Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay in California
$94,000avg. a year
$45.19 an hour · 36,020 employed
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in California earn an average of $94,000 a year. That is $27,710 (42%) more than the U.S. average of $66,290. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $111,400.
$87,160Median pay
$45.19Average hourly
+20%Avg. pay since 2020
#2Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
11,360 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$111,400
$53.56 an hour
24,080 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$110,300
$53.03 an hour
3710 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$101,710
$48.90 an hour
4630 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$97,740
$46.99 an hour
5430 jobs
Modesto, CA
$95,910
$46.11 an hour
62,920 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$95,640
$45.98 an hour
78,780 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$94,200
$45.29 an hour
83,130 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$94,160
$45.27 an hour
9780 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$92,940
$44.69 an hour
10160 jobs
Napa, CA
$92,040
$44.25 an hour
11230 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$91,900
$44.18 an hour
12340 jobs
Salinas, CA
$90,350
$43.44 an hour
13230 jobs
Chico, CA
$89,680
$43.12 an hour
141,290 jobs
Fresno, CA
$89,160
$42.86 an hour
15760 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$87,990
$42.31 an hour
16530 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$87,920
$42.27 an hour
17340 jobs
Redding, CA
$87,040
$41.85 an hour
184,740 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$86,910
$41.79 an hour
19400 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$86,620
$41.64 an hour
201,000 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$86,130
$41.41 an hour
21160 jobs
Merced, CA
$83,730
$40.25 an hour
22130 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$83,510
$40.15 an hour
23100 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$76,200
$36.64 an hour
24240 jobs
El Centro, CA
$73,100
$35.14 an hour
25260 jobs
Visalia, CA
$70,010
$33.66 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $55k$55k–$64k$64k–$76k$76k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $66,290 | $31.87 |
| California | $94,000 | $45.19 |
| Oregon | $79,270 | $38.11 |
| Nevada | $76,050 | $36.56 |
| Arizona | $61,520 | $29.58 |
Related jobs in California
- Construction Laborers$64,870
- Electricians$85,860
- Carpenters$78,810
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$82,320
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance$62,460
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$70,920
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make in California?
The average is $94,000 a year, and the median is $87,160. That is $27,710 (42%) more than the U.S. average of $66,290.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$45.19 an hour on average; the median is $41.90.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($111,400), followed by San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($110,300). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Visalia, CA ($70,010).
How does California rank?
California ranks #2 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 47-2073. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national operating engineers and other construction equipment operators page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.