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.

What you'd actually do

• 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.
• Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors; you're around people constantly. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 2.5% of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

Related careers

• Structural Iron and Steel Workers
• Electricians
• Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
• Construction and Building Inspectors
• First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers
• Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas

Quick questions

How much does a operating engineers and other construction equipment operator make?

The median pay is $28.78 per hour — roughly $60,000 a year, with the real range running from about $20.28/hr (10th percentile) to $48.60/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a operating engineers and other construction equipment operator?

The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: some preparation (Job Zone 2 of 5).

What does a operating engineers and other construction equipment operator actually do all 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.