Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary
The median pay for a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in Tuscaloosa, AL is $37,340/year ($17.95/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $32K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.72), which stretches that salary to about $42,567 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,169/month, about 45.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Tuscaloosa?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tuscaloosa’s Regional Price Parity (87.72). 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 Tuscaloosa
Pay for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in Tuscaloosa runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,169/month, which is 46.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operatorss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in metros near Tuscaloosa, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | $48K | $52K |
| Huntsville | $49K | $52K |
| Montgomery | $40K | $45K |
| Auburn-Opelika | $36K | $41K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tuscaloosa, AL
Entry-level paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $32K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $18K 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 Tuscaloosa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 46.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,169/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Tuscaloosa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators typically earn — is $32K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,936/month. At HUD’s $1,169/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 Tuscaloosa?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $37K here vs. $53K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tuscaloosa compare to the national average for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators?
Tuscaloosa pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators make in Tuscaloosa, AL?
The median is $37,340 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $32,260, and experienced paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators can clear $49,780. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Tuscaloosa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,528/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,169/month, which eats 46.2% 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 Tuscaloosa?
Tuscaloosa has a Regional Price Parity of 87.72 (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 $42,567 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.