Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation

Types of Degrees Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Undergraduate Certificate	520
Basic Certificate	439
Associate Degree	111

What Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
• Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
• Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
• Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Skills for Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation Majors

When studying construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• 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.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Abilities for Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation Majors

As you progress with your construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
• Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
• Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
• Depth Perception - The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

What Can You Do With a Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation Major?

People with a construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Crane and Tower Operators	8.5%	$54,140
Dredge Operators	5.6%	$45,260
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas	19.9%	$44,430
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators	8.1%	$44,270
Extraction Workers	14.3%	$54,840
Highway Maintenance Workers	6.9%	$39,690
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators	12.3%	$47,810
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators	12.1%	$39,780
Pile-Driver Operators	13.5%	$58,680
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators	8.6%	$56,930

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation?

This major attracts more men than women. About 95% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	0
Black or African American	2
Hispanic or Latino	6
White	95
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	8

How Much Do Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $47,500 to $56,390 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation

Some careers associated with construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma	18.6%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	62.3%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	15.6%
Some College Courses	2.6%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	0.3%

Online Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	38	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	11	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation Worth It?

The median salary for a construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation grad is $52,920 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 33% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $260,400 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Construction/Heavy Equipment Operation

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to construction/heavy equipment/earthmoving equipment operation.

Major	Number of Grads
Truck & Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator & Instructor	20,171
Other Ground Transportation	137
Railroad & Railway Transportation	102

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.