Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX make a median of $39,560 a year, or about $19.02 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $53K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.97), which stretches that salary to about $46,016 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,047/month — about 36.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $40K get you in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Brownsville-Harlingen’s Regional Price Parity (85.97). 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 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $53K or more, a $22K spread from bottom to top.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $105K | +80% | 1,740 |
| Illinois | $97K | +65% | 11,690 |
| California | $89K | +52% | 36,040 |
| New Jersey | $84K | +43% | 6,450 |
| New York | $80K | +37% | 14,700 |
| Washington | $79K | +35% | 9,070 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +34% | 8,290 |
| Connecticut | $77K | +31% | 2,810 |
| Rhode Island | $76K | +30% | 850 |
| Alaska | $75K | +28% | 3,170 |
| Massachusetts | $73K | +24% | 10,360 |
| Nevada | $73K | +24% | 5,760 |
| Wisconsin | $73K | +24% | 8,320 |
| Indiana | $72K | +23% | 11,230 |
| District of Columbia | $69K | +18% | 560 |
| Oregon | $68K | +16% | 5,450 |
| Wyoming | $64K | +8% | 3,880 |
| New Hampshire | $63K | +7% | 1,530 |
| North Dakota | $63K | +7% | 4,690 |
| Michigan | $63K | +7% | 9,420 |
| Ohio | $62K | +6% | 16,510 |
| Iowa | $61K | +4% | 5,440 |
| Maryland | $61K | +3% | 6,470 |
| Montana | $60K | +2% | 3,610 |
| Missouri | $60K | +2% | 8,750 |
| Arizona | $60K | +2% | 13,520 |
| Utah | $60K | +2% | 6,320 |
| Idaho | $59K | +1% | 4,090 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | -0% | 20,680 |
| Nebraska | $57K | -3% | 3,180 |
| Kentucky | $57K | -3% | 7,020 |
| South Dakota | $57K | -3% | 2,080 |
| Delaware | $57K | -4% | 1,190 |
| Vermont | $56K | -4% | 1,160 |
| Maine | $55K | -6% | 1,980 |
| Virginia | $52K | -11% | 11,280 |
| Kansas | $51K | -14% | 6,850 |
| West Virginia | $50K | -15% | 7,940 |
| Texas | $50K | -15% | 55,290 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -15% | 7,230 |
| New Mexico | $49K | -16% | 5,000 |
| Tennessee | $49K | -16% | 10,190 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -17% | 15,890 |
| Florida | $49K | -17% | 29,420 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -19% | 8,430 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -20% | 6,690 |
| Alabama | $47K | -20% | 9,640 |
| Georgia | $46K | -21% | 15,720 |
| Mississippi | $46K | -22% | 4,150 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -23% | 5,550 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
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Frequently asked questions
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in Brownsville-Harlingen, TX?
The median is $39,560 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $31,400, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $53,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Brownsville-Harlingen?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,819/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,047/month, which eats 37.1% 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 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary go in Brownsville-Harlingen?
Brownsville-Harlingen has a Regional Price Parity of 85.97 (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 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary is worth about $46,016 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do operating engineers and other construction 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.