Best Value Cities for Heavy Equipment Operators — 2026
Modesto, California ranks first with an average Heavy Equipment Operator salary of $95,910 per year ($46.11/hr). Full ranking of 100 cities below, updated August 2026.
Methodology: Wage figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release data vintage (survey reference period May 2025), mapped from SOC occupation 47-2073 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators to the job title "Heavy Equipment Operator". Values are measured survey estimates for the metropolitan metropolitan statistical area (MSA) — not modeled or interpolated. Year-over-year comparisons use the May 2024 OEWS release. The year shown in page titles is the publication and update year, not the data vintage.
Ranked Cities
| City | State | Average Annual Salary | Hourly Rate | Entry Level | Senior Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto | California | $95,910 | $46.11/hr | $52,020 | $131,850 |
| Fresno | California | $89,160 | $42.86/hr | $50,070 | $127,150 |
| Chicago | Illinois | $96,370 | $46.33/hr | $58,060 | $124,160 |
| Syracuse | New York | $79,110 | $38.03/hr | $49,370 | $121,270 |
| Buffalo | New York | $77,990 | $37.50/hr | $49,170 | $114,540 |
| Bakersfield | California | $86,130 | $41.41/hr | $52,600 | $126,170 |
| Toledo | Ohio | $72,190 | $34.71/hr | $45,950 | $97,580 |
| Fort Wayne | Indiana | $73,600 | $35.39/hr | $46,500 | $95,730 |
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin | $82,100 | $39.47/hr | $61,390 | $100,860 |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | $77,660 | $37.34/hr | $49,650 | $97,130 |
| St Louis | Missouri | $77,930 | $37.47/hr | $47,210 | $100,810 |
| Rochester | New York | $74,720 | $35.92/hr | $46,800 | $112,740 |
| Cleveland | Ohio | $74,690 | $35.91/hr | $48,000 | $99,760 |
| Madison | Wisconsin | $82,780 | $39.80/hr | $58,830 | $102,450 |
| Columbus | Ohio | $78,470 | $37.72/hr | $50,610 | $99,390 |
| Akron | Ohio | $70,690 | $33.99/hr | $46,700 | $98,500 |
| Minneapolis | Minnesota | $84,200 | $40.48/hr | $60,100 | $104,250 |
| Spokane | Washington | $77,290 | $37.16/hr | $52,110 | $107,640 |
| Dayton | Ohio | $70,020 | $33.67/hr | $47,270 | $97,770 |
| Cincinnati | Ohio | $72,760 | $34.98/hr | $47,210 | $99,500 |
| Stockton | California | $87,990 | $42.31/hr | $49,490 | $128,960 |
| Sacramento | California | $95,640 | $45.98/hr | $57,910 | $131,260 |
| Worcester | Massachusetts | $83,980 | $40.38/hr | $49,440 | $126,110 |
| Detroit | Michigan | $69,390 | $33.36/hr | $48,300 | $93,920 |
| Riverside | California | $86,910 | $41.79/hr | $48,640 | $127,840 |
| Kansas City | Missouri | $70,930 | $34.10/hr | $47,250 | $96,840 |
| Scranton | Pennsylvania | $64,270 | $30.90/hr | $46,780 | $90,120 |
| Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | $68,670 | $33.01/hr | $47,480 | $94,570 |
| Hartford | Connecticut | $83,150 | $39.98/hr | $59,450 | $106,490 |
| Des Moines | Iowa | $66,340 | $31.89/hr | $46,710 | $82,970 |
| Grand Rapids | Michigan | $66,160 | $31.81/hr | $47,060 | $84,860 |
| Louisville | Kentucky | $65,240 | $31.37/hr | $48,150 | $90,310 |
| York | Pennsylvania | $65,700 | $31.59/hr | $46,920 | $89,900 |
| Bridgeport | Connecticut | $88,050 | $42.33/hr | $61,770 | $110,990 |
| Portland | Oregon | $85,450 | $41.08/hr | $59,520 | $123,290 |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | $74,530 | $35.83/hr | $48,820 | $121,480 |
| Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | $62,450 | $30.03/hr | $46,780 | $90,500 |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | $75,200 | $36.16/hr | $48,780 | $113,310 |
| Omaha | Nebraska | $61,090 | $29.37/hr | $46,870 | $77,920 |
| Baton Rouge | Louisiana | $58,870 | $28.30/hr | $40,990 | $76,720 |
| Lancaster | Pennsylvania | $63,550 | $30.55/hr | $46,120 | $94,390 |
| Birmingham | Alabama | $56,100 | $26.97/hr | $39,760 | $74,320 |
| Allentown | Pennsylvania | $66,920 | $32.17/hr | $47,220 | $93,730 |
