National Salary Info » Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Highest Paying Industries for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

The top 100 highest paying industries for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $67,500, general medical and surgical hospitals is the highest paying industry for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators. It is followed by painting and wall covering contractors industry (average annual salary $64,670). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 100 Highest Paying Industries for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$67,500	$40,200	80
2	Painting and Wall Covering Contractors	$64,670	$35,990	n/a
3	Commercial and Industrial Machinery Equipment (except Auto and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance	$62,290	$27,610	400
4	Repair and Maintenance	$62,290	$27,610	400
5	Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution	$60,310	$36,880	1,910
6	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$59,590	$41,380	40
7	Roofing Contractors	$58,550	$35,040	60
8	Natural Gas Distribution	$57,570	$34,030	1,420
9	Utilities	$57,400	$33,710	3,770
10	Facilities Support Services	$56,680	$37,610	160
11	Rail Transportation	$56,310	$42,670	900
12	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$54,360	$32,330	130
13	Scientific Research and Development Services	$54,360	$32,330	130
14	Lessors of Real Estate	$54,040	$41,000	n/a
15	Hospitals - Privately owned	$53,810	$39,180	60
16	Federal government, including USPS	$53,800	$45,630	2,480
17	Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation)	$53,800	$45,630	2,480
18	Remediation and Other Waste Management Services	$53,730	$32,320	1,740
19	Pipeline Transportation	$53,480	$32,660	190
20	Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas	$53,380	$32,860	150
21	Building Finishing Contractors	$53,000	$31,830	310
22	Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)	$51,950	$26,750	490
23	Support Activities for Road Transportation	$51,700	$24,280	70
24	Support Activities for Rail Transportation	$51,450	$32,720	340
25	Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors	$51,430	$31,980	2,070
26	Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors	$51,270	$30,250	4,640
27	Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing	$51,130	$31,170	820
28	Other Building Equipment Contractors	$50,940	$30,530	500
29	Basic Chemical Manufacturing	$50,600	$32,840	80
30	Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors	$49,790	$29,480	6,630
31	Real Estate	$49,720	$40,050	160
32	Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction	$49,230	$29,330	41,640
33	Coal Mining	$49,170	$30,720	9,060
34	Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing	$49,110	$27,970	50
35	Chemical Manufacturing	$48,790	$26,030	120
36	Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing	$48,580	$39,950	260
37	Support Activities for Transportation	$47,670	$30,970	650
38	Machinery Manufacturing	$47,410	$28,290	60
39	Building Equipment Contractors	$47,160	$30,930	5,090
40	Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	$47,110	$29,380	102,620
41	Transportation and Warehousing	$47,020	$28,460	3,040
42	Nonresidential Building Construction	$46,950	$29,360	14,360
43	Construction of Buildings	$46,620	$29,680	18,150
44	Utility System Construction	$46,360	$30,000	45,990
45	Primary Metal Manufacturing	$46,180	$37,950	360
46	Engineering Services	$45,750	$31,530	1,050
47	Death Care Services	$45,650	$26,160	n/a
48	Personal and Laundry Services	$45,650	$26,160	n/a
49	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$45,430	$28,970	1,200
50	Residential Building Construction	$45,360	$30,920	3,790
51	Construction	$45,200	$28,800	215,140
52	Waste Collection	$44,990	$31,720	1,230
53	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$44,960	$31,600	190
54	Cement and Concrete Product Manufacturing	$44,930	$30,200	2,360
55	Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction	$44,890	$28,280	13,580
56	Office Administrative Services	$44,840	$32,370	50
57	Metal Ore Mining	$44,650	$35,980	2,650
58	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$44,580	$28,600	1,640
59	Support Activities for Mining	$44,340	$30,330	8,900
60	Waste Management and Remediation Services	$44,280	$29,720	7,540
61	Mining (except Oil and Gas)	$43,940	$28,250	21,940
62	Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors	$43,930	$29,670	2,520
63	Mining	$43,890	$28,730	31,590
64	Manufacturing	$43,740	$30,590	5,210
65	Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing	$43,290	$38,980	70
66	Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction	$43,270	$29,480	11,190
67	Water, Sewage and Other Systems	$43,110	$28,080	440
68	Specialty Trade Contractors	$43,040	$28,120	94,370
69	Masonry Contractors	$42,590	$29,830	940
70	Other Specialty Trade Contractors	$42,390	$27,900	82,340
71	Transportation Equipment Manufacturing	$41,900	$28,630	140
72	Real Estate and Rental and Leasing	$41,860	$30,520	1,280
73	Waste Treatment and Disposal	$41,570	$28,350	4,570
74	Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing	$41,480	$30,080	3,520
75	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$41,360	$27,220	10,820
76	Wholesale Electronic Markets and Agents and Brokers	$41,220	$32,750	50
77	Ship and Boat Building	$40,970	$28,400	130
78	Lime and Gypsum Product Manufacturing	$40,680	$28,350	140
79	Support Activities for Water Transportation	$40,340	$28,300	230
80	Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment Rental and Leasing	$40,240	$30,100	1,090
81	Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying	$40,050	$26,120	10,230
82	Rental and Leasing Services	$39,890	$29,670	1,120
83	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$39,740	$26,530	49,220
84	Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods	$39,720	$22,970	300
85	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$39,700	$26,530	49,580
86	Land Subdivision	$39,510	$25,690	1,410
87	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$39,370	$26,780	64,330
88	Federal, State, and Local Government	$39,370	$26,780	64,330
89	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$39,360	$26,760	65,230
90	Wood Product Manufacturing	$38,910	$24,120	40
91	Wired Telecommunications Carriers	$38,770	$31,800	630
92	Telecommunications	$38,690	$31,690	640
93	Information	$38,690	$31,690	640
94	Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing	$38,580	$32,150	100
95	Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting	$38,550	$29,600	330
96	Metal and Mineral (except Petroleum) Merchant Wholesalers	$38,290	$26,890	90
97	Logging	$38,030	$29,230	310
98	Forestry and Logging	$38,030	$29,230	310
99	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$38,020	$26,660	170
100	Educational Services - Privately owned	$37,970	$26,680	170