Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators earn a median of $59,850 per year ($28.78/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 4.6% through 2035, with about 39,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- Commonly called: Heavy Equipment Operator
- SOC 47-2073
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 15, 2026
At a glance
Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $59,850a year, or $28.78/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $42KTop 10% $101K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.6%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 39,200489,500 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025489.5K
- Projected 2035511.8K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 489.5K Projected 2035 511.8K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school1.4%
- High school81.7%
- Certificate0.6%
- Some college16.3%
Highest education held by operating engineers and other construction equipment operators Segment Value Less than high school 1.4% High school 81.7% Certificate 0.6% Some college 16.3%
Also advertised as: Back Hoe Operator, Engineering Equipment Operator, Equipment Operator (EO), Forklift Operator, Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO), Hot Mix Asphalt Operator.
Pay
How much do heavy equipment operators make?
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators earn a median of $59,850 a year ($28.78 an hour, or about $4,990 a month); the lowest-paid 10% earn less than $42,190 and the top 10% more than $101,090 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The best-paying state is Hawaii, with a median of $115,860. See Heavy equipment operator salary in Hawaii and every other state. By city, pay is highest around San Jose ($111,400 average): salary in every city.
Every operating engineer and other construction equipment operator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$59,850
Middle half earn $48,680 to $77,170
- 10th
- $42,190
- 25th
- $48,680
- 75th
- $77,170
- 90th
- $101,090
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $42,190 |
| 25th | $48,680 |
| Median | $59,850 |
| 75th | $77,170 |
| 90th | $101,090 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $59,850
- Median hourly wage
- $28.78/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $66,290
- People employed
- 478,090
Versus all US occupations
At $59,850, Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators earn 17% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $8,870 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
The median is typical for the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $101,090 or more while the bottom 10% earn $42,190, a gap of 2.4×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 32% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Hawaii pays the most at $115,860, and still leads at $105,374 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay heavy equipment operators the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hawaii | $115,860 | $105,374 | 2,380 |
| 2Illinois | $97,740 | $97,781 | 12,290 |
| 3New Jersey | $89,660 | $82,404 | 5,980 |
| 4California | $87,160 | $78,721 | 36,020 |
| 5Washington | $81,700 | $76,346 | 10,290 |
| 6New York | $80,980 | $75,036 | 14,490 |
| 7Indiana | $79,580 | $85,268 | 11,520 |
| 8Minnesota | $79,130 | $80,236 | 8,590 |
| 9Connecticut | $78,750 | $76,006 | 2,860 |
| 10Alaska | $77,810 | $76,017 | 3,050 |
Job outlook
Is heavy equipment operator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +4.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | +4.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators to change 4.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 22,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 39,200 openings are projected each year, 8.0% of the 489,500 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of construction equipment operators is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Projected employment of construction equipment operators varies by occupation (see table).
Spending on infrastructure is expected to increase, resulting in some new jobs for construction equipment operators over the decade. Across the country, many roads, bridges, and water and sewer systems are in need of repair. In addition, population growth will require new infrastructure, such as roads and sewer lines, which are expected to generate jobs.
AI exposure: low
BLS places this occupation in its low relative AI exposure category, among the occupations least exposed to current AI.
Getting in
How to become a heavy equipment operator
There is no national licence for running heavy construction equipment. The credential most operators actually need is a commercial driver's licence, because they haul the machines between jobsites rather than because they operate them, and BLS notes that a few states additionally license operators of backhoes, loaders and bulldozers. Entry is on the job or through a 3 or 4 year registered apprenticeship. Two federal rules do bind the work itself: anyone under 18 is barred from operating backhoes, front-end loaders and skid-steer loaders in non-agricultural employment, and working at a quarry or sand and gravel pit triggers MSHA new miner training before you start.
The credential path, step by step
- Finish high school and take the math and mechanics courses
BLS records a high school diploma or equivalent as typically required. Vocational training and math courses are useful, and a course in automotive mechanics helps because operators often maintain their own equipment. Some schools specialise in a particular brand or type of machine and some now run simulator training so beginners learn the controls before touching a real machine.
