Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Parkersburg-Vienna, WV make a median of $47,450 a year, or about $22.81 an hour. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.07), which stretches that salary to about $54,496 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $928/month, or 28.7% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $47K get you in Parkersburg-Vienna?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Parkersburg-Vienna’s Regional Price Parity (87.07). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Parkersburg-Vienna
Pay for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Parkersburg-Vienna runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $60K. Rent runs $928/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.07 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% 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 Parkersburg-Vienna, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington-Ashland | $57K | $65K |
| Charleston | $58K | $65K |
| Morgantown | $53K | $57K |
| Wheeling | $58K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Parkersburg-Vienna, WV
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $29K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Parkersburg-Vienna numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a operating engineers and other construction equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Parkersburg-Vienna?
Yes — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 28.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $928/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 Parkersburg-Vienna?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new operating engineers and other construction equipment operators typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,934/month. At HUD’s $928/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Parkersburg-Vienna?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $47K here vs. $60K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Parkersburg-Vienna compare to the national average for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Parkersburg-Vienna pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $54K — below the national median.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in Parkersburg-Vienna, WV?
The median is $47,450 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,230, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $61,690. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Parkersburg-Vienna?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,214/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $928/month, which eats 28.9% 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 Parkersburg-Vienna?
Parkersburg-Vienna has a Regional Price Parity of 87.07 (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 $54,496 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.