Sources: Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Classification & Compensation, Ohio State Classification Plan — Pay Range Booklet and Pay Range Schedules (rates effective July 2026); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Ohio state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 1, 2026. These are the ranges Ohio sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.
| Class and grade | Published rate |
|---|---|
| Equipment Operator 1 Class 54411 Grade 5 | $21.48 – $23.65 a hour $44,678 – $49,192 a year 5 steps
|
| Equipment Operator 2 Class 54412 Grade 6 | $22.29 – $24.63 a hour $46,363 – $51,230 a year 5 steps
|
| Equipment Operator 3 Class 54413 Grade 7 | $23.28 – $26.54 a hour $48,422 – $55,203 a year 6 steps
|
| Equipment Operator 4 Class 54414 Grade 7 | $23.28 – $26.54 a hour $48,422 – $55,203 a year 6 steps
|
Schedule: OCSEA Pay Range Schedule (Rates Effective July 2026). Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions (hourly × 2,080). Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).
Source: Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS), Classification & Compensation, Ohio State Classification Plan — Pay Range Booklet and Pay Range Schedules (rates effective July 2026). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Ohio, all employers Sourced
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) in Ohio, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | OH |
|---|---|
| Workers | 16,920 |
| 10th percentile | $46,850 |
| Median | $64,940 |
| 90th percentile | $98,100 |
| 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.