Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Utah make a median of $60,740 a year, or about $29.2 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $61,640 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,350/month, about 33.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $61K get you in Utah?
About operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
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What this looks like in Utah
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators pay in Utah tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,350/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Utah
Entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary by metro in Utah
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $62K | +2% | 2,570 |
| Ogden | $60K | -1% | 1,160 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi | $60K | -1% | 1,440 |
| St. George | $58K | -5% | 670 |
| Logan | $57K | -6% | 180 |
Compare to other states
Track operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Utah numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a operating engineers and other construction equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Utah?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 33.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 Utah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new operating engineers and other construction equipment operators typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,845/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Utah?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Utah compare to the national average for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Utah pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in Utah?
The median is $60,740 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,420, and experienced operating engineers and other construction equipment operators can clear $75,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,002/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 33.7% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $61,640 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.