Skilled Trades
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.
Median salary
$58,710
Typical range
$40k – $101k
Job outlook
+4% (faster than average)
AI exposure
Plan a path to Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Education
Typical entry: No degree required
Plan my path to this →Typical progression
Junior Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Entry / Junior
$40,080
~2 yrs to advance
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Established
$58,710
~3 yrs to advance
Senior Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Senior
$79,700
Key skills
A typical day
- •Learn and follow safety regulations.
- •Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
- •Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
- •Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
- •Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.
Fields of study
Any field
Top colleges for Skilled Trades
Explore all- Purdue University50% admit · $78,000 grad pay
- Ohio State University53% admit · $68,000 grad pay
- Pennsylvania State University55% admit · $70,000 grad pay
Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.