Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Cheyenne, WY make a median of $57,970 a year, or about $27.87 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $72K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.49), that's roughly $60,079 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,174/month, or 29.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $58K get you in Cheyenne?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cheyenne’s Regional Price Parity (96.49). 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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What this looks like in Cheyenne
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators pay in Cheyenne tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,174/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 96.49) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in metros near Cheyenne, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Casper | $55K | $58K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $64K | , |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $62K | $61K |
| Boise City | $61K | $62K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cheyenne, WY
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $72K or more, a $27K 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
View Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $116K | +94% | 2,380 |
| Illinois | $98K | +63% | 12,290 |
| New Jersey | $90K | +50% | 5,980 |
| California | $87K | +46% | 36,020 |
| Washington | $82K | +37% | 10,290 |
| New York | $81K | +35% | 14,490 |
| Indiana | $80K | +33% | 11,520 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +32% | 8,590 |
| Connecticut | $79K | +32% | 2,860 |
| Alaska | $78K | +30% | 3,050 |
| Massachusetts | $77K | +28% | 9,680 |
| Wisconsin | $75K | +26% | 8,140 |
| District of Columbia | $75K | +25% | 620 |
| Oregon | $73K | +23% | 5,630 |
| Nevada | $71K | +19% | 5,410 |
| Ohio | $65K | +9% | 16,920 |
| Rhode Island | $64K | +6% | 970 |
| Wyoming | $63K | +5% | 3,800 |
| Michigan | $63K | +5% | 9,500 |
| Colorado | $63K | +5% | 11,700 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | +4% | 1,330 |
| North Dakota | $62K | +4% | 4,890 |
| Idaho | $62K | +3% | 4,270 |
| Montana | $62K | +3% | 3,750 |
| Maryland | $61K | +3% | 6,610 |
| Utah | $61K | +1% | 7,880 |
| Arizona | $61K | +1% | 13,200 |
| Missouri | $61K | +1% | 10,470 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | +1% | 22,120 |
| Iowa | $60K | +1% | 5,530 |
| South Dakota | $60K | -1% | 2,050 |
| Vermont | $59K | -2% | 1,280 |
| Nebraska | $58K | -2% | 3,180 |
| Delaware | $58K | -3% | 1,230 |
| Kentucky | $58K | -3% | 7,050 |
| Virginia | $57K | -4% | 12,100 |
| Maine | $56K | -6% | 2,210 |
| Tennessee | $52K | -13% | 10,660 |
| New Mexico | $52K | -13% | 5,520 |
| Louisiana | $52K | -14% | 7,860 |
| Kansas | $52K | -14% | 7,070 |
| West Virginia | $51K | -14% | 7,830 |
| Texas | $50K | -16% | 55,540 |
| Florida | $49K | -17% | 27,510 |
| North Carolina | $49K | -18% | 16,580 |
| South Carolina | $49K | -18% | 8,160 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -20% | 7,050 |
| Georgia | $48K | -20% | 15,700 |
| Alabama | $48K | -21% | 9,640 |
| Mississippi | $47K | -21% | 4,170 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -26% | 5,800 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
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Frequently asked questions
Can a operating engineers and other construction equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cheyenne?
Yes — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 29% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,174/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Cheyenne?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new operating engineers and other construction equipment operators typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,695/month. At HUD’s $1,174/month FMR, rent would take 44% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is operating engineers and other construction equipment operator a high-paying job in Cheyenne?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Cheyenne compare to the national average for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Cheyenne pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in Cheyenne, WY?
The median is $57,970 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,910, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $71,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Cheyenne?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,051/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,174/month, which eats 29% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary go in Cheyenne?
Cheyenne has a Regional Price Parity of 96.49 (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 $60,079 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.