Logging Equipment Operators Salary
Logging Equipment Operators in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN make a median of $47,350 a year, or about $22.77 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $75K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.34), that's roughly $49,149 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,730/month, about 50.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K get you in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin’s Regional Price Parity (96.34). 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin
Logging equipment operators pay in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin tracks closely to the national median, $47K locally vs. $50K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,730/month, which is 51.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for logging equipment operators in metros near Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $39K | $39K |
| Tuscaloosa | $47K | $53K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $50K | $52K |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $46K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
Entry-level logging equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $75K or more, a $44K 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a logging equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 51.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,730/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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new logging equipment operators typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,864/month. At HUD’s $1,730/month FMR, rent would take 93% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $47K locally vs. $50K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin compare to the national average for logging equipment operators?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $50K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do logging equipment operators make in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN?
The median is $47,350 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,070, and experienced logging equipment operators can clear $74,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,340/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,730/month, which eats 51.8% 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin?
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin has a Regional Price Parity of 96.34 (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 $49,149 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.