Occupational Employment Statistics

DETAILED OCCUPATION DATA

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47-2073 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Occupational Description:
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties. Excludes “Crane and Tower Operators" (53-7021) and “Extraction Workers” (47-5000).

Occupational Employment Statistics(OES) Wage Data
First Quarter 2026

Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Percentiles
Geography	Employment	Emp SE*	Mean	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th
Northeast Minnesota	890	65	$36.46/hr	$23.67/hr	$30.70/hr	$37.71/hr	$43.07/hr	$47.40/hr
Minnesota	8,590	412	$39.04/hr	$27.64/hr	$31.26/hr	$39.07/hr	$47.28/hr	$50.34/hr
U S	478,090	3,825	$32.73/hr	$20.83/hr	$24.03/hr	$29.56/hr	$38.11/hr	$49.92/hr

Leading Industries for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Industry	OES Employment (Statewide)	OES Median Wage (Statewide)
Natural Resources and Mining	270	$29.19/hr
Construction	7,090	$40.01/hr
Manufacturing	20	$25.09/hr
Trade, Transportation and Utilities	190	$30.01/hr
Professional and Business Services	190	$29.68/hr
Education and Health Services	N/A	N/A
Leisure and Hospitality	N/A	N/A
Public Administration	830	$31.26/hr

Other Regional Data for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Geography	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
La Crosse WI-MN MSA	120	$35.27/hr	N/A
Mankato-North Mankato MN MSA	150	$38.79/hr	N/A
Northeast Balance of State	250	$36.26/hr	N/A
Rochester MN MSA	290	$39.30/hr	N/A
Grand Forks ND-MN MSA	370	$30.38/hr	N/A
Southwest Balance of State	440	$31.26/hr	N/A
Southeast Balance of State	470	$38.04/hr	N/A
Southeast Minnesota	630	$38.77/hr	8.9%
Southwest Minnesota	640	$33.82/hr	9.3%
St Cloud MN MSA	700	$39.28/hr	N/A
Duluth MN-WI MSA	770	$37.06/hr	N/A
Northeast Minnesota	890	$37.71/hr	7.2%
Northwest Balance of State	920	$34.04/hr	N/A
Fargo ND-MN MSA	960	$30.46/hr	N/A
Northwest Minnesota	1,100	$34.04/hr	10.2%
Central Minnesota	1,570	$39.07/hr	14.6%
Seven County Mpls-St Paul, MN	3,450	$41.33/hr	9.2%
Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington MN-WI MSA	4,270	$41.16/hr	N/A
Minnesota	8,590	$39.07/hr	9.9%

Related Occupations

Occupations	Employment	Median Wage	Projections % Change 2022-2032
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining	520	$30.25/hr	3.1%
Hoist and Winch Operators	60	$38.52/hr	-12.5%
Crane and Tower Operators	370	$39.76/hr	3.7%
Logging Equipment Operators	320	$28.93/hr	-3.5%
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas	340	$31.50/hr	10.0%
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers	N/A	N/A	N/A
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators	7,110	$24.43/hr	5.0%
Continuous Mining Machine Operators	420	$44.84/hr	N/A
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	38,770	$30.45/hr	5.8%
Pourers and Casters, Metal	30	$28.59/hr	-2.0%

Task for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered.
Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.
Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.
Learn and follow safety regulations.
Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.
Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
Operate tractors or bulldozers to perform such tasks as clearing land, mixing sludge, trimming backfills, or building roadways or parking lots.
Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
Perform specialized work, using equipment, such as pile drivers, dredging rigs, drillers, or concrete pumpers.