Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary in El Centro, CA
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in El Centro, CA make a median of $64,330 a year, or about $30.93 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.17), that's roughly $67,595 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,362/month — about 32.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in El Centro?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by El Centro’s Regional Price Parity (95.17). 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, El Centro, CA
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $36K 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 |
| Louisiana | $50K | -15% | 7,230 |
| Texas | $50K | -15% | 55,290 |
| 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
Track operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in El Centro, CA?
The median is $64,330 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,770, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $82,260. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in El Centro?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,283/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,362/month, which eats 31.8% 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 El Centro?
El Centro has a Regional Price Parity of 95.17 (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 $67,595 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.