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What Do Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator Do?
Job 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.
What Do Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators Do On a Daily Basis?
- Perform specialized work, using equipment such as pile drivers, dredging rigs, drillers, or concrete pumpers.
- Compile cost estimates for jobs.
- Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.
- Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.
- Talk to clients and study instructions, plans, or diagrams to establish work requirements.
- Select and fasten bulldozer blades or other attachments to tractors, using hitches.
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What Every Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator Should Know
Below is a list of the skills most Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators say are important on the job.
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.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Other Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator Job Titles
- Bulldozer Engineer
- Cable Engineer
- Steam Shovel Runner
- Land Leveler
- Ditching Machine Engineer
Job Outlook for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 371,100 jobs in the United States for Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 12.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 45,800 new jobs for Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator by 2026. There will be an estimated 47,300 positions for Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator per year.
The states with the most job growth for Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator are Utah, Nevada, and Florida. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Alaska, or Kentucky. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
How Much Does an Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator Make?
The typical yearly salary for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators is somewhere between $31,320 and $84,160.
Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators who work in Illinois, Hawaii, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.
How much do Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators make in different U.S. states?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $40,930 |
| Alaska | $70,750 |
| Arizona | $47,110 |
| Arkansas | $36,750 |
| California | $73,130 |
| Colorado | $49,750 |
| Connecticut | $71,060 |
| Delaware | $42,820 |
| District of Columbia | $61,320 |
| Florida | $40,160 |
| Georgia | $37,580 |
| Hawaii | $78,470 |
| Idaho | $46,810 |
| Illinois | $77,090 |
| Indiana | $58,180 |
| Iowa | $48,510 |
| Kansas | $41,200 |
| Kentucky | $47,930 |
| Louisiana | $46,160 |
| Maine | $43,400 |
| Maryland | $49,560 |
| Massachusetts | $67,410 |
| Michigan | $52,800 |
| Minnesota | $62,770 |
| Mississippi | $38,310 |
| Missouri | $53,990 |
| Montana | $51,580 |
| Nebraska | $43,590 |
| Nevada | $58,410 |
| New Hampshire | $50,230 |
| New Jersey | $75,150 |
| New Mexico | $44,900 |
| New York | $81,930 |
| North Carolina | $39,990 |
| North Dakota | $55,440 |
| Ohio | $56,600 |
| Oklahoma | $41,710 |
| Oregon | $55,800 |
| Pennsylvania | $53,320 |
| Rhode Island | $64,820 |
| South Carolina | $40,220 |
| South Dakota | $44,150 |
| Tennessee | $41,180 |
| Texas | $41,730 |
| Utah | $48,640 |
| Vermont | $42,930 |
| Virginia | $42,470 |
| Washington | $67,260 |
| West Virginia | $45,280 |
| Wisconsin | $62,540 |
| Wyoming | $58,270 |
What Tools do Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Windows
- Maintenance record software
How do I Become an Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator?
Are there Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators education requirements?
How Long Does it Take to Become an Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator?
Where Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators Are Employed
Below are examples of industries where Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators work:
References:
Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain
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