All About Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators
Job Description & Duties 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.
Life As an Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator: What Do They Do?
- Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered.
- Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.
- Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
- Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.
- 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.
- Connect hydraulic hoses, belts, mechanical linkages, or power takeoff shafts to tractors.
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What an Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator Should Know
These are the skills Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators say are the most useful in their careers:
Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Equipment Operator
- Ditcher Operator
- Steam Shovel Operator
- Grading Machine Operator
- Loader Operator
What Kind of Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator Job Opportunities Are There?
In the United States, there were 371,100 jobs for Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 45,800 new jobs for Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator by 2026. There will be an estimated 47,300 positions for Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator per year.
The states with the most job growth for Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator are Utah, Nevada, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Alaska, or Kentucky. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for an Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator
Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators make between $31,320 and $84,160 a year.
Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators who work in Illinois, Hawaii, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.
How much do Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $40,930 |
| Alaska | $70,750 |
| Arizona | $47,110 |
| Arkansas | $36,750 |
| California | $73,130 |
| Colorado | $49,750 |
| Connecticut | $71,060 |
| Delaware | $42,820 |
| District of Columbia | $61,320 |
| Florida | $40,160 |
| Georgia | $37,580 |
| Hawaii | $78,470 |
| Idaho | $46,810 |
| Illinois | $77,090 |
| Indiana | $58,180 |
| Iowa | $48,510 |
| Kansas | $41,200 |
| Kentucky | $47,930 |
| Louisiana | $46,160 |
| Maine | $43,400 |
| Maryland | $49,560 |
| Massachusetts | $67,410 |
| Michigan | $52,800 |
| Minnesota | $62,770 |
| Mississippi | $38,310 |
| Missouri | $53,990 |
| Montana | $51,580 |
| Nebraska | $43,590 |
| Nevada | $58,410 |
| New Hampshire | $50,230 |
| New Jersey | $75,150 |
| New Mexico | $44,900 |
| New York | $81,930 |
| North Carolina | $39,990 |
| North Dakota | $55,440 |
| Ohio | $56,600 |
| Oklahoma | $41,710 |
| Oregon | $55,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $53,320 |
| Rhode Island | $64,820 |
| South Carolina | $40,220 |
| South Dakota | $44,150 |
| Tennessee | $41,180 |
| Texas | $41,730 |
| Utah | $48,640 |
| Vermont | $42,930 |
| Virginia | $42,470 |
| Washington | $67,260 |
| West Virginia | $45,280 |
| Wisconsin | $62,540 |
| Wyoming | $58,270 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Windows
- Maintenance record software
How to Become an Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator
Individuals working as an Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator have obtained the following education levels:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators Work
Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators work in the following industries:
References:
Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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