Entry-Level Opportunities for Heavy Equipment Operators — 2026
Bridgeport, Connecticut ranks first with an average Heavy Equipment Operator salary of $88,050 per year ($42.33/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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport | Connecticut | $88,050 | $42.33/hr | $61,770 | $110,990 |
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin | $82,100 | $39.47/hr | $61,390 | $100,860 |
| Urban Honolulu | Hawaii | $104,010 | $50.00/hr | $60,990 | $129,170 |
| San Francisco | California | $110,300 | $53.03/hr | $60,910 | $149,260 |
| Minneapolis | Minnesota | $84,200 | $40.48/hr | $60,100 | $104,250 |
| Anchorage | Alaska | $80,570 | $38.74/hr | $59,840 | $107,110 |
| Seattle | Washington | $96,510 | $46.40/hr | $59,830 | $128,420 |
| Portland | Oregon | $85,450 | $41.08/hr | $59,520 | $123,290 |
| Hartford | Connecticut | $83,150 | $39.98/hr | $59,450 | $106,490 |
| Madison | Wisconsin | $82,780 | $39.80/hr | $58,830 | $102,450 |
| Chicago | Illinois | $96,370 | $46.33/hr | $58,060 | $124,160 |
| Sacramento | California | $95,640 | $45.98/hr | $57,910 | $131,260 |
| New York | New York | $100,710 | $48.42/hr | $56,680 | $154,040 |
| San Diego | California | $94,160 | $45.27/hr | $54,520 | $136,080 |
| Boston | Massachusetts | $85,960 | $41.33/hr | $54,010 | $125,860 |
| Bakersfield | California | $86,130 | $41.41/hr | $52,600 | $126,170 |
| Denver | Colorado | $67,120 | $32.27/hr | $52,470 | $79,900 |
| Providence | Rhode Island | $75,000 | $36.06/hr | $52,470 | $105,000 |
| Los Angeles | California | $94,200 | $45.29/hr | $52,460 | $130,720 |
| Spokane | Washington | $77,290 | $37.16/hr | $52,110 | $107,640 |
| Modesto | California | $95,910 | $46.11/hr | $52,020 | $131,850 |
| Columbus | Ohio | $78,470 | $37.72/hr | $50,610 | $99,390 |
| Fresno | California | $89,160 | $42.86/hr | $50,070 | $127,150 |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | $77,660 | $37.34/hr | $49,650 | $97,130 |
| Boise | Idaho | $62,790 | $30.19/hr | $49,510 | $78,660 |
| Stockton | California | $87,990 | $42.31/hr | $49,490 | $128,960 |
| Worcester | Massachusetts | $83,980 | $40.38/hr | $49,440 | $126,110 |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado | $62,850 | $30.22/hr | $49,390 | $77,740 |
| Syracuse | New York | $79,110 | $38.03/hr | $49,370 | $121,270 |
| Buffalo | New York | $77,990 | $37.50/hr | $49,170 | $114,540 |
| Salt Lake City | Utah | $62,890 | $30.24/hr | $48,960 | $78,420 |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | $74,530 | $35.83/hr | $48,820 | $121,480 |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | $75,200 | $36.16/hr | $48,780 | $113,310 |
| Phoenix | Arizona | $63,350 | $30.46/hr | $48,660 | $81,220 |
| Riverside | California | $86,910 | $41.79/hr | $48,640 | $127,840 |
| Detroit | Michigan | $69,390 | $33.36/hr | $48,300 | $93,920 |
| Louisville | Kentucky | $65,240 | $31.37/hr | $48,150 | $90,310 |
| Ogden | Utah | $60,000 | $28.85/hr | $48,070 | $74,760 |
| Cleveland | Ohio | $74,690 | $35.91/hr | $48,000 | $99,760 |
| Provo | Utah | $59,970 | $28.83/hr | $47,500 | $73,860 |
| Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | $68,670 | $33.01/hr | $47,480 | $94,570 |
| Baltimore | Maryland | $61,060 | $29.36/hr | $47,370 | $77,770 |
| Dayton | Ohio | $70,020 | $33.67/hr | $47,270 | $97,770 |
| Kansas City | Missouri | $70,930 | $34.10/hr | $47,250 | $96,840 |
| Allentown | Pennsylvania | $66,920 | $32.17/hr | $47,220 | $93,730 |
| Cincinnati | Ohio | $72,760 | $34.98/hr | $47,210 | $99,500 |
| St Louis | Missouri | $77,930 | $37.47/hr | $47,210 | $100,810 |
