Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in Alaska

Want to work in Alaska as an Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator? Read this first!

While jobs for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in Alaska are decreasing, those who do work in these jobs get paid higher than average.

• Employment for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in Alaska is expected to decrease.

• Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in Alaska earn higher salaries than the typical U.S. wage earner.

What Major Will Prepare You For an Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator Career?

• Transportation & Materials Moving
• Ground Transportation
• Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation
• Mobil Crane Operation/Operator

How Many Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators Work in Alaska?

2,870 people worked as Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in 2018 in this state.

There were 3,220 Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators employed in this state in 2017.

That’s a decline of 350 jobs between 2017 and 2018.

The typical state has 5,620 Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators working in it, which means Alaska has fewer Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators than average.

Job Projections for Alaska

Jobs for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in this state are declining at a rate of 0.3% which is a faster decline than the nationwide estimated projection of 12.3%.

Alaska Annual Job Openings

The BLS estimates 320 annual job openings, and a total of 2,990 jobs for Alaska Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in 2026.

Nationwide, the prediction is 47,300 annual jobs and 416,900 total jobs in 2026.

What do Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators Make in Alaska?

In 2018 wages for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators ranged from $51,810 to $95,290 with $70,210 being the median annual salary.

Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $24.91 to $45.81. The median hourly rate was $33.76.

In 2017 the median pay for this field was $33.72 an hour.

The hourly rate grew by $0.04.

The median salary in Alaska is higher than the nationwide median salary.

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Top Alaska Metros for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators

The table below shows some of the metros in this state with the most Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators.

Metro	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Anchorage, AK	990	$73,300
Fairbanks, AK	350	$74,010

Top States for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators Employment

View the list below to see where most Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators work.

State	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Texas	42,880	$39,400
California	28,110	$71,120
Pennsylvania	21,110	$48,700
Florida	18,720	$37,580
Ohio	15,500	$53,060
New York	13,160	$69,590
North Carolina	12,720	$37,930
Georgia	11,360	$36,100
Colorado	11,290	$49,460
Illinois	11,150	$83,860
Virginia	10,450	$40,220
Minnesota	10,010	$64,750
Indiana	9,160	$53,790
Louisiana	8,820	$43,600
Washington	8,750	$64,880
Wisconsin	7,970	$63,320
Michigan	7,870	$52,240
Arizona	7,400	$45,930
Missouri	7,290	$51,570
Massachusetts	7,010	$60,840

Below are the states where Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators get paid the most:

State	Annual Median Salary
Illinois	$83,860
Hawaii	$82,000
New Jersey	$71,650
California	$71,120
Alaska	$70,210
New York	$69,590
Connecticut	$67,880
Washington	$64,880
Minnesota	$64,750
Wisconsin	$63,320

Related Careers in Alaska

You may also be interested in the following careers:

Occupation	Alaska Employment Total
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators	60

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online

More about our data sources and methodologies.