Sources: Texas State Auditor's Office (SAO), State Classification Team, Texas State Classification Plan — Job Description Index and Salary Schedules A, B and C (FY 2026–27); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Texas state pay plan Sourced
Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective September 1, 2025. These are the ranges Texas 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 9026 · class description Grade A18 | $45,521 – $71,055 a year |
| Equipment Operator II Class 9027 · class description Grade A19 | $48,244 – $76,028 a year |
| Equipment Operator III Class 9028 · class description Grade A20 | $51,158 – $81,351 a year |
Schedule: Salary Schedule A (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: Texas State Auditor's Office (SAO), State Classification Team, Texas State Classification Plan — Job Description Index and Salary Schedules A, B and C (FY 2026–27). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Pay in Texas, all employers Sourced
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators (SOC 47-2073) in Texas, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.
| Measure | TX |
|---|---|
| Workers | 55,540 |
| 10th percentile | $38,900 |
| Median | $50,460 |
| 90th percentile | $70,010 |
| 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.