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.
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Licensing, certifications and working conditions
State licensing. Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators is licensed or registered in 12 of 57 states and territories, as reported by each state to CareerOneStop. A license often applies only to certain roles within a career, and records were last updated between 2010 and 2024, so confirm requirements with the state licensing board.
Certifications. CareerOneStop directly links 9 professional certifications to Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators. 3 of them are in CareerOneStop's "Core" group, for example: Forklift Inspector & Operator, Forklift Operator, Heavy Equipment Operator - Compaction Equipment Roller. Certifications are voluntary credentials offered by the organizations named; listing one is not an endorsement.
Working conditions. On average, workers stand or walk about 2.1 hours and sit about 6.5 hours per day. The typical heaviest weight lifted or carried is about 50.0 pounds. For 36.3% of workers the job requires medium strength. Shares of workers who interact with the general public (41.3%), have a consistently fast work pace (46.3%), cannot pause their work (44.7%), and are exposed to the outdoors (over 99.5%). From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Requirements Survey (2023 estimates); figures describe the occupation on average.
Sources: CareerOneStop (licenses and certifications), part of the CareerOneStop suite of web products, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (working conditions, wages). MajorPays has reorganized this information; these agencies have not approved or endorsed it. See it interactively, with state-by-state detail →
More data on this career
Where the jobs are, and what they pay by industry. Nationwide, the industries that employ the most operating engineers and other construction equipment operators are Other Specialty Trade Contractors (25% of the jobs counted, median pay $60,160), Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (14% of the jobs counted, median pay $52,080), Utility System Construction (13% of the jobs counted, median pay $61,740), Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (12% of the jobs counted, median pay $71,260) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). Among large industries, the highest median pay is in Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction ($71,260), Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors ($69,360), Nonresidential Building Construction ($64,350). Pay differs by industry for many reasons, including the mix of jobs and where employers are located.
Injury and illness rates. For operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, employers reported 122.7 nonfatal injury and illness cases with days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers, compared with 94.6 for all U.S. workers; the median case kept the worker away 27 days (all workers: 8) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023-2024). Rates reflect the work setting as well as the occupation.
Union membership. In the broad group "Construction and extraction", which includes this career, 16.4% of wage and salary workers belong to a union (all U.S. workers: 10.0%); median weekly pay is $1,561 for union members and $1,004 for workers not in a union (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, 2025). This is a group figure, not specific to operating engineers and other construction equipment operators.
Employer benefits. In the broad group "Natural resources, construction, and maintenance", which includes this career, 74% of civilian workers had access to an employer retirement plan, 79% had access to employer medical care benefits, and 78% had paid sick leave, 86% paid vacation and 89% paid holidays (all civilian workers: 75%, 74%, 83%, 77% and 79%) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey, March 2026). This is a group figure, not specific to operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, and having access to a benefit does not mean every worker uses it. The Bureau of Labor Statistics has not endorsed this presentation. Employers spent about $48.59 per hour worked on total compensation for the occupational group "Natural resources, construction, and maintenance" in June 2026 ($32.96 in wages and salaries and $15.63 in benefits, 32.2% of the total; all civilian workers: $49.46, with 31.6% in benefits) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation).
Work environment. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, the conditions most often placed at the two highest levels for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators are: outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions (100%), wear common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets (100%), face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams (100%), exposed to contaminants (100%), contact with others (98%), exposed to hazardous equipment (96%). Each percentage is the share of respondents choosing the top two levels for that condition (for example 'most of the time' or 'continually'), so it describes how common the condition is in the job, not how a particular workplace is (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Typical preparation. In O*NET's survey of workers in this occupation, for related work experience, the most common answer (37% of 23 respondents) was "over 2 years, up to and including 4 years"; for on-the-job training, the most common answer (37% of 23 respondents) was "anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month". These are what workers report is needed to do the job; employers' requirements and individual paths vary (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Related careers. O*NET lists these occupations as similar to operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in the work done and the skills used: Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining, Hoist and Winch Operators, Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines, Continuous Mining Machine Operators, Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators, Crane and Tower Operators, Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators, Pile Driver Operators (O*NET 31.0 Database, U.S. Dept. of Labor, ETA, CC BY 4.0).
Pay by state. See what operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn in each state, with the pay range and number of jobs: Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary by state (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025).
Compare operating engineers and other construction equipment operators with other careers (pay, growth, openings and education side by side).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 PUMS (MajorPays' own estimates from the survey; Census is credited as the source of the original data and has not endorsed them); BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses; BLS Current Population Survey; BLS National Compensation Survey (employee benefits); HRSA National Center for Health Workforce Analysis; U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification (LCA disclosure data, FY2025). MajorPays has selected and reorganized these figures; these agencies have not approved or endorsed them. See it interactively →
Mobil Crane Operator/Operation
CIP 49.0206