Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO make a median of $64,080 a year, or about $30.81 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers.
So what does $64K get you in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
About operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greeley | $61K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $62K | , |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $65K | , |
| Grand Junction | $58K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $80K 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 states
Track operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a operating engineers and other construction equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 28.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,187/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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new operating engineers and other construction equipment operators typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,148/month.
Is operating engineers and other construction equipment operator a high-paying job in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $64K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +7%.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $64,080 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,470, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $79,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,221/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,187/month, which eats 28.1% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary is worth about $64,080 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.