Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Alabama

Median $22.84 an hour for 9,640 heavy equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$22.84/hrMedian hourly wageAlabama, May data
$47,520/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.42 – $32.5410th to 90th percentilehourly range
9,640Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Heavy equipment operator pay in Alabama: the full range

Wage percentiles, AlabamaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrAlabama: 10th $17.42 · 25th $19.12 · median $22.84 · 75th $27.66 · 90th $32.54Alabama$22.84$17.42$32.54United States: 10th $20.28 · 25th $23.40 · median $28.78 · 75th $37.10 · 90th $48.60United States$28.78
Hourly wage percentiles for heavy equipment operators: Alabama vs United States, May 2025.

Alabama ranks 49th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 45th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $25.72). 9,640 heavy equipment operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$17.42 – $19.12$36,230 – $39,780roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$19.12 – $27.66$39,780 – $57,540the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$27.66 – $32.54$57,540 – $67,690the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Alabama

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrBirmingham: $26.12Birmingham$26.12Decatur: $23.79Decatur$23.79Huntsville: $23.61Huntsville$23.61Tuscaloosa: $22.94Tuscaloosa$22.94Daphne: $22.81Daphne$22.81Mobile: $22.79Mobile$22.79Dothan: $22.66Dothan$22.66Auburn: $22.60Auburn$22.60Florence: $22.52Florence$22.52Columbus: $22.32Columbus$22.32Montgomery: $21.57Montgomery$21.57Anniston: $20.20Anniston$20.20
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators by metro area in Alabama, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Birmingham$19.12$26.12$28.52$35.732,07014% above
Decatur$18.40$23.79$27.28$35.282904% above
Huntsville$19.12$23.61$25.36$31.171,1003% above
Tuscaloosa$18.21$22.94$26.16$29.28650about the same as
Daphne$17.88$22.81$24.09$36.56350about the same as
Mobile$18.46$22.79$25.87$30.28990about the same as
Dothan$14.32$22.66$27.04$36.002001% below
Auburn$17.37$22.60$25.71$29.443601% below
Florence$17.48$22.52$26.56$31.012601% below
Columbus$17.85$22.32$24.99$27.194902% below
Montgomery$14.43$21.57$24.05$29.375806% below
Anniston$14.92$20.20$23.52$46.4224012% below
Gadsden$13.64$17.74$20.70$26.5010022% below

Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).

Heavy equipment operator wages in Alabama over time

Alabama, 1999-2025AlabamaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$28.78United States$22.84Alabama
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators, Alabama vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearAlabama $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.95$23.09$15.315,720
2000$12.52$23.41$15.995,460
2001$12.62$22.94$16.426,430
2002$12.53$22.42$16.946,660
2003$12.78$22.36$16.847,160
2004$13.41$22.85$17.008,750
2005$14.06$23.18$17.238,420
2006$14.50$23.16$17.747,820
2007$14.70$22.82$18.337,220
2008$14.97$22.38$18.887,750
2009$15.12$22.69$19.127,620
2010$15.33$22.63$19.426,460
2011$15.92$22.79$19.965,990
2012$16.07$22.53$20.135,910
2013$16.44$22.72$20.456,350
2014$16.83$22.89$20.926,310
2015$17.20$23.36$21.446,080
2016$17.57$23.57$22.065,530
2017$18.44$24.22$22.616,000
2018$18.62$23.87$22.986,060
2019$18.36$23.12$23.557,250
2020$18.61$23.15$23.937,800
2021$18.26$21.69$23.259,090
2022$19.29$21.22$24.739,910
2023$21.84$23.08$27.009,420
2024$22.54$23.13$28.239,640
2025$22.84$22.84$28.789,640

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Alabama changed by -2.2% over the last ten years of data and by -1.2% since 2019.

Are there more heavy equipment operator jobs in Alabama?

+33.0%Jobs since 20197,250 then, 9,640 in 2025
+58.6%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
4.6Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.5× the US share, 9th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of heavy equipment operators counted in Alabama has changed by +68.5%, against +47.4% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +33.0%.

Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Alabama vs United States, 1999 = 100AlabamaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages75100125150175200200020052010201520202025168Alabama147United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Alabama vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearAlabama jobsAlabama indexUS index
19995,720100100
20005,46096103
20016,430112109
20026,660116106
20037,160125106
20048,750153110
20058,420147117
20067,820137121
20077,220126124
20087,750136123
20097,620133114
20106,460113103
20115,990105103
20125,910103103
20136,350111105
20146,310110106
20156,080106110
20165,53097110
20176,000105113
20186,060106118
20197,250127125
20207,800136124
20219,090159125
20229,910173130
20239,420165139
20249,640168145
20259,640168147

Job counts are BLS OEWS survey estimates built from three years of samples, so moves of a few percent from one year to the next are within the survey's margin. Self-employed tradespeople are not counted. Areas with fewer than 3,000 jobs or a large sampling error are shown as a single figure rather than a trend.

Outlook for heavy equipment operators in Alabama

+6.4%Projected growth in Alabama2024–2034, state agency
880Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
9,850Jobs in 202410,480 projected for 2034
+4.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Alabama's labor market agency projects the number of heavy equipment operators in the state to change by +6.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 9,850 to 10,480, with about 880 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +4.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 9,640 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Alabama labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections (state projections page).

Union scale and prevailing wage for heavy equipment operators in Alabama

On federally funded construction in Alabama, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 6 of the 67 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $46.62 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $32.26). 61 of the 67 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Autauga County at $16.69). The market median for the state is $22.84.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ALAutauga: $16.69 (survey)Baldwin: $32.01 (survey)Barbour: $32.26 (survey)Bibb: $46.62 (union)Blount: $46.62 (union)Bullock: $32.26 (survey)Butler: $32.26 (survey)Calhoun: $32.68 (survey)Chambers: $32.26 (survey)Cherokee: $32.26 (survey)Chilton: $46.62 (union)Choctaw: $32.26 (survey)Clarke: $32.26 (survey)Clay: $32.26 (survey)Cleburne: $32.26 (survey)Coffee: $32.26 (survey)Colbert: $17.01 (survey)Conecuh: $32.26 (survey)Coosa: $32.26 (survey)Covington: $32.26 (survey)Crenshaw: $32.26 (survey)Cullman: $32.26 (survey)Dale: $32.26 (survey)Dallas: $32.26 (survey)DeKalb: $32.26 (survey)Elmore: $16.69 (survey)Escambia: $32.26 (survey)Etowah: $32.68 (survey)Fayette: $32.26 (survey)Franklin: $32.26 (survey)Geneva: $16.69 (survey)Greene: $32.26 (survey)Hale: $32.68 (survey)Henry: $16.69 (survey)Houston: $16.69 (survey)Jackson: $32.26 (survey)Jefferson: $23.13 (survey)Lamar: $32.26 (survey)Lauderdale: $17.01 (survey)Lawrence: $17.01 (survey)Lee: $12.00 (survey)Limestone: $16.00 (survey)Lowndes: $16.69 (survey)Macon: $32.26 (survey)Madison: $16.00 (survey)Marengo: $32.26 (survey)Marion: $32.26 (survey)Marshall: $32.26 (survey)Mobile: $32.85 (survey)Monroe: $32.26 (survey)Montgomery: $16.69 (survey)Morgan: $17.01 (survey)Perry: $32.26 (survey)Pickens: $32.68 (survey)Pike: $32.26 (survey)Randolph: $32.26 (survey)Russell: $13.65 (survey)St. Clair: $46.62 (union)Shelby: $46.62 (union)Sumter: $32.26 (survey)Talladega: $32.26 (survey)Tallapoosa: $32.26 (survey)Tuscaloosa: $32.68 (survey)Walker: $46.62 (union)Washington: $32.26 (survey)Wilcox: $32.26 (survey)Winston: $32.26 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$17.01$32.26survey rate
Davis-Bacon base + fringe for heavy equipment operators by county, Building construction. Hatched counties use a survey rate rather than a union contract.
Market median vs prevailing wage by countyMarket medianPrevailing (union)Prevailing (survey)$10$20$30$40$50/hrBibb (Birmingham): market median $26.12, prevailing (union) $46.62, gap +$20.50Bibb (Birmingham)+$20.50Etowah (Gadsden): market median $17.74, prevailing (survey) $32.68, gap +$14.94Etowah (Gadsden)+$14.94Calhoun (Anniston): market median $20.20, prevailing (survey) $32.68, gap +$12.48Calhoun (Anniston)+$12.48Mobile (Mobile): market median $22.79, prevailing (survey) $32.85, gap +$10.06Mobile (Mobile)+$10.06Hale (Tuscaloosa): market median $22.94, prevailing (survey) $32.68, gap +$9.74Hale (Tuscaloosa)+$9.74Macon (Auburn): market median $22.60, prevailing (survey) $32.26, gap +$9.66Macon (Auburn)+$9.66Baldwin (Daphne): market median $22.81, prevailing (survey) $32.01, gap +$9.20Baldwin (Daphne)+$9.20Autauga (Montgomery): market median $21.57, prevailing (survey) $16.69, gap −$4.88Autauga (Montgomery)−$4.88Colbert (Florence): market median $22.52, prevailing (survey) $17.01, gap −$5.51Colbert (Florence)−$5.51Geneva (Dothan): market median $22.66, prevailing (survey) $16.69, gap −$5.97Geneva (Dothan)−$5.97Lawrence (Decatur): market median $23.79, prevailing (survey) $17.01, gap −$6.78Lawrence (Decatur)−$6.78Limestone (Huntsville): market median $23.61, prevailing (survey) $16.00, gap −$7.61Limestone (Huntsville)−$7.61Russell (Columbus): market median $22.32, prevailing (survey) $13.65, gap −$8.67Russell (Columbus)−$8.67
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Alabama.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BibbUnion ENGI0312-017 2024-09-01$32.57$14.05$46.62AL20260099
BlountUnion ENGI0312-017 2024-09-01$32.57$14.05$46.62AL20260099
ChiltonUnion ENGI0312-017 2024-09-01$32.57$14.05$46.62AL20260099
St. ClairUnion ENGI0312-017 2024-09-01$32.57$14.05$46.62AL20260097
ShelbyUnion ENGI0312-017 2024-09-01$32.57$14.05$46.62AL20260096
WalkerUnion ENGI0312-017 2024-09-01$32.57$14.05$46.62AL20260099
MobileSurvey SUAL2015-020 2017-08-02$21.07$11.78$32.85AL20260092
CalhounSurvey SUAL2015-012 2017-08-02$21.48$11.20$32.68AL20260084
EtowahSurvey SUAL2015-013 2017-08-02$21.48$11.20$32.68AL20260085
HaleSurvey SUAL2015-031 2017-08-02$21.48$11.20$32.68AL20260103
PickensSurvey SUAL2015-031 2017-08-02$21.48$11.20$32.68AL20260103
TuscaloosaSurvey SUAL2015-026 2017-08-02$21.48$11.20$32.68AL20260098
BarbourSurvey SUAL2015-006 2017-08-02$20.48$11.78$32.26AL20260078
BullockSurvey SUAL2015-006 2017-08-02$20.48$11.78$32.26AL20260078
ButlerSurvey SUAL2015-006 2017-08-02$20.48$11.78$32.26AL20260078

