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Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in Kentucky
Want to work in Kentucky as an Operating Engineer or Construction Equipment Operator? Read this first!
You’re in luck! Jobs for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in Kentucky are projected to grow and these jobs tend to pay higher than average.
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Projected employment for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in Kentucky is growing slower than average.
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Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in Kentucky earn lower 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 Kentucky?
5,120 people worked as Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in 2018 in this state.
There were 6,200 Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators employed in this state in 2017.
That’s a decline of 1,080 jobs between 2017 and 2018.
The typical state has 5,620 Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators working in it, which means Kentucky has fewer Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators than average.
Job Projections for Kentucky
Jobs for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in this state are growing at a rate of 2.0% which is slower than the nationwide estimated projection of 12.3%.
Kentucky Annual Job Openings
The BLS estimates there will be 770 annual job openings, and 7,010 total jobs in 2026 for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators in this state.
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 Kentucky?
In 2018 wages for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators ranged from $30,360 to $72,160 with $45,030 being the median annual salary.
Broken down to an hourly rate, workers in this field made anywhere from $14.59 to $34.69. The median hourly rate was $21.65.
In 2017 the median pay for this field was $21.45 an hour.
The hourly rate grew by $0.20.
The median salary in Kentucky is higher than the nationwide median salary.
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Top Kentucky 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 |
---|---|---|
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 2,410 | $51,550 |
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 1,320 | $45,030 |
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 970 | $63,660 |
Lexington-Fayette, KY | 800 | $48,670 |
Evansville, IN-KY | 560 | $68,030 |
Clarksville, TN-KY | 200 | $41,210 |
Bowling Green, KY | 160 | $44,840 |
Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY | 130 | $42,540 |
Owensboro, KY | 110 | $50,410 |
Top States for Operating Engineers and Construction Equipment Operators Employment
The table below shows the states 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 Kentucky
Discover similar careers:
Occupation | Kentucky Employment Total |
---|---|
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators | 830 |
References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
More about our data sources and methodologies.