Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Indiana make a median of $79,580 a year, or about $38.26 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $99K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $86,679 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 21.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in Indiana?
About operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
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What this looks like in Indiana
Indiana sits well above the national pay line for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, local pay runs about 33% higher than the U.S. median of $60K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,144/month, 22.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Indiana offers a genuinely strong financial position for operating engineers and other construction equipment operatorss at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $99K or more, a $51K spread from bottom to top.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary by metro in Indiana
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan City-La Porte | $98K | +23% | 170 |
| Evansville | $85K | +6% | 510 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $83K | +5% | 340 |
| Kokomo | $82K | +3% | 100 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $82K | +3% | 3,700 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $80K | +1% | 360 |
| Fort Wayne | $77K | -3% | 650 |
| Columbus | $65K | -18% | 110 |
| Bloomington | $62K | -22% | 230 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $62K | -22% | 290 |
| Terre Haute | $62K | -23% | 230 |
| Muncie | $60K | -25% | 80 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a operating engineers and other construction equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 22.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/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 Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new operating engineers and other construction equipment operators typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,858/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Indiana?
Local pay is 33% above the national median — $80K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Indiana pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $87K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in Indiana?
The median is $79,580 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,630, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $98,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,162/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 22.2% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $86,679 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.