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Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation

Types of Degrees Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation Majors Are Earning

Those studying Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	557
Associate’s Degree	93
Master’s Degree	468

What Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Mechanical — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 2.8 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 2.8 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Operation and Control — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.0 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 2.8 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Control Precision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Multilimb Coordination — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Depth Perception — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Reaction Time — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Controlling Machines and Processes	4.3 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.2 / 7
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.0 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment	3.9 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Global positioning system GPS software	Mobile location based services software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Trimble HYDROpro	Map creation software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation graduates include:

• Equipment Operator
• Harvester Operator
• Excavator Operator
• Heavy Equipment Operator
• Mucking Machine Operator
• Shovel Operator
• Loader Operator
• Coal Handler
• Dump Operator
• Boat Loader
• Hoisting Engineer
• Machine Operator
• Miner
• Digging Machine Operator
• Chute Operator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	63.5%
Less than a high school diploma	16.9%
Postsecondary certificate	13.5%
Some college courses	5.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	0.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 92.3% of Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	87	7.7%
Men	1,044	92.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	678	59.9%
Asian	3	0.3%
Hispanic or Latino	98	8.7%
Black or African American	100	8.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	81	7.2%
Two or More Races	33	2.9%
Race Unknown	137	12.1%
International Students	1	0.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$43,832
4 years	$42,430
5 years	$45,687

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $45,687 — roughly 4% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation graduates earn a median of $42,430 four years after completion — roughly 12% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Ground Transportation	49.02
Flagging and Traffic Control	49.0207
Forklift Operation/Operator	49.0209
Ground Transportation, Other	49.0299
Mobil Crane Operator/Operation	49.0206
Railroad and Railway Transportation	49.0208
Truck and Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator and Instructor	49.0205

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.