Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators in North Carolina
Thinking about a career as a Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators in North Carolina? Here’s what the data says. 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.
What do Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Make in North Carolina?
For a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators working in North Carolina, the median annual wage is $47,620 per year (or about $22.89/hour).Pay can range from $38,050 at the 10th percentile to $57,910 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,050 | $18.29 |
| 25th percentile | $40,460 | $19.45 |
| Median (50th) | $47,620 | $22.89 |
| 75th percentile | $51,270 | $24.65 |
| 90th percentile | $57,910 | $27.84 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in North Carolina compared to the national average — is 0.90.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators earn a median of $64,008 per year ($30.77/hour), below the North Carolina median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 196,299 paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators across the United States. In North Carolina alone, about 1,310 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 540 paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators.
Top North Carolina Metros for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
The metro areas below employ the most paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in North Carolina.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 340 | $48,750 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 260 | $49,350 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 90 | $40,710 |
| Asheville, NC | 70 | $45,260 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 70 | $49,810 |
| Wilmington, NC | 40 | $42,690 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 30 | $40,010 |
Top States for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Employment
These states have the highest employment of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Texas | 5,140 |
| New York | 4,200 |
| Florida | 3,000 |
| Ohio | 2,220 |
| Virginia | 2,180 |
| Michigan | 2,160 |
| California | 1,920 |
| Tennessee | 1,550 |
| Missouri | 1,550 |
| Wisconsin | 1,480 |
| Georgia | 1,440 |
| North Carolina | 1,310 |
| Illinois | 1,300 |
| Colorado | 1,260 |
| Minnesota | 1,130 |
| New Mexico | 1,060 |
| Massachusetts | 1,050 |
| Indiana | 860 |
| New Jersey | 850 |
| Maryland | 760 |
Highest-Paying States for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
The highest-paying states for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators.
| 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 |
Skills
Top paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators typically:
- 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.
- Operate machines to spread, smooth, level, or steel-reinforce stone, concrete, or asphalt on road beds.
- Light burners or start heating units of machines, and regulate screed temperatures and asphalt flow rates.
- Control traffic.
- Shovel blacktop.
Work Activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
- Performing General Physical Activities
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Training and Teaching Others
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Ground Transportation
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Related Careers
Careers similar to paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators include:
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers
- Construction Laborers
- Pile Driver Operators
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
- Pipelayers
Also Known As
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, Asphalt Plant Operator, Asphalt Raker, Asphalt Roller Operator, Asphalt Screed Operator, Asphalt Screedman, Asphalt Spreader Operator, Asphalt Surface Heater Operator.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 47-2071.00