Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Columbus, OH make a median of $78,950 a year, or about $37.96 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.47), that's roughly $82,696 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,430/month, or 27.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $79K get you in Columbus?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbus’s Regional Price Parity (95.47). 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 Columbus
Columbus sits well above the national pay line for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, local pay runs about 32% higher than the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $1,430/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.47) 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 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in metros near Columbus, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $67K | $70K |
| Cleveland | $72K | $76K |
| Akron | $64K | $68K |
| Toledo | $64K | $70K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbus, OH
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $49K 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 Columbus?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 27.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,430/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 Columbus?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new operating engineers and other construction equipment operators typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,037/month. At HUD’s $1,430/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Columbus?
Local pay is 32% above the national median — $79K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Columbus compare to the national average for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Columbus pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +32%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.47), the purchasing-power equivalent is $83K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in Columbus, OH?
The median is $78,950 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,610, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $99,390. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Columbus?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,204/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,430/month, which eats 27.5% 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 Columbus?
Columbus has a Regional Price Parity of 95.47 (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 $82,696 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.