Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary
The median pay for a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in Akron, OH is $64,000/year ($30.77/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $89K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.37), which stretches that salary to about $68,545 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,268/month, about 30.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Akron?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Akron’s Regional Price Parity (93.37). 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 paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
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What this looks like in Akron
Akron sits well above the national pay line for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators, local pay runs about 20% higher than the U.S. median of $53K. Rent runs $1,268/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.37 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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 paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in metros near Akron, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Toledo | $58K | $64K |
| Columbus | $62K | $65K |
| Cincinnati | $61K | $64K |
| Cleveland | $60K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Akron, OH
Entry-level paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $89K or more, a $54K spread from bottom to top.
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $111K | +109% | N/A |
| District of Columbia | $91K | +71% | 70 |
| Washington | $91K | +70% | 530 |
| Alaska | $84K | +57% | 80 |
| California | $83K | +56% | 1,400 |
| Connecticut | $77K | +45% | N/A |
| Idaho | $73K | +37% | 130 |
| Illinois | $73K | +37% | 950 |
| Missouri | $69K | +30% | 1,560 |
| Wisconsin | $69K | +29% | 960 |
| Minnesota | $68K | +28% | 830 |
| Oregon | $63K | +19% | 520 |
| Rhode Island | $63K | +18% | 160 |
| New York | $63K | +18% | 4,530 |
| New Hampshire | $62K | +16% | 260 |
| Iowa | $61K | +15% | N/A |
| Massachusetts | $61K | +14% | 560 |
| Maryland | $61K | +13% | 750 |
| Ohio | $60K | +13% | 2,370 |
| South Dakota | $60K | +13% | 130 |
| Colorado | $59K | +10% | 920 |
| Wyoming | $58K | +9% | 160 |
| Maine | $57K | +7% | 250 |
| Pennsylvania | $56K | +5% | 520 |
| Montana | $56K | +5% | 260 |
| Vermont | $55K | +3% | 70 |
| Michigan | $54K | +2% | 1,720 |
| Delaware | $54K | +1% | 150 |
| Arizona | $52K | -2% | 170 |
| Nevada | $51K | -4% | N/A |
| West Virginia | $51K | -4% | 210 |
| New Jersey | $51K | -5% | 840 |
| Indiana | $50K | -6% | 910 |
| Kansas | $49K | -8% | 540 |
| Utah | $49K | -8% | 410 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -9% | 350 |
| Virginia | $48K | -10% | 1,660 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -10% | 1,940 |
| Texas | $47K | -12% | 3,940 |
| South Carolina | $47K | -12% | 630 |
| Florida | $47K | -12% | 2,740 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -12% | 550 |
| Georgia | $46K | -14% | 1,270 |
| New Mexico | $46K | -14% | 990 |
| Nebraska | $46K | -14% | 390 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -14% | 110 |
| Arkansas | $44K | -17% | 490 |
| Tennessee | $43K | -20% | 1,730 |
| Alabama | $42K | -21% | 700 |
| Mississippi | $37K | -31% | 470 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Akron?
Yes — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 29.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,268/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in Akron?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,129/month. At HUD’s $1,268/month FMR, rent would take 60% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operator a high-paying job in Akron?
Local pay is 20% above the national median — $64K here vs. $53K nationally.
How does Akron compare to the national average for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators?
Akron pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.37), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators make in Akron, OH?
The median is $64,000 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,480, and experienced paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators can clear $89,130. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Akron?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,362/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,268/month, which eats 29.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators salary go in Akron?
Akron has a Regional Price Parity of 93.37 (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 paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators salary is worth about $68,545 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do paving, surfacing, and tamping 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.