| Grand Rapids | Michigan | $66,160 | $31.81/hr | $47,060 | $84,860 |
| York | Pennsylvania | $65,700 | $31.59/hr | $46,920 | $89,900 |
| Omaha | Nebraska | $61,090 | $29.37/hr | $46,870 | $77,920 |
| Rochester | New York | $74,720 | $35.92/hr | $46,800 | $112,740 |
| Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | $62,450 | $30.03/hr | $46,780 | $90,500 |
| Scranton | Pennsylvania | $64,270 | $30.90/hr | $46,780 | $90,120 |
| Des Moines | Iowa | $66,340 | $31.89/hr | $46,710 | $82,970 |
| Akron | Ohio | $70,690 | $33.99/hr | $46,700 | $98,500 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | $57,270 | $27.54/hr | $46,630 | $73,900 |
| Washington | District of Columbia | $64,850 | $31.18/hr | $46,580 | $84,180 |
| Fort Wayne | Indiana | $73,600 | $35.39/hr | $46,500 | $95,730 |
| Lancaster | Pennsylvania | $63,550 | $30.55/hr | $46,120 | $94,390 |
| Toledo | Ohio | $72,190 | $34.71/hr | $45,950 | $97,580 |
| Tucson | Arizona | $58,030 | $27.90/hr | $45,160 | $75,250 |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | $55,090 | $26.48/hr | $41,970 | $70,400 |
| Knoxville | Tennessee | $53,450 | $25.70/hr | $41,790 | $78,520 |
| Dallas | Texas | $55,140 | $26.51/hr | $41,700 | $71,080 |
| Baton Rouge | Louisiana | $58,870 | $28.30/hr | $40,990 | $76,720 |
| Richmond | Virginia | $56,620 | $27.22/hr | $40,650 | $74,400 |
| Albuquerque | New Mexico | $54,370 | $26.14/hr | $40,600 | $67,530 |
| Memphis | Tennessee | $55,080 | $26.48/hr | $40,560 | $72,790 |
| Charleston | South Carolina | $54,890 | $26.39/hr | $40,540 | $72,090 |
| Raleigh | North Carolina | $54,460 | $26.18/hr | $40,540 | $65,970 |
| Austin | Texas | $54,790 | $26.34/hr | $40,420 | $71,390 |
| Tampa | Florida | $54,410 | $26.16/hr | $40,390 | $73,320 |
| Chattanooga | Tennessee | $54,870 | $26.38/hr | $40,370 | $77,320 |
| Miami | Florida | $54,900 | $26.39/hr | $40,200 | $71,200 |
| Wichita | Kansas | $53,950 | $25.94/hr | $40,050 | $74,020 |
| San Antonio | Texas | $52,990 | $25.47/hr | $39,840 | $70,040 |
| Birmingham | Alabama | $56,100 | $26.97/hr | $39,760 | $74,320 |
| Durham | North Carolina | $55,020 | $26.45/hr | $39,690 | $71,240 |
| Atlanta | Georgia | $52,100 | $25.05/hr | $39,610 | $64,680 |
| Palm Bay | Florida | $51,670 | $24.84/hr | $39,550 | $63,940 |
| Cape Coral | Florida | $52,990 | $25.48/hr | $39,520 | $63,300 |
| Virginia Beach | Virginia | $55,080 | $26.48/hr | $39,500 | $73,700 |
| New Orleans | Louisiana | $58,280 | $28.02/hr | $39,330 | $75,400 |
| Jacksonville | Florida | $52,870 | $25.42/hr | $39,290 | $64,660 |
| Orlando | Florida | $52,630 | $25.30/hr | $39,280 | $63,800 |
| Houston | Texas | $55,410 | $26.64/hr | $39,170 | $71,960 |
| Greensboro | North Carolina | $51,270 | $24.65/hr | $39,050 | $62,800 |
| Tulsa | Oklahoma | $50,900 | $24.47/hr | $38,820 | $63,160 |
| Greenville | South Carolina | $51,530 | $24.77/hr | $38,790 | $63,560 |
| Augusta | Georgia | $51,440 | $24.73/hr | $38,710 | $67,040 |
| Pensacola | Florida | $48,920 | $23.52/hr | $38,510 | $60,880 |
| Mobile | Alabama | $50,510 | $24.28/hr | $38,400 | $62,980 |
| Columbia | South Carolina | $50,580 | $24.32/hr | $38,150 | $62,230 |
| Little Rock | Arkansas | $47,100 | $22.64/hr | $37,800 | $58,770 |
| Lakeland | Florida | $51,240 | $24.64/hr | $37,440 | $65,840 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | $51,460 | $24.74/hr | $37,440 | $65,100 |
| Jackson | Mississippi | $48,170 | $23.16/hr | $36,760 | $60,860 |
| Victoria | Texas | $52,670 | $25.32/hr | $36,610 | $69,420 |
| El Paso | Texas | $47,610 | $22.89/hr | $34,840 | $61,530 |
| McAllen | Texas | $42,720 | $20.54/hr | $31,420 | $56,720 |