### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Construction Equipment Operators Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			construction equipment operators imageConstruction equipment operators may use excavators to prepare sites.							
						Quick Facts:     Construction Equipment Operators2023     Median Pay
            						$55,270     per year
										$26.57     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    High school diploma or equivalentWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Moderate-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    483,300Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    3% (As fast as average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    13,300What Construction Equipment Operators Do
                                                
                        
                        
Construction equipment operators drive, maneuver, or control the heavy machinery used to construct roads, buildings, and other structures.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Construction equipment operators may work even in unpleasant weather. Most operators work full time, and some have irregular work schedules that include nights.
            
                                                How to Become a Construction Equipment Operator
                                                
                        
Many workers learn how to operate construction equipment on the job after earning a high school diploma or equivalent; others learn through an apprenticeship or by attending vocational schools.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for construction equipment operators was $55,270 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Overall employment							of construction equipment operators is projected to grow							 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
						About 42,300 openings for construction equipment operators are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for construction equipment operators.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of construction equipment operators with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about construction equipment operators by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Construction Equipment Operators Do 
            

			Construction equipment operatorsPile drivers drive piles to support structures such as piers.			
Construction equipment operators drive, maneuver, or control the heavy machinery used to construct roads, bridges, buildings, and other structures.
Duties
Construction equipment operators typically do the following:
Clean and maintain equipment, making basic repairs as necessary
Report malfunctioning equipment to supervisors
Move levers, push pedals, or turn valves to drive and maneuver equipment
Coordinate machine actions with crew members using hand or audio signalsConstruction equipment operators use machinery to move building supplies, earth, and other heavy materials at construction sites and mines. They operate equipment that clears and grades land to prepare it for the construction of roads, bridges, buildings, aircraft runways, dams, and other structures.
The following are examples of types of construction equipment operators:
***Operating engineers**and other construction equipment operators*** work with one or several types of power construction equipment. They may operate excavation and loading machines equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets that dig sand, gravel, earth, or similar materials. They also operate bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, and similar equipment. Sometimes, they drive and control industrial trucks or tractors equipped with forklifts or booms for lifting materials. They may also operate and maintain air compressors, pumps, and other power equipment at construction sites.
***Paving and surfacing equipment operators*** control the machines that spread and level asphalt or spread and smooth concrete for roadways or other structures. ***Tamping equipment operators*** use machines that compact earth and other fill materials for roadbeds and other construction sites or that break up old pavement and drive guardrail posts into the ground.
***Pile driver operators*** use large machines mounted on skids, barges, or cranes to hammer piles into the ground. Piles are long, heavy beams of concrete, wood, or steel driven into the ground to support retaining walls, bridges, piers, or building foundations. Some pile driver operators work on offshore oil rigs.
Workers who operate cranes are covered in the material moving machine operators profile.
 Work Environment
			Construction equipment operatorsConstruction equipment operators work in nearly all weather conditions.			

	    
				
	
	    	    		Construction equipment operators held about 483,300 jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up construction equipment operators was distributed as follows:
    	    	
    	Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
                437,600Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
                42,300Pile driver operators
                3,300The largest employers of construction equipment operators were as follows:
        Specialty trade contractors
                29%Heavy and civil engineering construction
                28Local government, excluding education and hospitals
                14Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
                5Construction of buildings
                5Construction equipment operators work even in unpleasant weather, although rain or extreme cold can stop some types of construction. Workers often get dirty, greasy, muddy, or dusty. Some operators work in remote locations on large construction projects, such as highways and dams, or in factories or mines.
Injuries and Illnesses
Construction equipment operators risk injury from hazards such as falls, slips, and trips and transportation incidents. Workers can avoid injury by observing proper operating procedures and safety practices, such as wearing personal protective equipment. Bulldozers, scrapers, and pile drivers are noisy and shake or jolt the operator, which may lead to repetitive stress injuries.
Work Schedules
Construction equipment operators may have irregular schedules, such as continuing around the clock or late into the night. Most construction equipment operators work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. The work may be seasonal in areas of the country that experience extreme cold.
 How to Become a Construction Equipment Operator

