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Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in North Carolina
Want to work as an Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in North Carolina? Here’s what you need to know. 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 “Extraction Workers” (47-5000) and “Crane and Tower Operators” (53-7021).
What do Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Make in North Carolina?
For a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators working in North Carolina, wages run about $48,910 per year (or about $23.51/hour).Pay can range from $38,360 at the 10th percentile to $62,200 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,360 | $18.44 |
| 25th percentile | $44,970 | $21.62 |
| Median (50th) | $48,910 | $23.51 |
| 75th percentile | $57,460 | $27.63 |
| 90th percentile | $62,200 | $29.90 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in North Carolina nationwide is 1.07.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn a median of $54,087 per year ($26.00/hour), below the North Carolina median.
Employment Outlook
Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 554,723 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators across the United States. In North Carolina alone, approximately 15,890 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 6,690 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators.
Top North Carolina Metros for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
The metro areas below employ the most operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in North Carolina.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 4,310 | $50,790 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 2,670 | $50,660 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | 1,170 | $48,050 |
| Wilmington, NC | 790 | $48,200 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | 620 | $47,310 |
| Asheville, NC | 490 | $48,210 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 490 | $50,870 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 490 | $48,390 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 390 | $49,150 |
| Greenville, NC | 210 | $46,720 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | 200 | $49,340 |
| Burlington, NC | 180 | $49,280 |
| Goldsboro, NC | 160 | $46,040 |
| Jacksonville, NC | 160 | $48,440 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | 100 | $49,610 |
Top States for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Employment
These states have the highest employment of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| Texas | 55,290 |
| California | 36,040 |
| Florida | 29,420 |
| Pennsylvania | 20,680 |
| Ohio | 16,510 |
| North Carolina | 15,890 |
| Georgia | 15,720 |
| New York | 14,700 |
| Arizona | 13,520 |
| Colorado | 12,050 |
| Illinois | 11,690 |
| Virginia | 11,280 |
| Indiana | 11,230 |
| Massachusetts | 10,360 |
| Tennessee | 10,190 |
| Alabama | 9,640 |
| Michigan | 9,420 |
| Washington | 9,070 |
| Missouri | 8,750 |
| South Carolina | 8,430 |
Highest-Paying States for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Where operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn the most: operating engineers and other construction equipment operators.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $105,440 |
| Illinois | $96,980 |
| California | $89,120 |
| New Jersey | $84,170 |
| New York | $80,260 |
| Washington | $79,190 |
| Minnesota | $78,580 |
| Connecticut | $76,690 |
| Rhode Island | $76,030 |
| Alaska | $75,000 |
Skills
Key operating engineers and other construction equipment operators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators typically:
- Learn and follow safety regulations.
- Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
- Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
- Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
- Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.
- Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.
- Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines.
- Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.
- Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.
- Drive and maneuver equipment equipped with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, or rocks or to distribute and level earth or terrain.
- Operate tractors or bulldozers to perform such tasks as clearing land, mixing sludge, trimming backfills, or building roadways or parking lots.
- Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.
Work Activities
- Controlling Machines and Processes
- Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Getting Information
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Handling and Moving Objects
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
Tools & Technology
Common tools and software used in this occupation include: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
Related Careers
Other careers like operating engineers and other construction equipment operators include:
- Construction Laborers
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
- Pile Driver Operators
- Highway Maintenance Workers
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
Also Known As
Angle Dozer Operator, Asphalt Roller Operator, Back Hoe Operator, Backhoe Operator, Blade Grader Operator, Blade Operator, Bulldozer Engineer, Bulldozer Operator, Bush Hog Operator, Cable Engineer, Car Runner, Catshovel Driver, Clamshell Engineer, Construction Backhoe Operator, Construction Bulldozer Operator.
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: 47-2073.00
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