Pile Driver Operators earn a median of $73,300 per year ($35.24/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to fall 5.7% through 2035, with about 200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 47-2072
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Pile Driver Operator in four numbers
- Median pay
- $73,300a year, or $35.24/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $49KTop 10% $125K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -5.7%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−5.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −5.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2002,300 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 20252.3K
- Projected 20352.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 2.3K Projected 2035 2.2K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school18.6%
- High school52.6%
- Certificate21%
- Some college7.9%
Highest education held by pile driver operators Segment Value Less than high school 18.6% High school 52.6% Certificate 21% Some college 7.9%
Also advertised as: Pile Driver, Pile Driver Operator, Pile Driving Operator.
Pay
How much do Pile Driver Operators make?
Every pile driver operator in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$73,300
Middle half earn $58,510 to $106,430
- 10th
- $48,790
- 25th
- $58,510
- 75th
- $106,430
- 90th
- $124,600
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $48,790 |
| 25th | $58,510 |
| Median | $73,300 |
| 75th | $106,430 |
| 90th | $124,600 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $73,300
- Median hourly wage
- $35.24/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $80,710
- People employed
- 2,310
Versus all US occupations
At $73,300, Pile Driver Operators earn 44% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $22,320 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020, this is 22% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $124,600 or more while the bottom 10% earn $48,790, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 47% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Massachusetts pays the most at $120,980, and still leads at $114,394 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Pile Driver 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Massachusetts | $120,980 | $114,394 | 130 |
| 2Washington | $111,080 | $103,800 | 50 |
| 3California | $110,340 | $99,657 | 480 |
| 4Pennsylvania | $93,550 | $95,878 | 90 |
| 5Alaska | $78,080 | $76,281 | 190 |
| 6Texas | $66,140 | $68,146 | 280 |
| 7Louisiana | $61,150 | $69,326 | 180 |
| 8Virginia | $59,910 | $59,256 | 150 |
| 9Tennessee | $54,830 | $59,682 | 30 |
| 10Florida | $51,830 | $50,119 | 270 |
Job outlook
Is Pile Driver Operator a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -5.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Pile Driver Operators | −5.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Pile Driver Operators to change -5.7% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 100 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 200 openings are projected each year, 8.7% of the 2,300 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.
Getting in
How to become a Pile Driver Operator
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)
Little or no 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 pile driver operators.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)52.6%
- Post-Secondary Certificate21%
- Less than a High School Diploma18.6%
- Some College Courses7.9%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 52.6% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 21% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 18.6% |
| Some College Courses | 7.9% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Pile Driver Operator do?
Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures such as buildings, bridges, and piers.
Construction equipment operators drive, maneuver, or control the heavy machinery used to construct roads, bridges, buildings, and other structures.
Day-to-day tasks
- Drive pilings to provide support for buildings or other structures, using heavy equipment with a pile driver head.
- Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Clean, lubricate, and refill equipment.
- Move levers and turn valves to activate power hammers, or to raise and lower drophammers that drive piles to required depths.
- Move hand and foot levers of hoisting equipment to position piling leads, hoist piling into leads, and position hammers over pilings.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
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 dayConflict 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
- Monitoring3.3
- Active Listening3.0
- Critical Thinking2.9
- Speaking2.8
- Reading Comprehension2.5
- Writing2.3
- Mathematics2.1
- Active Learning2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.9 |
| Speaking | 2.8 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.5 |
| Writing | 2.3 |
| Mathematics | 2.1 |
| Active Learning | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control4.1
- Operations Monitoring4.0
- Equipment Maintenance3.3
- Troubleshooting3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Quality Control Analysis2.9
- Time Management2.9
- Complex Problem Solving2.8
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 4.1 |
| Operations Monitoring | 4.0 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.3 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.9 |
| Time Management | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.8 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Electronic mail software
- Mobile location based services software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Pile Driver Operator?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Pile Driver Operator |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| 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
- Conventional3.6
- Investigative1.9
- Enterprising1.1
- Social1.0
- 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 Pile Driver Operator
O*NET related occupations
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$59,850median a year
Most earn $42K to $101K
+4.6%High school - Transportation and Material Moving
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator
$46,420median a year
Most earn $37K to $63K
+1.5%No formal credential - Construction and Extraction
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining
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+1.0%High school - Transportation and Material Moving
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$53,340median a year
Most earn $38K to $92K
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More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with pile driver operators highlighted
- Pile Driver Operator$73,300
- 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
- Roofer$55,440
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Pile Driver Operator | $73,300 |
| 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 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Pile Driver Operator appears on
Questions
Pile Driver Operator: frequently asked questions
How much do Pile Driver Operators make?
Pile Driver Operators earn a median of $73,300 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 44% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $35.24/hr. The middle half earn between $58,510 and $106,430. The top 10% earn $124,600 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Pile Driver 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 Pile Driver 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, 52.6% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Pile Driver Operator a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 5.7% over 2025–2035, a loss of 100 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Pile Driver 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: drive pilings to provide support for buildings or other structures, using heavy equipment with a pile driver head. Employers most often ask for Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Pile Driver Operators the most?
The highest state medians for Pile Driver Operators are Massachusetts ($120,980), Washington ($111,080), California ($110,340) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Pile Driver Operator?
O*NET scores Pile Driver 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.