Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary
The median pay for a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in Fort Wayne, IN is $95,510/year ($45.92/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $96K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $103,176 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,113/month, or 18.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $96K get you in Fort Wayne?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Wayne’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). 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 Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne sits well above the national pay line for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators, local pay runs about 79% higher than the U.S. median of $53K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,113/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Fort Wayne offers a genuinely strong financial position for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operatorss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in metros near Fort Wayne, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $50K | $52K |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $58K | $62K |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $50K | $56K |
| Evansville | $50K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Wayne, IN
Entry-level paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $96K. Top earners bring in $96K 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 with published data
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 Fort Wayne?
Yes — at the median salary of $96K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,113/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 Fort Wayne?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,484/month. At HUD’s $1,113/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Fort Wayne?
Local pay is 79% above the national median — $96K here vs. $53K nationally.
How does Fort Wayne compare to the national average for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators?
Fort Wayne pays $96K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +79%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $103K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators make in Fort Wayne, IN?
The median is $95,510 a year, that works out to about $46 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,400, and experienced paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators can clear $95,530. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $96K enough to live in Fort Wayne?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,055/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,113/month, which eats 18.4% 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 Fort Wayne?
Fort Wayne has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (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 $103,176 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.