Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Fort Smith, AR-OK make a median of $41,820 a year, or about $20.11 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $48,690 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $937/month, about 32.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Fort Smith?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Smith’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). 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 Fort Smith
Pay for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Fort Smith runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $937/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Fort Smith, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $46K | $52K |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $50K | $55K |
| Hot Springs | $38K | $44K |
| Jonesboro | $46K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Smith, AR-OK
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $14K 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 Fort Smith?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 32.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $937/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Fort Smith?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new operating engineers and other construction equipment operators typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,129/month. At HUD’s $937/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 Fort Smith?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $42K here vs. $60K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Fort Smith pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The median is $41,820 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,480, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $49,170. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Fort Smith?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,848/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $937/month, which eats 32.9% 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 Fort Smith?
Fort Smith has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (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 $48,690 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.