Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary · California
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary in California
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in California earn a median of $87,160 a year, which is $41.90 an hour. That is $27,310 above the national median of $59,850, a difference of 46 percent. The state employs 36,020.
California against the US May 2025
| Figure | California | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $87,160 | $59,850 |
| Median hourly | $41.90 | $28.78 |
| Mean annual | $94,000 | $66,290 |
| 10th percentile | $52,760 | $42,190 |
| 90th percentile | $132,210 | $101,090 |
| Employment | 36,020 | 478,090 |
How California compares
By median pay, California ranks 2 of the 12 states this site reports for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.
Other states for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators May 2025
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $97,740 | $46.99 | 12,290 |
| New York | $80,980 | $38.94 | 14,490 |
| Ohio | $64,940 | $31.22 | 16,920 |
| Colorado | $62,620 | $30.11 | 11,700 |
| Arizona | $60,620 | $29.14 | 13,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,530 | $29.10 | 22,120 |
| Virginia | $57,160 | $27.48 | 12,100 |
| Texas | $50,460 | $24.26 | 55,540 |
| Florida | $49,400 | $23.75 | 27,510 |
| North Carolina | $49,310 | $23.71 | 16,580 |
| Georgia | $47,880 | $23.02 | 15,700 |
Common questions
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in California?
The median salary for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in California is $87,160 a year, or $41.90 an hour. That is $27,310 above the national median of $59,850, a difference of 46 percent. California employs 36,020 of them.
Is California a good state to work as an operating engineers and other construction equipment operator?
On pay alone, California ranks 2 of the 12 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.
What is the pay range for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in California?
The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $52,760 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $132,210 or more. The middle half falls between $65,230 and $125,560.
Where these numbers come from
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 47-2073 in California. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.