Construction and Extraction Occupations

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary in the United States

DOL-verified data from 169 government filings, with BLS survey comparison.

DOL Median Salary
$39,749
BLS median: $58,710
DOL Median Salary
$39,749
From 169 DOL filings
BLS Median Salary
$58,710
BLS OEWS 2024 survey
Total Employers
67
Companies with DOL filings
Total Employment
469,270
Estimated US workers (BLS)

DOL Filings vs BLS Survey

What Employers File with DOL

$39,749
DOL-Filed Salary Range
$26,978$37,170$39,749$56,805$108,700

This figure comes from 169 employer filings with the US Department of Labor under legal obligation. Employers file this salary when sponsoring workers for PERM green cards or H-1B visas.

What BLS Says the Market Pays

$58,710
BLS Survey Salary Range
$40,080$47,780$58,710$75,750$100,690

This figure comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey of 469,270 establishments. This is an independent survey-based estimate of what all workers in this occupation earn.

DOL-filed salaries are 32.3% lower than BLS survey data, which may reflect that sponsored positions concentrate in high-cost locations or experience-intensive roles.

Salary Distribution

Top Paying Employers for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Ranked by median salary from DOL filings
RankEmployerMedian SalaryFilingsvs Market
1Riverview, LLP$57,01326-2.9%
2Core Tech International Corporation$39,7498-32.3%
3Total Development Solutions LLC$39,43714-32.8%
4Pleasants Construction Inc.$37,1709-36.7%
5Acme Construction$35,09019-40.2%
6FEHR METAL BUILDINGSN/A8N/A

View all companies hiring Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs NationalFilingsEmployers
Morris, MI$57,013+43.4%151

Salary by State

StateMedianvs NationalFilings
New York$83,450+4%1
California$79,830-10.4%2
Michigan$57,013-8.9%17
Oregon$52,000-23.8%1
Colorado$43,701-29%1
Arkansas$37,388-17.2%2
Massachusetts$37,170-48.9%12
Utah$35,090-41.3%7
Alabama$33,800-27.9%1
Florida$31,408-35.6%3
North Carolina$30,772-37.1%1

Salary Trend - DOL Data

Education Requirements

From PERM filings

For Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators positions, 2% of PERM filings required a Bachelor's degree, 0% required a Master's degree, and 96% required no formal degree.

Education by Top Employer

Most common minimum education from PERM filings
EmployerMost Common EducationMedian Salary
Riverview, LLPNone$57,013
Acme ConstructionNone$35,090
Total Development Solutions LLCNone$39,437
Pleasants Construction Inc.None$37,170
Core Tech International CorporationHigh School$39,749
FEHR METAL BUILDINGSNot specifiedN/A

Salary by Industry

Same occupation, different industries (NAICS)

The highest-paying industry for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators is Construction at $38,631.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators make?

Based on 169 DOL filings, the median salary for a Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators is $39,749, ranging from $37,170 to $56,805.

What is the highest salary for a Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators?

The 90th percentile salary is $100,690 according to BLS data.

Which city pays the most for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators?

Based on DOL filings, Morris, MI offers the highest median at $57,013.

Does this data include all Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salaries or only visa-sponsored workers?

DOL filing data covers positions where the employer filed for PERM green card sponsorship or an H-1B visa. These filings represent a subset of all Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators positions. We compare this data against BLS OEWS data which covers all workers in this occupation.

Salary Check

Are you a Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators wondering if your salary is competitive?

Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.

Job Search

Find Open Positions

Browse current openings and compare them against the government-filed salary data above.

Source: US Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) public disclosure files (PERM Form ETA-9089 and LCA Form ETA-9035), and US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Salary figures represent employer filings and government survey estimates, not individual worker pay.