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Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Puerto Rico

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Puerto Rico

Considering working as an Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Puerto Rico? Here’s what the data says. 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 Puerto Rico?

For a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators working in Puerto Rico, wages run about $26,200 per year (or roughly $12.60/hour).Annual wages span from $20,800 at the 10th percentile to $38,690 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic Annual Hourly
10th percentile $20,800 $10.00
25th percentile $22,750 $10.94
Median (50th) $26,200 $12.60
75th percentile $33,610 $16.16
90th percentile $38,690 $18.60
Salary ranges for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Puerto Rico

The job concentration index in Puerto Rico relative to the national average — is 0.78, meaning fewer operating engineers and other construction equipment operators per worker than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn a median of $54,087 per year ($26.00/hour), below the Puerto Rico median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 554,723 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators across the United States. In Puerto Rico alone, approximately 2,230 people work in this role. That’s fewer than the typical state, which employs around 6,690 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators.

Forecasted number of jobs for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Top Puerto Rico Metros for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

The largest metro-area employers of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Puerto Rico.

Metro Area Number Employed Annual Median Salary
San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR 1,630 $27,040
Ponce, PR 170 $23,990
Aguadilla, PR 110 $23,730
Mayaguez, PR 90 $23,670
Arecibo, PR 80 $24,320

Top States for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Employment

The table below shows the states where the most 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

The most important operating engineers and other construction equipment operators skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Operation and Control  4.1 / 5
0
5
Operations Monitoring  3.2 / 5
0
5
Equipment Maintenance  3.2 / 5
0
5
Monitoring  3.1 / 5
0
5
Time Management  3.0 / 5
0
5
Troubleshooting  3.0 / 5
0
5

Knowledge Areas

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

Mechanical  3.6 / 5
0
5
English Language  3.3 / 5
0
5
Public Safety and Security  3.1 / 5
0
5
Mathematics  2.8 / 5
0
5
Administration and Management  2.8 / 5
0
5
Customer and Personal Service  2.7 / 5
0
5

Abilities

Top abilities for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Control Precision  4.1 / 5
0
5
Depth Perception  4.0 / 5
0
5
Near Vision  3.9 / 5
0
5
Multilimb Coordination  3.9 / 5
0
5
Far Vision  3.6 / 5
0
5
Rate Control  3.5 / 5
0
5

Daily Tasks

Day-to-day, 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

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Programs that train for this career include:

  • Ground Transportation

Careers similar to operating engineers and other construction equipment operators include:

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

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