Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ make a median of $95,050 a year, or about $45.7 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $154K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 112.56), so that salary is closer to $84,444 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,910/month, about 48.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $95K get you in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by New York-Newark-Jersey City’s Regional Price Parity (112.56). 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City
New York-Newark-Jersey City sits well above the national pay line for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, local pay runs about 59% higher than the U.S. median of $60K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,910/month, which is 49.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 13% above the national average (BEA RPP 112.56), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in metros near New York-Newark-Jersey City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $83K | $83K |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga | $74K | $77K |
| Rochester | $66K | $68K |
| Syracuse | $64K | $67K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $95K. Top earners bring in $154K or more, a $97K 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $95K, rent takes 49.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,910/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new operating engineers and other construction equipment operators typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,401/month. At HUD’s $2,910/month FMR, rent would take 86% 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
Local pay is 59% above the national median — $95K here vs. $60K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 13% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does New York-Newark-Jersey City compare to the national average for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
New York-Newark-Jersey City pays $95K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +59%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 112.56), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ?
The median is $95,050 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,680, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $154,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $95K enough to live in New York-Newark-Jersey City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,883/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,910/month, which eats 49.5% 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 New York-Newark-Jersey City?
New York-Newark-Jersey City has a Regional Price Parity of 112.56 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary is worth about $84,444 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.