Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators · SOC 47-2073
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary in the Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area
Figures describe the Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area, a BLS-defined region outside metropolitan areas — not a single city or town.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in the Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area earned a median of $59,040 per year ($28.39 per hour) as of the May 2025 BLS OEWS estimates. Pay ranged from $45,690 at the 10th percentile to $80,340 at the 90th. BLS estimates 400 people work in this occupation in the area.
Pay distribution
Half of Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in the Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area earn more than $59,040 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $51,330 and $73,830.
| Wage | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $45,690 | $51,330 | $59,040 | $73,830 | $80,340 |
| Hourly | $21.97 | $24.68 | $28.39 | $35.49 | $38.63 |
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares
- Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area$59,040 median for Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $51,330 to $73,830
- Michiganstate$62,690 median for Michigan; middle half earns $54,710 to $78,410
- United Statesnational$59,850 median for United States; middle half earns $48,680 to $77,170
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is −6% vs Michigan overall and −1% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Other metro areas in Michigan
Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
- Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan areathis page$59,040 median for Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area; middle half earns $51,330 to $73,830
- $78,020 median for Battle Creek metro area; middle half earns $70,680 to $78,020
- $75,310 median for Bay City metro area; middle half earns $62,400 to $96,930
- $75,140 median for Flint metro area; middle half earns $59,710 to $78,410
- $68,130 median for Detroit metro area; middle half earns $54,820 to $80,810
- $65,710 median for Midland metro area; middle half earns $59,640 to $83,940
- $63,850 median for Grand Rapids metro area; middle half earns $54,200 to $76,190
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
Keep exploring
Other occupations in the same SOC group with published medians here, largest employment first:
Highest-paying metro areas for operating engineers and other construction equipment operatorss · Highest-paying occupations in Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area
About this estimate
These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology.
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.