Home Skill Explorer Help

Overview for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

SOC Code: 47-2073
Star Rating:

  • Career Cluster

    Architecture & Construction

  • Career Pathway

    • Construction

Occupation Description

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. Excludes “Extraction Workers” (47-5000) and “Crane and Tower Operators” (53-7021).

Annual Wages

Created with Highcharts 11.4.0$66,310 - Annual Median Wage$50K$75K
  • 10th Percentile $47190
  • 25th Percentile $57220
  • Median $66310
  • 75th Percentile $86640
  • 90th Percentile $93410

Best Job Matches With Shared Skills

Occupation Average Wage Typical Entry Level Education Current Openings
Occupation
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Bargraph indicating percent
100%
Average Wage
$69,890/year
$33.60/hour
Typical Entry Level Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Current Openings
136
Occupation
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
Bargraph indicating percent
77%
Average Wage
$58,410/year
$28.08/hour
Typical Entry Level Education
Less than high school
Current Openings
8
Occupation
Helpers--Extraction Workers
Bargraph indicating percent
74%
Average Wage
$54,890/year
$26.39/hour
Typical Entry Level Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Current Openings
7
Occupation
Crane and Tower Operators
Bargraph indicating percent
72%
Average Wage
$67,880/year
$32.63/hour
Typical Entry Level Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Current Openings
16
Occupation
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Bargraph indicating percent
71%
Average Wage
$66,300/year
$31.88/hour
Typical Entry Level Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Current Openings
25

Current Openings by County

Click on a county below to find openings are available near you.
0% 
1-20% 
21-40% 
41-60% 
61-80% 
81-100% 
Fewest Open Jobs Most Open Jobs
Adams county has 0 open job(s) Ashland county has 0 open job(s) Barron county has 0 open job(s) Bayfield county has 0 open job(s) Brown county has 4 open job(s) Buffalo county has 0 open job(s) Burnett county has 0 open job(s) Calumet county has 0 open job(s) Chippewa county has 1 open job(s) Clark county has 0 open job(s) Columbia county has 0 open job(s) Crawford county has 2 open job(s) Dane county has 5 open job(s) Dodge county has 1 open job(s) Door county has 0 open job(s) Douglas county has 0 open job(s) Dunn county has 0 open job(s) Eau Claire county has 6 open job(s) Florence county has 0 open job(s) Fond du Lac county has 1 open job(s) Forest county has 0 open job(s) Grant county has 0 open job(s) Green county has 0 open job(s) Green Lake county has 1 open job(s) Iowa county has 1 open job(s) Iron county has 0 open job(s) Jackson county has 0 open job(s) Jefferson county has 1 open job(s) Juneau county has 0 open job(s) Kenosha county has 1 open job(s) Kewaunee county has 0 open job(s) La Crosse county has 2 open job(s) Lafayette county has 1 open job(s) Langlade county has 0 open job(s) Lincoln county has 0 open job(s) Manitowoc county has 0 open job(s) Marathon county has 1 open job(s) Marinette county has 3 open job(s) Marquette county has 0 open job(s) Menominee county has 0 open job(s) Milwaukee county has 10 open job(s) Monroe county has 0 open job(s) Oconto county has 0 open job(s) Oneida county has 0 open job(s) Outagamie county has 5 open job(s) Ozaukee county has 1 open job(s) Pepin county has 1 open job(s) Pierce county has 0 open job(s) Polk county has 1 open job(s) Portage county has 0 open job(s) Price county has 0 open job(s) Racine county has 4 open job(s) Richland county has 0 open job(s) Rock county has 3 open job(s) Rusk county has 1 open job(s) Sauk county has 2 open job(s) Sawyer county has 0 open job(s) Shawano county has 0 open job(s) Sheboygan county has 0 open job(s) St. Croix county has 3 open job(s) Taylor county has 0 open job(s) Trempealeau county has 3 open job(s) Vernon county has 0 open job(s) Vilas county has 1 open job(s) Washburn county has 1 open job(s) Walworth county has 2 open job(s) Washington county has 3 open job(s) Waukesha county has 23 open job(s) Waupaca county has 0 open job(s) Waushara county has 1 open job(s) Winnebago county has 0 open job(s) Wood county has 2 open job(s)

Number of Jobs

Created with Highcharts 11.4.0Number of JobsBase-Year 2022Projected-Year 203202k4k6k8k10k12kHighcharts.com
Average Annual
  • Job Growth 1.19%
  • Job Openings 887

5 Most Recent Job Openings

Overhead Crane Operators
Heavy Equipment Operators
Heavy Equipment Operators
Heavy Equipment Operators
Heavy Equipment Operators/Laborers
View All Open Jobs

Common Job Titles

  • Bush Hog Operator
  • Cable Engineer
  • Equipment Operating Engineer
  • Gang Mower Operator
  • Heavy Machinery Operator

Typical Tasks

  • Learn and follow safety regulations.
  • Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
  • Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.
  • 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.
  • Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines.
  • Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.
  • Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.