Life As a Pile-Driver Operator
Job Description & Duties Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures, such as buildings, bridges, and piers.
List of Pile-Driver Operator Job Duties
- Drive pilings to provide support for buildings or other structures, using heavy equipment with a pile driver head.
- Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Clean, lubricate, and refill equipment.
- Move hand and foot levers of hoisting equipment to position piling leads, hoist piling into leads, and position hammers over pilings.
- Move levers and turn valves to activate power hammers, or to raise and lower drophammers that drive piles to required depths.
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Pile-Driver Operator Required Skills
Pile-Driver Operators state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
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.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Related Job Titles
- Vibratory Pile Driver
- Nozzle Operator
- Hydraulic Press-In Operator
- Pile Driving Superintendent
- Pile Driver Foreman
Is There Going to be Demand for Pile-Driver Operators?
In the United States, there were 3,700 jobs for Pile-Driver Operator in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 13.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 500 new jobs for Pile-Driver Operator by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 500 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Pile-Driver Operator are Oregon, Florida, and Maryland. Watch out if you plan on working in Washington, Pennsylvania, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does a Pile-Driver Operator Make?
Pile-Driver Operators make between $33,810 and $100,350 a year.

Pile-Driver Operators who work in Illinois, Massachusetts, or California, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Pile-Driver Operators in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
California | $80,030 |
Florida | $48,110 |
Georgia | $45,900 |
Illinois | $86,060 |
Louisiana | $51,020 |
Maryland | $56,230 |
Massachusetts | $80,110 |
Michigan | $72,440 |
Minnesota | $74,250 |
North Carolina | $40,540 |
Oregon | $72,290 |
Pennsylvania | $72,370 |
Rhode Island | $61,520 |
South Carolina | $43,340 |
Texas | $59,440 |
Virginia | $52,170 |
Washington | $74,570 |
What Tools & Technology do Pile-Driver Operators Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Pile-Driver Operators may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Data entry software
- Email software
- Global positioning system GPS software
How to Become a Pile-Driver Operator
Education needed to be a Pile-Driver Operator:

What work experience do I need to become a Pile-Driver Operator?

Who Employs Pile-Driver Operators?

Below are examples of industries where Pile-Driver Operators work:

Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those thinking about becoming a Pile-Driver Operator might also be interested in the following careers:
Career changers with experience as a Pile-Driver Operator sometimes find work in one of the following fields:
References:
Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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