Updated May 2026 · BLS OEWS 2024
Pile Driver Operator Salary in Los Angeles
2024 BLS OEWS Data · Heavy Equipment · COL Index: 166
Pile Driver Operators in Los Angeles, CA earn a median annual wage of $103,790 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $63,870 and the 90th at $123,300. After cost of living, that translates to $62,524 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (58/100).
What Pile Driver Operators Take Home in Los Angeles
The $59,430 spread between entry-level and top-decile pile driver operators in Los Angeles is relatively narrow — about 57% of the median. That tight band usually signals a trade where pay scales primarily with experience rather than employer or specialization. New entrants can expect to climb steadily toward median pay over their first 5-10 years.
Los Angeles's cost-of-living index of 166 is well above the U.S. average — meaning a pile driver operator earning $103,790 here brings home roughly $62,524 in U.S.-average purchasing power. That gap between nominal and real pay is one of the largest in the country and reflects expensive housing, transportation, and services. Workers should weigh whether the headline pay actually clears the cost-of-living premium.
With a Trade Pay Score of 58 (C), pile driver operators in Los Angeles are mid-tier — neither standout strong nor materially weak. The combination earns a reasonable nominal wage but is dragged down by either flatter wage growth, a higher cost of living that erodes purchasing power, or thinner employment depth. Workers should compare the per-trade pages to see if a different metro improves the grade.
Salary Distribution
Percentile Breakdown
| Level | Salary | COL-Adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (Apprentice / Entry) | $63,870 | $38,476 |
| 25th Percentile (Early Career) | $78,980 | $47,578 |
| 50th Percentile (Journeyman / Median) | $103,790 | $62,524 |
| 75th Percentile (Experienced) | $113,910 | $68,620 |
| 90th Percentile (Master / Foreman) | $123,300 | $74,277 |
How These Numbers Are Calculated
Every wage figure here comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program at bls.gov/oes — a survey of about 1.2 million employers per release covering more than 800 occupations and every U.S. metropolitan statistical area. The Trade Pay Score combines raw median pay (30%), 5-year wage growth (25%), employment depth (25%), and cost-of-living-adjusted purchasing power (20%) into a single 0-100 grade. Read the full methodology.
Career outlook detail — projected 2032 employment levels for pile driver operators, typical entry-level requirements, on-the-job training expectations — comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at bls.gov/ooh. Apprenticeship programs in Los Angeles are listed at apprenticeship.gov. All three are public-domain federal data sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Pile Driver Operator make in Los Angeles?
Per 2024 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, the median pile driver operator salary in Los Angeles, CA is $103,790. The 10th percentile is $63,870 (typical for entry-level or apprentice-tier positions); the 90th percentile reaches $123,300 (master, foreman, or specialty roles).
How does Los Angeles pay compare for Pile Driver Operators?
With a Trade Pay Score of 58/100 and a grade of C, the Los Angeles-Pile Driver Operator pairing is a mid-tier combination that is neither standout strong nor materially weak.
What is the apprenticeship path for Pile Driver Operators in Los Angeles?
Pile Driver Operators typically complete a 4-year registered apprenticeship before reaching journeyman pay, starting around the 10th percentile ($63,870) and progressing toward the median. Registered apprenticeship programs in the area are listed at https://www.apprenticeship.gov/.
How does cost of living affect Pile Driver Operator pay in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles has a cost-of-living index of 166. The median pile driver operator salary of $103,790 translates to $62,524 in U.S.-average purchasing power — a downward adjustment because the metro is more expensive than average.
Where does this salary data come from?
Every wage figure on this page is a real BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics median or percentile from the 2024 release at https://www.bls.gov/oes/, which surveys roughly 1.2 million U.S. employers per release. Career outlook context (projected employment growth through 2032) comes from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/. Both are public-domain U.S. government data sources.
Pile Driver Operators in Los Angeles, CA earn a median annual wage of $103,790 per 2024 BLS OEWS data, with the 10th percentile at $63,870 and the 90th at $123,300. After cost of living, that translates to $62,524 in U.S.-average purchasing power. Trade Pay Score: C (58/100).
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.