Find Trade Colleges

Study Area & Zipcode

Pile-Driver Operator

Find Schools Near

Life As a Pile-Driver Operator

Occupation Description Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures, such as buildings, bridges, and piers.

Daily Life Of a Pile-Driver Operator

  • Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment to ensure proper functioning.
  • Move levers and turn valves to activate power hammers, or to raise and lower drophammers that drive piles to required depths.
  • Move hand and foot levers of hoisting equipment to position piling leads, hoist piling into leads, and position hammers over pilings.
  • Drive pilings to provide support for buildings or other structures, using heavy equipment with a pile driver head.
  • Clean, lubricate, and refill equipment.

Pile-Driver Operator Skills

These are the skills Pile-Driver Operators say are the most useful in their careers:

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Operation Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Equipment Maintenance: Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Types of Pile-Driver Operator Jobs

  • Pile Driving Superintendent
  • Pile Driving Technician
  • Hydraulic Press-In Operator
  • Pile Driver Foreman
  • Pile Driver Operator

Is There Going to be Demand for Pile-Driver Operators?

There were about 3,700 jobs for Pile-Driver Operator in 2016 (in the United States). New jobs are being produced at a rate of 13.5% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 500 new jobs for Pile-Driver Operator by 2026. There will be an estimated 500 positions for Pile-Driver Operator per year.

undefined

The states with the most job growth for Pile-Driver Operator are Oregon, Florida, and Maryland. Watch out if you plan on working in Washington, Pennsylvania, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Pile-Driver Operator Salary

Pile-Driver Operators make between $33,810 and $100,350 a year.

undefined

Pile-Driver Operators who work in Illinois, Massachusetts, or California, make the highest salaries.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Pile-Driver Operators in different U.S. states.

State Annual Mean Salary
California $80,030
Florida $48,110
Georgia $45,900
Illinois $86,060
Louisiana $51,020
Maryland $56,230
Massachusetts $80,110
Michigan $72,440
Minnesota $74,250
North Carolina $40,540
Oregon $72,290
Pennsylvania $72,370
Rhode Island $61,520
South Carolina $43,340
Texas $59,440
Virginia $52,170
Washington $74,570

What Tools & Technology do Pile-Driver Operators Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Pile-Driver Operators may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Data entry software
  • Email software
  • Global positioning system GPS software

How do I Become a Pile-Driver Operator?

What education or degrees do I need to become a Pile-Driver Operator?

undefined

How many years of work experience do I need?

undefined

Where do Pile-Driver Operators Work?

undefined

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

undefined

Those interested in being a Pile-Driver Operator may also be interested in:

Are you already one of the many Pile-Driver Operator in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

References:

Image Credit: Hic85 via Public Domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

Featured Schools

Find Trade Schools Near You

Our free school finder matches students with accredited trade schools across the U.S.