Logging Equipment Operators Salary
Logging Equipment Operators in Hattiesburg, MS make a median of $51,260 a year, or about $24.65 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.63), which stretches that salary to about $58,496 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,047/month, about 31.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $51K get you in Hattiesburg?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hattiesburg’s Regional Price Parity (87.63). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About logging equipment operators
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What this looks like in Hattiesburg
Logging equipment operators pay in Hattiesburg tracks closely to the national median, $51K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,047/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.63 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for logging equipment operators in metros near Hattiesburg, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Jackson | $50K | $56K |
| Tuscaloosa | $47K | $53K |
| Birmingham | $49K | $53K |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $49K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hattiesburg, MS
Entry-level logging equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $51K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Logging Equipment Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Logging Equipment Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $75K | +51% | 1,150 |
| Illinois | $71K | +43% | 40 |
| Texas | $63K | +26% | 500 |
| California | $62K | +25% | 950 |
| South Dakota | $59K | +18% | 50 |
| Oregon | $59K | +18% | 1,860 |
| Louisiana | $59K | +18% | 770 |
| Minnesota | $59K | +18% | 320 |
| Montana | $57K | +14% | 190 |
| Idaho | $56K | +14% | 560 |
| Vermont | $53K | +6% | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $52K | +4% | 170 |
| Ohio | $51K | +2% | 260 |
| Wyoming | $50K | -0% | 40 |
| Mississippi | $50K | -0% | 1,220 |
| Colorado | $50K | -0% | 70 |
| Florida | $49K | -1% | 770 |
| Massachusetts | $49K | -2% | N/A |
| North Carolina | $48K | -3% | 990 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -3% | 1,280 |
| Alabama | $48K | -4% | 1,860 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -4% | 920 |
| Michigan | $48K | -4% | 860 |
| New York | $48K | -4% | 290 |
| Maryland | $48K | -4% | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $47K | -6% | 360 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | -7% | 480 |
| Indiana | $46K | -7% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -7% | 400 |
| Virginia | $46K | -7% | 570 |
| Georgia | $45K | -9% | 1,620 |
| Maine | $45K | -10% | 830 |
| Missouri | $42K | -16% | 140 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -25% | 130 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -27% | 310 |
| Kentucky | $30K | -39% | 300 |
Showing 1–10 of 36 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track logging equipment operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hattiesburg numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a logging equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hattiesburg?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $51K, rent takes 30.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,047/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for logging equipment operators in Hattiesburg?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new logging equipment operators typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,901/month. At HUD’s $1,047/month FMR, rent would take 55% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is logging equipment operator a high-paying job in Hattiesburg?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $51K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Hattiesburg compare to the national average for logging equipment operators?
Hattiesburg pays $51K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.63), the purchasing-power equivalent is $58K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do logging equipment operators make in Hattiesburg, MS?
The median is $51,260 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,690, and experienced logging equipment operators can clear $52,820. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $51K enough to live in Hattiesburg?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,401/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,047/month, which eats 30.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a logging equipment operators salary go in Hattiesburg?
Hattiesburg has a Regional Price Parity of 87.63 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median logging equipment operators salary is worth about $58,496 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do logging equipment operators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.