Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN make a median of $82,190 a year, or about $39.51 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $97K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.7), that's roughly $85,883 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,473/month, or 27.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $82K get you in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood’s Regional Price Parity (95.7). 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood sits well above the national pay line for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, local pay runs about 37% higher than the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $1,473/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.7) 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.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in metros near Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Wayne | $77K | $84K |
| Evansville | $85K | $92K |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $80K | $87K |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $83K | $89K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $82K. Top earners bring in $97K or more, a $47K 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)
Track operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a operating engineers and other construction equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Yes — at the median salary of $82K, rent takes 27.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,473/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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new operating engineers and other construction equipment operators typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,979/month. At HUD’s $1,473/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Local pay is 37% above the national median — $82K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood compare to the national average for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood pays $82K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN?
The median is $82,190 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,650, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $97,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $82K enough to live in Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,308/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,473/month, which eats 27.8% 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 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood?
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood has a Regional Price Parity of 95.7 (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 $85,883 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.