How Much Does a Pile Driver Operator Make? (2024)
Heavy Equipment · SOC Code 47-2072 · 4-year apprenticeship
The average pile driver operator earns $87,644 per year ($42/hour) as of 2024, according to BLS data. Yearly income ranges from $46,710 to $133,080 depending on city, with entry-level workers earning about $83,180 and top earners making $141,010+.
Yes — top-decile pile driver operators clear $100K in 4 of 8 metros
The 90th-percentile pile driver operator in San Francisco, CA earns $141,010 per year ($68/hour). Reaching that tier typically takes journeyman-to-master progression plus union membership, specialization, or running a small contracting business. Median pile driver operator pay nationally is $87,644 — the $100K mark is the high-earner ceiling, not the middle.
National Salary Range
Pile Driver Operator salaries range from $46,710 to $133,080 median across cities, depending on location, union membership, and experience level.
Pile Driver Operator Salary by City
| City | Median | Range (10th-90th) | COL-Adjusted | Grade | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | $133,080 | $83,180 – $141,010 | $70,042 | C | 130 |
| New York, NY | $125,070 | $67,000 – $125,070 | $66,882 | C | 40 |
| Boston, MA | $118,960 | $85,020 – $121,590 | $78,263 | C | 170 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $103,790 | $63,870 – $123,300 | $62,524 | C | 260 |
| Houston, TX | $67,980 | $57,600 – $72,790 | $70,813 | C | 150 |
| Miami, FL | $54,750 | $43,800 – $62,120 | $44,877 | D | 180 |
| Tampa, FL | $50,810 | $38,440 – $79,340 | $50,307 | D | 80 |
| Atlanta, GA | $46,710 | $38,840 – $70,690 | $44,066 | D | 60 |
About Pile Driver Operator Pay
Pile Driver Operators earn a national median salary of $87,644 based on 2024 BLS occupational wage data. The highest-paying city for this trade is San Francisco at $133,080 median, while Atlanta offers the lowest at $46,710.
Becoming a pile driver operator typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) can expect around $83,180, while master-level tradespeople (90th percentile) earn $141,010 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 pile driver operator?
Step-by-step path: 4-year apprenticeship, certifications, state licensing, and apprentice-to-master pay timeline.
Related Heavy Equipment Trades
Frequently Asked Questions
The average pile driver operator salary is $87,644 per year ($42/hour) based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Average yearly income ranges from $46,710 to $133,080 depending on city, experience, and union status.
Pile Driver Operators earn an average hourly wage of $42/hour based on a 2,080-hour work year. Entry-level (10th percentile) hourly pay is about $40/hour, while top earners (90th percentile) make $68/hour or more.
San Francisco offers the highest median pay for pile driver operators at $133,080. 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, pile driver operator offers steady career prospects. There are approximately 1,070 jobs nationwide across 8 metro areas.
Becoming a pile driver operator typically requires a 4-year apprenticeship program combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction. Entry-level pay starts around $83,180 (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.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. trades, cities, and states with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.