Sources: Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Iowa FY 2027 Classification Plan and Pay Plans; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Iowa state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective June 19, 2026. These are the ranges Iowa sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Equipment Operator Class 08111 · class description Grade 20 | $41,933 – $61,381 a year |
| Equipment Operator Senior Class 08113 · class description Grade 22 | $45,718 – $67,454 a year |
| Heavy Equipment Operator Class 08230 · class description | No fixed rate published |
Schedule: 014 AFSCME. Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Iowa FY 2027 Classification Plan and Pay Plans. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Iowa, all employers Sourced
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) in Iowa, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | IA |
|---|---|
| Workers | 5,530 |
| 10th percentile | $46,690 |
| Median | $60,330 |
| 90th percentile | $87,460 |
| 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.
More about this job
Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Heavy Equipment Operator (government) page.