Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways or for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials. Includes concrete and asphalt paving machine operators, form tampers, tamping machine operators, and stone spreader operators.

What you'd actually do

• Start machine, engage clutch, and push and move levers to guide machine along forms or guidelines and to control the operation of machine attachments.
• Fill tanks, hoppers, or machines with paving materials.
• Control paving machines to push dump trucks and to maintain a constant flow of asphalt or other material into hoppers or screeds.
• Observe distribution of paving material to adjust machine settings or material flow, and indicate low spots for workers to add material.
• Coordinate truck dumping.
• Drive machines onto truck trailers, and drive trucks to transport machines and material to and from job sites.

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; much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 2.7% of paving, surfacing, and tamping 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
• Solar Photovoltaic Installers

Quick questions

How much does a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operator make?

The median pay is $25.64 per hour — roughly $53,500 a year, with the real range running from about $18.38/hr (10th percentile) to $44.34/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operator?

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

What does a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operator actually do all day?

Start machine, engage clutch, and push and move levers to guide machine along forms or guidelines and to control the operation of machine attachments. Fill tanks, hoppers, or machines with paving materials. Control paving machines to push dump trucks and to maintain a constant flow of asphalt or other material into hoppers or screeds.