Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators: Job Description
Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways or for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials. Includes concrete and asphalt paving machine operators, form tampers, tamping machine operators, and stone spreader operators.
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What Tasks Do Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Do?
Typical responsibilities of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators span:
- Start machine, engage clutch, and push and move levers to guide machine along forms or guidelines and to control the operation of machine attachments.
- Fill tanks, hoppers, or machines with paving materials.
- Control paving machines to push dump trucks and to maintain a constant flow of asphalt or other material into hoppers or screeds.
- Observe distribution of paving material to adjust machine settings or material flow, and indicate low spots for workers to add material.
- Coordinate truck dumping.
- Drive machines onto truck trailers, and drive trucks to transport machines and material to and from job sites.
- Inspect, clean, maintain, and repair equipment, using mechanics' hand tools, or report malfunctions to supervisors.
- Set up and tear down equipment.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Asphalt Distributor Operator
- Asphalt Distributor Tender
- Asphalt Equipment Crew Member
- Asphalt Equipment Operator
- Asphalt Paver
- Asphalt Paver Operator
- Asphalt Paving Machine Operator
- Asphalt Paving Operator
How Many Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Are There?
The U.S. employs around 196,299 paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -3.5% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $64,008 |
| Hourly median | $30.77 |
| 10th percentile | $37,376 |
| 25th percentile | $50,692 |
| 75th percentile | $77,325 |
| 90th percentile | $90,641 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $108,570 |
| Alaska | $97,670 |
| California | $79,460 |
| Wisconsin | $79,440 |
| Washington | $77,180 |
| Missouri | $70,520 |
| District of Columbia | $70,030 |
| Minnesota | $68,920 |
| Illinois | $66,130 |
| New York | $63,860 |
| Rhode Island | $61,440 |
| Ohio | $61,290 |
| Oregon | $61,050 |
| New Hampshire | $60,950 |
| Nevada | $60,680 |
| Massachusetts | $60,450 |
| Arizona | $60,450 |
| Iowa | $60,230 |
| Connecticut | $59,710 |
| Montana | $58,980 |
| Wyoming | $58,930 |
| Maryland | $58,720 |
| South Dakota | $57,610 |
| West Virginia | $57,140 |
| Indiana | $56,960 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,600 |
| Michigan | $54,690 |
| Maine | $54,340 |
| Vermont | $53,580 |
| Kansas | $53,540 |
| Colorado | $53,430 |
| Nebraska | $48,900 |
| Tennessee | $48,690 |
| Idaho | $48,270 |
| New Jersey | $48,070 |
| Delaware | $48,000 |
| Utah | $47,890 |
| North Carolina | $47,620 |
| Oklahoma | $47,230 |
| Virginia | $46,850 |
| Texas | $46,810 |
| New Mexico | $45,820 |
| Kentucky | $45,650 |
| South Carolina | $45,290 |
| Florida | $44,810 |
| Louisiana | $44,720 |
| Georgia | $44,600 |
| Arkansas | $40,860 |
| Alabama | $39,000 |
| Mississippi | $38,490 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,910 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $77,210 | 6.1% | 0.39 |
| Plains States | $64,690 | 8.7% | 1.47 |
| Great Lakes | $63,182 | 17.6% | 1.35 |
| Middle Atlantic | $60,339 | 14.8% | 1.22 |
| New England | $59,211 | 4.6% | 1.18 |
| Rocky Mountains | $52,712 | 4.9% | 1.33 |
| Southwest | $47,102 | 15.1% | 1.64 |
| Southeast | $45,530 | 27.7% | 1.27 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $123,470 | 360 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $108,570 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | IL | $98,730 | 40 |
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $97,670 | 70 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $95,430 | 340 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | IN | $93,070 | 50 |
| Appleton, WI | WI | $89,810 | 90 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | MO | $83,980 | 90 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 35,500 | $51,310 |
| Manufacturing | 1,850 | $57,570 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 800 | $50,680 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 350 | $48,900 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 140 | $56,630 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 100 | $37,440 |
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators work in the following industries:
Software Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Use
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
- Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
Getting Started in This Career
Most paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
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Where to Study
Students preparing for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators typically earn programs in:
Transportation and Materials Moving
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from 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: 47-2071.00 (Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators).
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