Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary
The median pay for a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in Lansing-East Lansing, MI is $49,450/year ($23.77/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.99), which stretches that salary to about $52,058 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,268/month, about 37.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $49K get you in Lansing-East Lansing?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lansing-East Lansing’s Regional Price Parity (94.99). 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 Lansing-East Lansing
Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators pay in Lansing-East Lansing tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $53K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,268/month, which is 38.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.99 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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 Lansing-East Lansing, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $51K | $51K |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $47K | $49K |
| Battle Creek | $49K | $54K |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $60K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Entry-level paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $26K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Lansing-East Lansing numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lansing-East Lansing?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 38.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,268/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 Lansing-East Lansing?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,243/month. At HUD’s $1,268/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $53K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Lansing-East Lansing compare to the national average for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators?
Lansing-East Lansing pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.99), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators make in Lansing-East Lansing, MI?
The median is $49,450 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,390, and experienced paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators can clear $63,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Lansing-East Lansing?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,306/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,268/month, which eats 38.4% 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 Lansing-East Lansing?
Lansing-East Lansing has a Regional Price Parity of 94.99 (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 $52,058 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.