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Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Typical education: High school diplomaHigh pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $59,850 Median per year · $28.78/hr Most earn $42,190–$101,090

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Talk to clients and study instructions, plans, or diagrams to establish work requirements.
  • Drive tractor-trailer trucks to move equipment from site to site.
  • Turn valves to control air or water output of compressors or pumps.
  • 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.
  • Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.

Job outlook

United States
5% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 39,200 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Other specialty trade contractors24.1%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals13.5%
  • Highway, street, and bridge construction11.7%
  • Other heavy and civil engineering construction3.8%
  • Power and communication line and related structures construction3.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 2 to 4 years

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: High school diplomaExperience before this job: 2 to 4 years

This isn't usually a straight-from-school job. Most people start with a high school diploma, spend roughly 2 to 4 years on construction sites in easier entry jobs, and then move up to running heavy equipment. Your pay for this work depends on where you live, so check the career page for local and national pay ranges.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Finish school and take courses in math, shop, or auto/mechanical classes, which help with reading plans, measuring, and understanding machines.

  2. Construction Laborer

    1-2 years

    Work on job sites doing hands-on tasks like clearing ground, setting up work zones, and helping equipment operators, so you learn how a crew and a site run.

  3. Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operator

    1-2 years

    Learn to run a machine on the job under supervision, building the basic control and safety skills that heavier equipment requires.

  4. Operating Engineer and Construction Equipment Operator

    Career level

    Operate bulldozers, excavators, graders, loaders, and other equipment to move earth, grade sites, and build structures, and help keep the machines in good shape.

Where it can lead

  1. Lead Equipment Operator

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take charge of other operators on a crew, assign machines, and make sure work is done safely and on schedule.

  2. Construction Superintendent

    5-10 years of experience first

    You manage the whole job site, including schedules, budgets, and crews, which usually requires strong planning and communication skills.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take shop, drafting, or auto mechanics classesThese teach you how machines work and how to read blueprints and site plans, which are both useful on equipment crews.
  • Take math classes like geometry and algebraMeasuring slopes, depths, and grades on a job site depends on solid math skills.
  • Get a summer job on a landscaping, farm, or construction crewHands-on work outdoors shows you whether you like physical work and helps you learn how crews operate.
  • Join a career or technical student organizationMany schools have groups focused on skilled trades, where you can meet workers and learn about safety and teamwork.
  • Get a driver's permit or licenseMany job sites require you to drive to work, and a clean driving record helps when applying for trade jobs.

In college

  • Take courses in construction technology, heavy equipment, or diesel mechanicsMany community colleges offer these classes, which give you a head start on the skills operators use every day.
  • Work a summer or part-time job on a construction or road crewHands-on time on real job sites builds experience that employers look for when hiring equipment operators.
  • Ask about safety certifications your local area offersBasic site safety and first aid certificates, which many schools and towns run, can make you a stronger job applicant.
  • Volunteer on a community building or cleanup projectHelping with site work, like clearing land or building trails, gives you practical exposure to the tasks operators handle.
  • Talk to local equipment operators and union representativesLearning from people already in the trade helps you understand the training routes and what to expect early on.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local construction company or union hall whether they take on helpers or apprentices, and find out what they look for in new people.
  • Get a valid driver's license early and learn basic safety rules, since many job sites require both.
  • Start keeping a simple log of the equipment you have used, the tasks you did, and the supervisors who worked with you. It helps when you apply for better jobs.

Related jobs that often lead here

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

  • Ground Transportation Certificate: typical pay 1 year after finishing $48,327 a year · typical debt $6,365

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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