Heavy Equipment Operator (government)

Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.

O*NET definition of Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) · Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed.

Education workers say the job requires

Share of surveyed workers in Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) naming each level as required to be hired, 23 respondents, O*NET survey August 2020. Each employer sets its own minimum.

Many workers learn how to operate construction equipment on the job after earning a high school diploma or equivalent; others learn through an apprenticeship or by attending vocational schools.

From the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile “Construction Equipment Operators”, published August 27, 2026 · Read the full profile. National guidance; each employer runs its own hiring process.

Median annual wage by employer type, national, May 2025. Federal includes the U.S. Postal Service; state and local include public schools and hospitals.

State government pay plans

Official pay ranges for the job classes that match Heavy Equipment Operator (government) in 33 state civil-service plans. They cover state employees only, not cities, counties or school districts.

Lowest class minimum to highest class maximum. Hourly rates are converted at 2,080 hours a year, and other rates at the plan's pay periods; the plans publish the exact rates. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Sources: 33 official state pay plans, linked in each row.

1. Learn and follow safety regulations.4.9
2. Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.4.7
3. Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.4.6
4. Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.4.5
5. Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.4.5
6. Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.4.5
7. Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines.4.4
8. Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.4.4
9. Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.4.3
10. Drive and maneuver equipment equipped with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, or rocks or to distribute and level earth or terrain.4.3

The 10 most important of 18 core tasks for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, ranked by importance (1–5) in the O*NET survey of August 2020.