- Check the age rule before you apply
Federal child labor rules (Hazardous Occupations Order 7) declare the operation of a high-lift truck hazardous for minors aged 16 and 17, and the regulation defines high-lift truck to include backhoes, front-end loaders, skid loaders, skid-steer loaders and Bobcat loaders by name. In non-agricultural employment that puts most of this equipment off limits until you turn 18.
- Pick the on-the-job route or the apprenticeship route3 to 4 years for an apprenticeship
Many operators learn by running light equipment such as a trench roller under an experienced operator and move up to bulldozers later. The alternative is a 3 or 4 year apprenticeship. BLS states that for each year of a typical program apprentices complete a predetermined number of hours of technical instruction and paid on-the-job training, and that requirements differ by program type and region. Registered apprenticeship sponsors include unions (the International Union of Operating Engineers runs more than 100 local training centres across the United States and Canada) and non-union contractor associations; the union and non-union routes both exist and both are paid.
- Get the CDL you need to move the machine
BLS states that construction equipment operators often need a commercial driver's licence to haul their equipment to various jobsites, and that state laws governing CDLs vary. A lowboy or float carrying an excavator is almost always a Group A combination vehicle, which under federal rules means a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more towing a unit rated over 10,000 pounds.
- Add the site-specific training the jobsite demands
If the site is a mine, quarry or sand and gravel operation, federal MSHA rules require 24 hours of new miner training, of which at least 4 hours must be delivered before you begin work, plus 8 hours of refresher training every 12 months thereafter. BLS puts 5 percent of construction equipment operator employment in mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction, so this is a live requirement rather than an edge case.
- Decide whether you are moving toward cranes
Cranes are a separate occupation with a genuinely mandatory federal credential. Under OSHA's construction crane rule the employer must ensure every operator is trained, certified or licensed, and separately evaluated, before operating covered equipment; equipment with a maximum manufacturer-rated hoisting capacity of 2,000 pounds or less is excluded. A licence issued by a state or local government is valid for no longer than 5 years, the employer must provide the certification at no cost to the employee, and the rule states plainly that possession of a certificate or degree cannot by itself make a person qualified. BLS also notes that some states and cities require pile driver operators to hold a crane licence.
- How long the training takes
3 to 4 years for an apprenticeship
Learning on the job has no fixed length and begins with light equipment; a registered apprenticeship runs 3 or 4 years, and after completing it apprentices are considered journey workers.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
No state licenses the occupation as such, but three things vary. First, the CDL: it is issued by your state to federal minimum standards, so the vehicle groups and endorsement codes are national while fees, manuals and testing arrangements are not. Second, BLS reports that a few states have special licences for operators of backhoes, loaders and bulldozers, and that requirements should be checked with the local or state licensing board. Third, crane licensing: some states and cities license crane operators outright, and where they do, OSHA's rule defers to that licence provided the programme meets its criteria and the licence runs no longer than five years. BLS notes some states and cities apply the crane licence to pile driver operators as well, because the operational concerns are similar.
Who governs the credential
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Sets the federal operator training, certification and evaluation rule for cranes used in construction, including the 2,000 pound capacity exclusion, the five-year ceiling on state licences, and the employer's separate duty to evaluate and document each operator.
- Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA)
Requires 24 hours of new miner training (at least 4 hours before work begins) and 8 hours of annual refresher training for anyone working at a shell dredging, sand, gravel, surface stone, surface clay, colloidal phosphate or surface limestone mine, which covers many quarry equipment operators.
- US Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (WHD)
Administers Hazardous Occupations Order 7, which bars 16 and 17 year olds in non-agricultural employment from operating high-lift trucks, a term the regulation defines to include backhoes, front-end loaders, skid loaders, skid-steer loaders and Bobcat loaders.
- International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)
Runs the union apprenticeship route, delivered at more than 100 local union training centres across the United States and Canada plus the International Training and Education Center. Applications go to the local, not to the international.
