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Dredge Operators in Louisiana

Considering working as a Dredge Operators in Louisiana? Here’s what the data says. Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.

$47,360 Median Annual Wage (Louisiana)

$55,307 National Median Annual Wage

Some Preparation Needed Typical Preparation

What do Dredge Operators Make in Louisiana?

For a dredge operators working in Louisiana, the median annual wage is $47,360 per year (or roughly $22.77/hour).Earnings range from $40,800 at the 10th percentile to $56,180 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$40,800	$19.61
25th percentile	$46,120	$22.17
Median (50th)	$47,360	$22.77
75th percentile	$47,410	$22.79
90th percentile	$56,180	$27.01

Salary ranges for Dredge Operators in Louisiana

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, dredge operators earn a median of $55,307 per year ($26.59/hour), lower than the Louisiana median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 835,620 dredge operators nationwide.

Forecasted number of jobs for Dredge Operators

Top States for Dredge Operators Employment

View the states that employ the most dredge operators work.

State	Number Employed
Alabama	110
New Jersey	80
North Carolina	80
Iowa	60
Ohio	50
Florida	50
Indiana	40
Nebraska	30

Highest-Paying States for Dredge Operators

These states pay the most for dredge operators.

State	Annual Median Salary
New Jersey	$70,400
Iowa	$60,400
Indiana	$55,470
Florida	$52,640
Ohio	$51,210
Alabama	$51,110
Louisiana	$47,360
North Carolina	$46,650
Nebraska	$43,320

Skills

The most important dredge operators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Operation and Control 3.8 / 5

Operations Monitoring 3.5 / 5

Coordination 3.0 / 5

Critical Thinking 3.0 / 5

Judgment and Decision Making 3.0 / 5

Monitoring 2.9 / 5

Knowledge Areas

Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Mechanical 4.1 / 5

English Language 3.4 / 5

Public Safety and Security 3.2 / 5

Administration and Management 3.1 / 5

Production and Processing 2.9 / 5

Mathematics 2.8 / 5

Abilities

Key abilities for dredge operators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Control Precision 4.0 / 5

Multilimb Coordination 3.8 / 5

Depth Perception 3.5 / 5

Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.4 / 5

Manual Dexterity 3.4 / 5

Reaction Time 3.4 / 5

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, dredge operators typically:

Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads.
Start and stop engines to operate equipment.
Start power winches that draw in or let out cables to change positions of dredges, or pull in and let out cables manually.
Pump water to clear machinery pipelines.
Lower anchor poles to verify depths of excavations, using winches, or scan depth gauges to determine depths of excavations.
Direct or assist workers placing shore anchors and cables, laying additional pipes from dredges to shore, and pumping water from pontoons.

Work Activities

Controlling Machines and Processes
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
Handling and Moving Objects
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Getting Information
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Performing General Physical Activities
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

Tools & Technology

Common tools and software used in this occupation include:

Global positioning system GPS software (mobile location based services software)
HYPACK DREDGEPACK (industrial control software)
Programmable logic controller PLC software (industrial control software)
Teledyne Odom Hydrographic ODOM eChart (data base user interface and query software)
Trimble HYDROpro (map creation software)
Web browser software (internet browser software)

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Related college programs include:

Ground Transportation

Careers similar to dredge operators include:

Also Known As

Dredge Boat Engineer, Dredge Deckhand, Dredge Engineer, Dredge Hand, Dredge Lever Operator, Dredge Mate, Dredge Operator, Dredge Worker, Dredgemaster, Dredger, Hydraulic Leverman.

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: 53-7031.00

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