			Construction equipment operatorsConstruction equipment operators should have steady hands and feet to guide and control heavy machinery precisely.			
Workers may learn equipment operation on the job after earning a high school diploma or equivalent, through an apprenticeship, or by attending vocational schools.
Education
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required to become a construction equipment operator. Vocational training and math courses are useful, and a course in automotive mechanics may be helpful because workers often maintain their equipment.
Learning at vocational schools may be beneficial in finding a job. Schools may specialize in a particular brand or type of construction equipment.
Some schools incorporate sophisticated simulator training into their courses, allowing beginners to familiarize themselves with the equipment in a virtual environment before operating real machines.
Training
Many workers learn their jobs by operating light equipment, such as a trench roller, under the guidance of an experienced operator. Later, they may operate heavier equipment, such as bulldozers. Operators of some equipment, such as machines with computerized controls, may need more training and some understanding of electronics.
Other workers learn their trade through a 3- or 4-year apprenticeship. For each year of a typical program, apprentices must complete a predetermined number of hours of technical instruction and paid on-the-job training. Apprenticeship program requirements differ based on the type of program and by region. During technical instruction, apprentices learn operating procedures for equipment as well as safety practices, first aid, and how to read grading plans. On the job, apprentices learn to maintain equipment, operate machinery, and use technology, such as Global Positioning System (GPS) devices.
After completing an apprenticeship program, apprentices are considered journey workers and perform tasks with less guidance.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Construction equipment operators often need a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to haul their equipment to various jobsites. State laws governing CDLs vary.
A few states have special licenses for operators of backhoes, loaders, and bulldozers.
Some states and cities require pile driver operators to have a crane license, because similar operational concerns apply to both pile drivers and cranes. Requirements vary by state. For more information, contact your local or state licensing board.
Important Qualities
***Ability to work at heights.***Construction equipment operators may need to service pulleys or other devices located at the top of structures, which may be several stories tall.
***Hand-eye-foot coordination*.** Construction equipment operators should have steady hands and feet to guide and control heavy machinery precisely, sometimes in tight spaces.
***Mechanical skills*.** Construction equipment operators often perform basic maintenance on the equipment they operate. As a result, they should be familiar with hand and power tools and standard equipment care.
***Physical stamina.*** Construction equipment operators may be required to frequently push, carry, or move heavy objects.
***Physical strength.*** Construction equipment operators may be required to lift more than 50 pounds as part of their duties.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Construction Equipment OperatorsMedian annual wages, May 2023Construction equipment operators$55,270  Construction trades workers$52,000  Total, all occupations$48,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for construction equipment operators was $55,270 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $38,200, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $94,800.

			
                    	Median annual wages for construction equipment operators in May 2023 were as follows:
        Pile driver operators
		$63,550Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
		56,160Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
		48,980In May 2023, the median annual wages for construction equipment operators in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Construction of buildings
                $60,880Heavy and civil engineering construction
                60,320Specialty trade contractors
                56,040Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction
                53,970Local government, excluding education and hospitals
                50,230Apprentices receive less pay than fully trained construction equipment operators. They receive pay increases as they learn more skills.
Construction equipment operators may have irregular schedules, such as continuing around the clock or late into the night. Most construction equipment operators work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. The work may be seasonal in areas of the country that experience extreme cold.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
              Construction Equipment OperatorsPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Construction equipment operators3%  Total, all occupations3%  Construction trades workers3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Overall employment				of construction equipment operators is projected to grow				 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
			
			About 42,300 openings for construction equipment operators are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Projected employment of construction equipment operators varies by occupation (see table).
Spending on infrastructure is expected to increase, resulting in some new jobs over the decade. Across the country, many roads, bridges, and water and sewer systems are in need of repair. In addition, population growth will require new infrastructure, such as roads and sewer lines, the projects for which are expected to generate jobs.
			

                        Employment projections data for     construction equipment operators, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Construction equipment operators**
			47-2070
			483,300
			496,600
			3
			13,300
			Get data**Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators**
			47-2071
			42,300
			43,900
			4
			1,600
			Get data**Pile driver operators**
			47-2072
			3,300
			3,400
			3
			100
			Get data**Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators**
			47-2073
			437,600
			449,200
			3
			11,600
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
					Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
					Pile driver operators **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of construction equipment operators. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Material Moving Machine Operators**
            Material moving machine operators use equipment to transport objects.
            See How to Become One
            $44,750**Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers**
            Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers transport goods from one location to another.
            Postsecondary nondegree award
            $54,320**Farmers, Ranchers, and Other Agricultural Managers**
            Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers run establishments that produce crops, livestock, and dairy products.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $83,770**Agricultural Workers**
            Agricultural workers maintain crops and tend livestock.
            See How to Become One
            $34,790
 Contacts for More Information
								
For information about apprenticeships or job opportunities as a construction equipment operator, contact local cement or highway construction contractors, a local joint union-management apprenticeship committee, or the nearest office of your state employment service or apprenticeship agency. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor's Apprenticeship program online or by phone at 877-872-5627. Visit apprenticeship.gov to search for apprenticeship opportunities.
For more information about construction equipment operators, visit
The Associated General Contractors of America
Pile Driving Contractors Association
For more information about training of construction equipment operators, visit
International Union of Operating Engineers
NCCER
For more information about crane certification and licensure for pile driver operators, visit
National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators
For information about opportunities for military veterans, visit:
Helmets to Hardhats

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment OperatorsPaving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment OperatorsPile Driver Operators
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Construction Equipment Operators, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/construction-equipment-operators.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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