| Wichita | Kansas | $53,950 | $25.94/hr | $40,050 | $74,020 |
| Providence | Rhode Island | $75,000 | $36.06/hr | $52,470 | $105,000 |
| Memphis | Tennessee | $55,080 | $26.48/hr | $40,560 | $72,790 |
| Boston | Massachusetts | $85,960 | $41.33/hr | $54,010 | $125,860 |
| New Orleans | Louisiana | $58,280 | $28.02/hr | $39,330 | $75,400 |
| Chattanooga | Tennessee | $54,870 | $26.38/hr | $40,370 | $77,320 |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado | $62,850 | $30.22/hr | $49,390 | $77,740 |
| Denver | Colorado | $67,120 | $32.27/hr | $52,470 | $79,900 |
| Phoenix | Arizona | $63,350 | $30.46/hr | $48,660 | $81,220 |
| Seattle | Washington | $96,510 | $46.40/hr | $59,830 | $128,420 |
| Tucson | Arizona | $58,030 | $27.90/hr | $45,160 | $75,250 |
| Mobile | Alabama | $50,510 | $24.28/hr | $38,400 | $62,980 |
| Boise | Idaho | $62,790 | $30.19/hr | $49,510 | $78,660 |
| Anchorage | Alaska | $80,570 | $38.74/hr | $59,840 | $107,110 |
| Ogden | Utah | $60,000 | $28.85/hr | $48,070 | $74,760 |
| Salt Lake City | Utah | $62,890 | $30.24/hr | $48,960 | $78,420 |
| Tulsa | Oklahoma | $50,900 | $24.47/hr | $38,820 | $63,160 |
| Urban Honolulu | Hawaii | $104,010 | $50.00/hr | $60,990 | $129,170 |
| Richmond | Virginia | $56,620 | $27.22/hr | $40,650 | $74,400 |
| Knoxville | Tennessee | $53,450 | $25.70/hr | $41,790 | $78,520 |
| Provo | Utah | $59,970 | $28.83/hr | $47,500 | $73,860 |
| Albuquerque | New Mexico | $54,370 | $26.14/hr | $40,600 | $67,530 |
| Victoria | Texas | $52,670 | $25.32/hr | $36,610 | $69,420 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | $51,460 | $24.74/hr | $37,440 | $65,100 |
| Augusta | Georgia | $51,440 | $24.73/hr | $38,710 | $67,040 |
| Charleston | South Carolina | $54,890 | $26.39/hr | $40,540 | $72,090 |
| San Antonio | Texas | $52,990 | $25.47/hr | $39,840 | $70,040 |
| Jackson | Mississippi | $48,170 | $23.16/hr | $36,760 | $60,860 |
| Houston | Texas | $55,410 | $26.64/hr | $39,170 | $71,960 |
| El Paso | Texas | $47,610 | $22.89/hr | $34,840 | $61,530 |
| Greenville | South Carolina | $51,530 | $24.77/hr | $38,790 | $63,560 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | $57,270 | $27.54/hr | $46,630 | $73,900 |
| Jacksonville | Florida | $52,870 | $25.42/hr | $39,290 | $64,660 |
| Dallas | Texas | $55,140 | $26.51/hr | $41,700 | $71,080 |
| San Diego | California | $94,160 | $45.27/hr | $54,520 | $136,080 |
| Durham | North Carolina | $55,020 | $26.45/hr | $39,690 | $71,240 |
| Greensboro | North Carolina | $51,270 | $24.65/hr | $39,050 | $62,800 |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | $55,090 | $26.48/hr | $41,970 | $70,400 |
| Austin | Texas | $54,790 | $26.34/hr | $40,420 | $71,390 |
| San Francisco | California | $110,300 | $53.03/hr | $60,910 | $149,260 |
| Lakeland | Florida | $51,240 | $24.64/hr | $37,440 | $65,840 |
| Columbia | South Carolina | $50,580 | $24.32/hr | $38,150 | $62,230 |
| Raleigh | North Carolina | $54,460 | $26.18/hr | $40,540 | $65,970 |
| Little Rock | Arkansas | $47,100 | $22.64/hr | $37,800 | $58,770 |
| McAllen | Texas | $42,720 | $20.54/hr | $31,420 | $56,720 |
| Cape Coral | Florida | $52,990 | $25.48/hr | $39,520 | $63,300 |
| Virginia Beach | Virginia | $55,080 | $26.48/hr | $39,500 | $73,700 |
| Los Angeles | California | $94,200 | $45.29/hr | $52,460 | $130,720 |
| Palm Bay | Florida | $51,670 | $24.84/hr | $39,550 | $63,940 |
| Pensacola | Florida | $48,920 | $23.52/hr | $38,510 | $60,880 |
| New York | New York | $100,710 | $48.42/hr | $56,680 | $154,040 |
| Atlanta | Georgia | $52,100 | $25.05/hr | $39,610 | $64,680 |
| Tampa | Florida | $54,410 | $26.16/hr | $40,390 | $73,320 |
| Baltimore | Maryland | $61,060 | $29.36/hr | $47,370 | $77,770 |
| Orlando | Florida | $52,630 | $25.30/hr | $39,280 | $63,800 |
| Miami | Florida | $54,900 | $26.39/hr | $40,200 | $71,200 |
| Washington | District of Columbia | $64,850 | $31.18/hr | $46,580 | $84,180 |