Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary
The median pay for a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in Urban Honolulu, HI is $111,360/year ($53.54/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $111K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.96), so that salary is closer to $100,360 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,642/month, about 38.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $111K get you in Urban Honolulu?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Urban Honolulu’s Regional Price Parity (110.96). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Urban Honolulu
Urban Honolulu sits well above the national pay line for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators, local pay runs about 109% higher than the U.S. median of $53K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,642/month, which is 40.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 11% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.96), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Urban Honolulu, HI
Entry-level paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $111K. Top earners bring in $111K or more, a $60K 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 Urban Honolulu numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Urban Honolulu?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $111K, rent takes 40.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,642/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,000/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 Urban Honolulu?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,074/month. At HUD’s $2,642/month FMR, rent would take 86% 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 Urban Honolulu?
Local pay is 109% above the national median — $111K here vs. $53K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 11% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Urban Honolulu compare to the national average for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators?
Urban Honolulu pays $111K median vs. the U.S. average of $53K — that’s +109%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $100K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators make in Urban Honolulu, HI?
The median is $111,360 a year, that works out to about $54 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,230, and experienced paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators can clear $111,370. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $111K enough to live in Urban Honolulu?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,539/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,642/month, which eats 40.4% 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 Urban Honolulu?
Urban Honolulu has a Regional Price Parity of 110.96 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators salary is worth about $100,360 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.