- Apprenticeship.gov (US Department of Labor Office of Apprenticeship)
Lists registered apprenticeship openings and issues, through the Office of Apprenticeship or a State Apprenticeship Agency, the nationally recognized Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship at the end of a registered programme.
Credential detail for operating engineer and other construction equipment operators is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — Construction Equipment Operators, How to Become One · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 29 CFR 570.58 — Occupations involved in the operation of power-driven hoisting apparatus (Order 7), including the definition of high-lift truck · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 30 CFR Part 46 — Training and retraining of miners engaged in shell dredging or employed at sand, gravel, surface stone, surface clay, colloidal phosphate, or surface limestone mines (46.5 new miner training, 46.8 annual refresher) · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 29 CFR 1926.1427 — Operator training, certification, and evaluation (cranes in construction) · checked August 23, 2026
- eCFR, 49 CFR 383.5 — Definition of commercial motor vehicle and the Group A, B and C weight thresholds · checked August 23, 2026
- International Union of Operating Engineers — Earn While You Learn apprenticeship training · checked August 23, 2026
- Apprenticeship.gov — Career Seekers · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Workers may learn equipment operation on the job after earning a high school diploma or equivalent, through an apprenticeship, or by attending vocational schools.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as operating engineers and other construction equipment operators.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)81.7%
- Some College Courses16.3%
- Less than a High School Diploma1.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate0.6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 81.7% |
| Some College Courses | 16.3% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 1.4% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 0.6% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a heavy equipment operator do?
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.
Construction equipment operators drive, maneuver, or control the heavy machinery used to construct roads, bridges, buildings, and other structures.
Day-to-day tasks
- Learn and follow safety regulations.
- 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 equipment to demolish or remove debris or to remove snow from streets, roads, or parking lots.
- Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
- Operate tractors or bulldozers to perform such tasks as clearing land, mixing sludge, trimming backfills, or building roadways or parking lots.
- Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.
- Operate loaders to pull out stumps, rip asphalt or concrete, rough-grade properties, bury refuse, or perform general cleanup.
- Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Fatal injury rate: 11.7 per 100,000 workers (3.5x the 3.3 average)
BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 2024, for the group “Construction equipment operators”: 49 deaths that year.
Construction equipment operators may have irregular schedules, such as continuing around the clock or late into the night. Most construction equipment operators work full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. The work may be seasonal in areas of the country that experience extreme cold.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely seriousMistakes carry very serious consequences.
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.1
- Active Listening3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.9
- Speaking2.9
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Active Learning2.9
- Learning Strategies2.1
- Writing2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 2.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.1 |
| Writing | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control4.1
- Operations Monitoring3.3
- Equipment Maintenance3.3
- Troubleshooting3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Coordination2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.9
- Repairing2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 4.1 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.3 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.9 |
| Repairing | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Facilities management software
- Time accounting software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
The workforce
Who works as a heavy equipment operator?
Women make up 4.6% of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, against 47.1% of all employed people: a heavily male-dominated occupation.
21.0% are 55 or older, close to the 23.2% across all jobs.
The median worker is 40.9 years old (all workers: 42.1).
- Women
- 4.6%All workers 47.1% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Median age
- 40.9All workers 42.1 · BLS CPS, 2025
- Aged 55+
- 21.0%All workers 23.2% · BLS CPS, 2025
- Employed (CPS)
- 404,000Construction equipment operators · BLS CPS, 2025
| Group | Share of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators | All employed people |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 4.6% | 47.1% |
| White | 86.5% | 75.7% |
| Black or African American | 8.3% | 12.7% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 7.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 21.9% | 20.0% |
| Aged 55 and over | 21.0% | 23.2% |
| Aged 16 to 24 | 13.9% | 12.2% |
Current Population Survey annual averages, 2025 (BLS tables 11 and 11b). Race groups can overlap with Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, so they do not sum to 100%. CPS reports this occupation only within the wider Census group “Construction equipment operators”, so these figures are for that group.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a heavy equipment operator?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional3.9
- Investigative2.9
- Enterprising1.3
- Social1.1
- Artistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator
O*NET related occupations
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Most earn $42K to $82K
+1.0%High school - Transportation and Material Moving
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More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with operating engineers and other construction equipment operators highlighted
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher$57,020
- Roofer$55,440
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher | $57,020 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Specialty careers within operating engineer and other construction equipment operator
Distinct careers BLS counts inside this occupation, each with its own profile.
