Find Trade Colleges
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators: Job Description
Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways or for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials. Includes concrete and asphalt paving machine operators, form tampers, tamping machine operators, and stone spreader operators.
What Tasks Do Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Perform?
Typical responsibilities of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators include:
- Start machine, engage clutch, and push and move levers to guide machine along forms or guidelines and to control the operation of machine attachments.
- Fill tanks, hoppers, or machines with paving materials.
- Control paving machines to push dump trucks and to maintain a constant flow of asphalt or other material into hoppers or screeds.
- Observe distribution of paving material to adjust machine settings or material flow, and indicate low spots for workers to add material.
- Coordinate truck dumping.
- Drive machines onto truck trailers, and drive trucks to transport machines and material to and from job sites.
- Inspect, clean, maintain, and repair equipment, using mechanics' hand tools, or report malfunctions to supervisors.
- Set up and tear down equipment.
What Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Need to Know
Top paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
This career also goes by job titles like:
- Asphalt Distributor Operator
- Asphalt Distributor Tender
- Asphalt Equipment Crew Member
- Asphalt Equipment Operator
- Asphalt Paver
- Asphalt Paver Operator
- Asphalt Paving Machine Operator
- Asphalt Paving Operator
Job Outlook
There are about 196,299 paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -3.5% over the projection horizon.
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $64,008 |
| Hourly median | $30.77 |
| 10th percentile | $37,376 |
| 25th percentile | $50,692 |
| 75th percentile | $77,325 |
| 90th percentile | $90,641 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $108,570 |
| Alaska | $97,670 |
| California | $79,460 |
| Wisconsin | $79,440 |
| Washington | $77,180 |
| Missouri | $70,520 |
| District of Columbia | $70,030 |
| Minnesota | $68,920 |
| Illinois | $66,130 |
| New York | $63,860 |
| Rhode Island | $61,440 |
| Ohio | $61,290 |
| Oregon | $61,050 |
| New Hampshire | $60,950 |
| Nevada | $60,680 |
| Massachusetts | $60,450 |
| Arizona | $60,450 |
| Iowa | $60,230 |
| Connecticut | $59,710 |
| Montana | $58,980 |
| Wyoming | $58,930 |
| Maryland | $58,720 |
| South Dakota | $57,610 |
| West Virginia | $57,140 |
| Indiana | $56,960 |
| Pennsylvania | $56,600 |
| Michigan | $54,690 |
| Maine | $54,340 |
| Vermont | $53,580 |
| Kansas | $53,540 |
| Colorado | $53,430 |
| Nebraska | $48,900 |
| Tennessee | $48,690 |
| Idaho | $48,270 |
| New Jersey | $48,070 |
| Delaware | $48,000 |
| Utah | $47,890 |
| North Carolina | $47,620 |
| Oklahoma | $47,230 |
| Virginia | $46,850 |
| Texas | $46,810 |
| New Mexico | $45,820 |
| Kentucky | $45,650 |
| South Carolina | $45,290 |
| Florida | $44,810 |
| Louisiana | $44,720 |
| Georgia | $44,600 |
| Arkansas | $40,860 |
| Alabama | $39,000 |
| Mississippi | $38,490 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,910 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $77,210 | 6.1% | 0.39 |
| Plains States | $64,690 | 8.7% | 1.47 |
| Great Lakes | $63,182 | 17.6% | 1.35 |
| Middle Atlantic | $60,339 | 14.8% | 1.22 |
| New England | $59,211 | 4.6% | 1.18 |
| Rocky Mountains | $52,712 | 4.9% | 1.33 |
| Southwest | $47,102 | 15.1% | 1.64 |
| Southeast | $45,530 | 27.7% | 1.27 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $123,470 | 360 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | HI | $108,570 | |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | IL | $98,730 | 40 |
| Anchorage, AK | AK | $97,670 | 70 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $95,430 | 340 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | IN | $93,070 | 50 |
| Appleton, WI | WI | $89,810 | 90 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | MO | $83,980 | 90 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 35,500 | $51,310 |
| Manufacturing | 1,850 | $57,570 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 800 | $50,680 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 350 | $48,900 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 140 | $56,630 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 100 | $37,440 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
- Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
- Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
Education and Training
Entry-level paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators positions require less than a high school diploma as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers (Primary-Short)
- Terrazzo Workers and Finishers (Supplemental)
- Construction Laborers (Primary-Short)
- Pile Driver Operators (Primary-Long)
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (Primary-Short)
- Pipelayers (Primary-Long)
- Highway Maintenance Workers (Primary-Long)
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators typically earn programs in:
Transportation and Materials Moving
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 47-2071.00 (Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators).
TradeCollege.org provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. TradeCollege.org is a for-profit site, and the displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© TradeCollege.org – All Rights Reserved.