Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary
The median pay for a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in Florida is $46,840/year ($22.52/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $61K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $47,515 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,658/month, about 49.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $47K get you in Florida?
About paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
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What this looks like in Florida
Pay for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in Florida runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,658/month, which is 50.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operatorss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $61K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators salary by metro in Florida
13 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $50K | +6% | 110 |
| Naples-Marco Island | $49K | +5% | 50 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $48K | +3% | N/A |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers | $48K | +2% | 90 |
| Wildwood-The Villages | $48K | +2% | 50 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $47K | +1% | 370 |
| Jacksonville | $47K | +1% | 220 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $47K | +0% | 370 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $47K | +0% | N/A |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $47K | -0% | 570 |
| Gainesville | $46K | -2% | 50 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $44K | -6% | 140 |
| Tallahassee | $37K | -20% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 13 metros
Compare to other states
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Frequently asked questions
Can a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 50.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,275/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 73% 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 Florida?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $47K here vs. $53K nationally.
How does Florida compare to the national average for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators?
Florida pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — below the national median.
How much do paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators make in Florida?
The median is $46,840 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,910, and experienced paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators can clear $60,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,306/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 50.2% 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 paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators salary go in Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $47,515 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.