Lists Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator appears on
Questions
Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator: frequently asked questions
How much do heavy equipment operators make?
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators earn a median of $59,850 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 17% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $28.78/hr. The middle half earn between $48,680 and $77,170. The top 10% earn $101,090 or more.
How much do heavy equipment operators make an hour?
The median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators is $28.78 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). On a full-year basis the $59,850 annual median works out to about $4,990 a month before tax.
What is the starting salary for a heavy equipment operator?
BLS does not publish a starting salary. The nearest measure is the low end of the pay range: the lowest-paid 10% of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn less than $42,190 a year and the bottom quarter less than $48,680 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). New workers often start near that end, but where a particular job starts depends on the employer, the state and the credentials you bring, so read these as the bottom of the range rather than a guaranteed entry wage.
Do heavy equipment operators make $100k?
A minority do. $100,000 sits between the 75th percentile ($77,170) and the 90th ($101,090), so roughly 10% to 25% of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn more than that (BLS OEWS, May 2025). One state has a median above $100,000: Hawaii ($115,860).
Which states pay heavy equipment operators the most?
The highest state medians for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators are Hawaii ($115,860), Illinois ($97,740), New Jersey ($89,660) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What kind of heavy equipment operator earns the most?
BLS does not split operating engineers and other construction equipment operators' pay by specialty or employer, but its range shows how far the top end runs: the highest-paid 10% earn more than $101,090, against a median of $59,850 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Location moves pay the most in the published data: the best-paying states are Hawaii ($115,860), Illinois ($97,740), New Jersey ($89,660). BLS also counts a specialty career inside this occupation (tunnel boring machine operator), which shares its federal pay figures.
Do you need a degree to become a heavy equipment operator?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 81.7% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is heavy equipment operator a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4.6% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 39,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a heavy equipment operator do?
Construction equipment operators drive, maneuver, or control the heavy machinery used to construct roads, bridges, buildings, and other structures. A core O*NET task: learn and follow safety regulations. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Do heavy equipment operators work 40 hours a week?
More work over 40 hours than at exactly 40. In O*NET's survey of people in the job, 0% of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators usually work more than 40 hours a week, 0% work exactly 40 and 0% work fewer. 23% say their schedule is regular and 47% irregular, and 30% work seasonally. Source: O*NET 31.0 Database, Work Context.
What personality type suits a heavy equipment operator?
O*NET scores Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.
How long does it take to become a heavy equipment operator?
3 to 4 years for an apprenticeship. Learning on the job has no fixed length and begins with light equipment; a registered apprenticeship runs 3 or 4 years, and after completing it apprentices are considered journey workers.
Do you need a license to work as a heavy equipment operator?
Not a state license. No state licenses the occupation as such, but three things vary. First, the CDL: it is issued by your state to federal minimum standards, so the vehicle groups and endorsement codes are national while fees, manuals and testing arrangements are not. Second, BLS reports that a few states have special licences for operators of backhoes, loaders and bulldozers, and that requirements should be checked with the local or state licensing board. Third, crane licensing: some states and cities license crane operators outright, and where they do, OSHA's rule defers to that licence provided the programme meets its criteria and the licence runs no longer than five years. BLS notes some states and cities apply the crane licence to pile driver operators as well, because the operational concerns are similar.
What percentage of heavy equipment operators are women?
Women make up 4.6% of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, against 47.1% of all employed people: a heavily male-dominated occupation. 21.0% are 55 or older, close to the 23.2% across all jobs. The median worker is 40.9 years old (all workers: 42.1). Source: BLS Current Population Survey, 2025 annual averages, for the Census group "Construction equipment operators".