Dredge Operators: Job Description
Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.
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What Do Dredge Operators Perform?
Typical responsibilities of dredge operators cover:
- Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads.
- Start and stop engines to operate equipment.
- Start power winches that draw in or let out cables to change positions of dredges, or pull in and let out cables manually.
- Pump water to clear machinery pipelines.
- Lower anchor poles to verify depths of excavations, using winches, or scan depth gauges to determine depths of excavations.
- Direct or assist workers placing shore anchors and cables, laying additional pipes from dredges to shore, and pumping water from pontoons.
Skills and Knowledge
Top dredge operators combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Dredge Boat Engineer
- Dredge Deckhand
- Dredge Engineer
- Dredge Hand
- Dredge Lever Operator
- Dredge Mate
- Dredge Operator
- Dredge Worker
Employment and Demand
There are about 835,620 dredge operators working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +12.3% over the projection horizon.
Dredge Operators Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $55,307 |
| Hourly median | $26.59 |
| 10th percentile | $34,954 |
| 25th percentile | $45,130 |
| 75th percentile | $65,484 |
| 90th percentile | $75,660 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Dredge Operators Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $70,400 |
| Iowa | $60,400 |
| Indiana | $55,470 |
| Florida | $52,640 |
| Ohio | $51,210 |
| Alabama | $51,110 |
| Louisiana | $47,360 |
| North Carolina | $46,650 |
| Nebraska | $43,320 |
Where Dredge Operators Earn the Most
Pay for dredge operators vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $70,400 | 16.0% | 2.73 |
| Plains States | $54,706 | 18.0% | 5.68 |
| Great Lakes | $53,103 | 18.0% | 1.50 |
| Southeast | $49,942 | 48.0% | 4.45 |
Which Industries Hire Dredge Operators
The largest employers of dredge operators are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 510 | $47,360 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 320 | $56,940 |
Below are examples of industries where dredge operators work:
Software Dredge Operators Use
- Mobile location based services software: Global positioning system GPS software
- Industrial control software: HYPACK DREDGEPACK
- Industrial control software: Programmable logic controller PLC software
- Data base user interface and query software: Teledyne Odom Hydrographic ODOM eChart
- Map creation software: Trimble HYDROpro
- Internet browser software: Web browser software
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for dredge operators tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
Education and Training
Most dredge operators positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Construction Laborers (Supplemental)
- Pile Driver Operators (Supplemental)
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (Primary-Short)
- Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas (Primary-Long)
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas (Primary-Short)
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas (Supplemental)
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (Primary-Short)
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas (Primary-Long)
Degree Programs
Aspiring dredge operators typically earn programs in:
Transportation and Materials Moving
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 53-7031.00 (Dredge Operators).
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