Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in California
Heavy Equipment Operators in California have a median annual salary of $87,160, which works out to about $41.90 per hour, with a typical 25th–75th percentile range of $65,230 to $125,560, based on the latest BLS OEWS data.
47-2073 · Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Heavy Equipment Operator pay in California at a glance
Median annual salary
$87,160
Median hourly wage
$41.90/hr
Average annual salary
$94,000
Average hourly wage
$45.19/hr
25th percentile
$65,230
75th percentile
$125,560
10th percentile
$52,760
90th percentile
$132,210
People employed
36,020
Salary distribution
Reported wage points from the lowest to the highest paid heavy equipment operator roles in California.
- 10th percentile
- $52,760
- 25th percentile
- $65,230
- Median percentile
- $87,160
- 75th percentile
- $125,560
- 90th percentile
- $132,210
California vs U.S. salary
The median salary for heavy equipment operator roles in California is about 45.6% above the U.S. median of $59,850 for the same occupation.
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How much does a heavy equipment operator make in California?
Half of heavy equipment operator roles in California report earning more than $87,160 a year and half report earning less — that is the median. The mean (average) of $94,000 is pulled up or down by the highest and lowest earners, which is why the median is usually the better benchmark.
Salary range
A quarter of reported salaries fall below $65,230 and a quarter are above $125,560, so most heavy equipment operator pay sits between those two figures. These percentiles describe how pay is spread across all reported roles — they are not a direct measure of years of experience.
What can affect heavy equipment operator pay?
- Years of experience and level of responsibility
- Employer type and size
- Specialization within the occupation
- Certifications and licensing
- Industry
- Hours worked, shift patterns and overtime
- The local labor market where the job is based
Related salary pages
Heavy Equipment Operator pay in other states
- Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in Hawaii
- Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in Illinois
- Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in New Jersey
- Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in Washington
- Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in New York
- Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in Indiana
- Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in Minnesota
- Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in Connecticut
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