| Las Vegas, NV | $54,525 | $33,285 – $80,473 | $52,428 | C | 5,206 |
| Nashville, TN | $54,513 | $34,698 – $77,794 | $52,925 | C | 3,951 |
| Columbus, OH | $54,011 | $33,394 – $79,026 | $58,076 | C | 4,330 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $53,936 | $31,806 – $78,640 | $52,365 | C | 5,568 |
| Dallas, TX | $53,700 | $32,800 – $78,355 | $52,647 | C | 3,594 |
| Detroit, MI | $53,257 | $33,816 – $80,591 | $59,839 | C | 3,566 |
| San Antonio, TX | $53,210 | $33,692 – $80,847 | $59,122 | C | 3,354 |
| Kansas City, MO | $51,811 | $33,209 – $79,283 | $55,118 | C | 3,947 |
| Atlanta, GA | $51,250 | $31,327 – $75,761 | $48,349 | C | 4,691 |
| Miami, FL | $51,055 | $30,329 – $75,277 | $41,848 | D | 5,447 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $50,930 | $32,021 – $77,924 | $55,967 | C | 2,828 |
| Charlotte, NC | $50,422 | $32,708 – $75,675 | $51,451 | C | 4,175 |
| Tampa, FL | $49,954 | $31,379 – $77,353 | $49,459 | C | 5,412 |
| Raleigh, NC | $49,246 | $29,632 – $75,650 | $49,246 | C | 4,278 |
| New Orleans, LA | $48,744 | $31,247 – $74,406 | $51,309 | C | 3,599 |
About Heavy Equipment Operator Pay
Heavy Equipment Operators earn a national median salary of $56,984 based on 2025 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is Boston at $71,868 median, while New Orleans offers the lowest at $48,744.
Becoming a heavy equipment operator typically requires a 3-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $42,694, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $108,929 or more. With 8% 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.
Related Heavy Equipment Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The national median salary for heavy equipment operators is $56,984 based on 2025 BLS data. Pay ranges from $48,744 to $71,868 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Boston offers the highest median pay for heavy equipment operators at $71,868. 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 8% wage growth over 5 years, heavy equipment operator offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 143,431 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 $42,694 (10th percentile).
Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) 2025. Trade Pay Scores are a composite of median wage vs. metro income, wage growth, job demand, and COL-adjusted pay.