Heavy Equipment Operator (government) in Colorado

$38,328 – $83,244

state pay plan range, a year

classes in the state plan

$62,620

median pay in CO, all employers

11,700

workers in CO (SOC 47-2073)

Sources: Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR), State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27 — Pay Plan with Steps, State Troopers and Medical Pay Plan; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Colorado state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 1, 2026. These are the ranges Colorado sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and grade	Published rate
Equipment Operator I Class D7B1XX · class description Grade D03	$3,194.00 – $4,471.00 a month $38,328 – $53,652 a year 31 steps Minimum: $3,194.00 a month Year 1: $3,194.00 a month Year 2: $3,194.00 a month Year 3: $3,354.00 a month Year 4: $3,354.00 a month Year 5: $3,521.00 a month Year 6: $3,521.00 a month Year 7: $3,521.00 a month Year 8: $3,697.00 a month Year 9: $3,697.00 a month Year 10: $3,833.00 a month Year 11: $3,833.00 a month Year 12: $3,910.00 a month Year 13: $3,910.00 a month Year 14: $3,910.00 a month Year 15: $3,988.00 a month Year 16: $3,988.00 a month Year 17: $3,988.00 a month Year 18: $3,988.00 a month Year 19: $3,988.00 a month Year 20: $4,068.00 a month Year 21: $4,068.00 a month Year 22: $4,068.00 a month Year 23: $4,068.00 a month Year 24: $4,068.00 a month Year 25: $4,149.00 a month Year 26: $4,149.00 a month Year 27: $4,149.00 a month Year 28: $4,149.00 a month Year 29: $4,149.00 a month Year 30: $4,149.00 a month
Equipment Operator II Class D7B2XX · class description Grade D07	$3,882.00 – $5,436.00 a month $46,584 – $65,232 a year 31 steps Minimum: $3,882.00 a month Year 1: $3,882.00 a month Year 2: $3,882.00 a month Year 3: $4,076.00 a month Year 4: $4,076.00 a month Year 5: $4,280.00 a month Year 6: $4,280.00 a month Year 7: $4,280.00 a month Year 8: $4,494.00 a month Year 9: $4,494.00 a month Year 10: $4,659.00 a month Year 11: $4,659.00 a month Year 12: $4,752.00 a month Year 13: $4,752.00 a month Year 14: $4,752.00 a month Year 15: $4,847.00 a month Year 16: $4,847.00 a month Year 17: $4,847.00 a month Year 18: $4,847.00 a month Year 19: $4,847.00 a month Year 20: $4,944.00 a month Year 21: $4,944.00 a month Year 22: $4,944.00 a month Year 23: $4,944.00 a month Year 24: $4,944.00 a month Year 25: $5,043.00 a month Year 26: $5,043.00 a month Year 27: $5,043.00 a month Year 28: $5,043.00 a month Year 29: $5,043.00 a month Year 30: $5,043.00 a month
Equipment Operator III Class D7B3XX · class description Grade D11	$4,719.00 – $6,607.00 a month $56,628 – $79,284 a year 31 steps Minimum: $4,719.00 a month Year 1: $4,719.00 a month Year 2: $4,719.00 a month Year 3: $4,955.00 a month Year 4: $4,955.00 a month Year 5: $5,203.00 a month Year 6: $5,203.00 a month Year 7: $5,203.00 a month Year 8: $5,463.00 a month Year 9: $5,463.00 a month Year 10: $5,662.00 a month Year 11: $5,662.00 a month Year 12: $5,775.00 a month Year 13: $5,775.00 a month Year 14: $5,775.00 a month Year 15: $5,891.00 a month Year 16: $5,891.00 a month Year 17: $5,891.00 a month Year 18: $5,891.00 a month Year 19: $5,891.00 a month Year 20: $6,009.00 a month Year 21: $6,009.00 a month Year 22: $6,009.00 a month Year 23: $6,009.00 a month Year 24: $6,009.00 a month Year 25: $6,129.00 a month Year 26: $6,129.00 a month Year 27: $6,129.00 a month Year 28: $6,129.00 a month Year 29: $6,129.00 a month Year 30: $6,129.00 a month
Equipment Operator IV Class D7B4XX · class description Grade D12	$4,955.00 – $6,937.00 a month $59,460 – $83,244 a year 31 steps Minimum: $4,955.00 a month Year 1: $4,955.00 a month Year 2: $4,955.00 a month Year 3: $5,203.00 a month Year 4: $5,203.00 a month Year 5: $5,463.00 a month Year 6: $5,463.00 a month Year 7: $5,463.00 a month Year 8: $5,736.00 a month Year 9: $5,736.00 a month Year 10: $5,946.00 a month Year 11: $5,946.00 a month Year 12: $6,065.00 a month Year 13: $6,065.00 a month Year 14: $6,065.00 a month Year 15: $6,186.00 a month Year 16: $6,186.00 a month Year 17: $6,186.00 a month Year 18: $6,186.00 a month Year 19: $6,186.00 a month Year 20: $6,310.00 a month Year 21: $6,310.00 a month Year 22: $6,310.00 a month Year 23: $6,310.00 a month Year 24: $6,310.00 a month Year 25: $6,436.00 a month Year 26: $6,436.00 a month Year 27: $6,436.00 a month Year 28: $6,436.00 a month Year 29: $6,436.00 a month Year 30: $6,436.00 a month

Schedule: State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration, Division of Human Resources (DHR), State of Colorado Pay Plan FY 2026-27 — Pay Plan with Steps, State Troopers and Medical Pay Plan. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Colorado, all employers Sourced

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) in Colorado, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.

Measure	CO
Workers	11,700
10th percentile	$49,480
Median	$62,620
90th percentile	$78,870
National median, government employers	$52,750

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

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Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.

More about this job

Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Heavy Equipment Operator (government) page.

Heavy Equipment Operator (government) in Colorado

Colorado state pay plan Sourced

Pay in Colorado, all employers Sourced

Free practice tests for Colorado

More about this job

Heavy Equipment Operator (government) in other states