Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Delaware make a median of $58,020 a year, or about $27.89 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $98K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.51), that's roughly $59,502 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,448/month, about 38.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Delaware. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $58K get you in Delaware?
About operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
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What this looks like in Delaware
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators pay in Delaware tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,448/month, which is 37.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.51) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Delaware
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $98K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary by metro in Delaware
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | $49K | -16% | 190 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a operating engineers and other construction equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Delaware?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 37.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,448/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Delaware?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new operating engineers and other construction equipment operators typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,345/month. At HUD’s $1,448/month FMR, rent would take 62% 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 Delaware?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Delaware compare to the national average for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Delaware pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — below the national median.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in Delaware?
The median is $58,020 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,090, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $97,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Delaware?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,835/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,448/month, which eats 37.8% 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 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary go in Delaware?
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity of 97.51 (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 $59,502 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.