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Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

	Median Wage (USD, 2024)	Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)	Projected Growth (2023-2033)
National Statistics	$58,710	41500	4.2%
State Statistics	-	-	-
City Statistics	-	-	-

Statistics

National

State

City

State

City

$58,710

Median Wage (USD, 2023)

41500

Projected Job Openings (2023-2033)

4.2%

Projected Growth (2023-2033)

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.

Experience Requirements Overview

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

Education, Training and Experience

Required Level of Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

On-Site or In-Plant Training: N.A.

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Detailed Work Activities

Update job related knowledge or skills.
Position construction or extraction equipment.
Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.
Operate equipment or vehicles to clear construction sites or move materials.
Locate equipment or materials in need of repair or replacement.
Monitor construction operations.
Position construction or extraction equipment.
Load or unload materials used in construction or extraction.
Operate equipment or vehicles to clear construction sites or move materials.
Move construction or extraction materials to locations where they are needed.
Position construction or extraction equipment.
Operate equipment or vehicles to clear construction sites or move materials.
Maintain construction tools or equipment.
Monitor construction operations.
Install equipment attachments or components.
Operate equipment or vehicles to clear construction sites or move materials.
Select construction equipment.
Install equipment attachments or components.
Test air quality at work sites.
Compact materials to create level bases.
Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements.
Communicate with clients about products, procedures, and policies.
Signal equipment operators to indicate proper equipment positioning.
Operate road-surfacing equipment.
Assist skilled construction or extraction personnel.
Record operational or environmental data.
Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment.
Operate pumps or compressors.
Remove debris or vegetation from work sites.

Work Values

Achievement

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Working Conditions

Recognition

Relationships

Support

Independence

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.
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.
Drive and maneuver equipment equipped with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, or rocks or to distribute and level earth or terrain.
Operate tractors or bulldozers to perform such tasks as clearing land, mixing sludge, trimming backfills, or building roadways or parking lots.
Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.
Connect hydraulic hoses, belts, mechanical linkages, or power takeoff shafts to tractors.
Select and fasten bulldozer blades or other attachments to tractors, using hitches.
Operate loaders to pull out stumps, rip asphalt or concrete, rough-grade properties, bury refuse, or perform general cleanup.
Operate equipment to demolish or remove debris or to remove snow from streets, roads, or parking lots.
Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered.
Adjust handwheels and depress pedals to control attachments, such as blades, buckets, scrapers, or swing booms.
Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.
Talk to clients and study instructions, plans, or diagrams to establish work requirements.
Drive tractor-trailer trucks to move equipment from site to site.
Push other equipment when extra traction or assistance is required.
Operate road watering, oiling, or rolling equipment, or street sealing equipment, such as chip spreaders.
Operate compactors, scrapers, or rollers to level, compact, or cover refuse at disposal grounds.
Test atmosphere for adequate oxygen or explosive conditions when working in confined spaces.
Turn valves to control air or water output of compressors or pumps.

Work Styles

Achievement/Effort

Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self-Control

Stress Tolerance

Adaptability/Flexibility

Dependability

Attention to Detail

Integrity

Independence

Innovation

Analytical Thinking

Data Source: This page includes information from the O*NET 30.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This page includes Employment Projections program, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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