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Alabama prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Alabama?

113.8kConstruction jobsAlabama, 2026-09
+2.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202660k80k100k120k19901995200020052010201520202025114kSep 2026
Construction employment in Alabama (thousands), construction supersector, BLS CES, not seasonally adjusted. Grey bands are recessions.

Contractor pay by county

Average pay at specialty trade contractors establishments by county (all employees, not just heavy equipment operators), from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages. Across the 57 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 44,698 in 2015 to 62,190 in 2025, +39.1%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Jefferson County95812,148$79,282$1,525
Madison County5805,213$75,617$1,454
Mobile County6598,072$75,348$1,449
Morgan County2382,314$75,205$1,446
Chilton County78457$75,114$1,445
Shelby County4163,494$74,861$1,440
Montgomery County2443,254$71,634$1,378
Colbert County861,209$68,621$1,320
Baldwin County5923,531$67,920$1,306
Lauderdale County1301,405$67,819$1,304
Elmore County132805$67,299$1,294
Limestone County1711,759$66,641$1,282

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Alabama

More on Alabama

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Alabama?

The median heavy equipment operator in Alabama earned $22.84 an hour ($47,520 a year) in May 2025, 21% below the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $19.12–$27.66; the top 10% earn more than $32.54.

Where does Alabama rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Alabama ranks 49th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $22.84 an hour, and 45th after adjusting for Alabama's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.8, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Alabama?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for heavy equipment operators in 6 counties, with a typical package of $46.62 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many heavy equipment operators work in Alabama?

BLS counted 9,640 heavy equipment operators in Alabama in May 2025, 4.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.48; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is heavy equipment operator work growing in Alabama?

The BLS employer survey count of heavy equipment operators in Alabama went from 6,080 in 2015 to 9,640 in 2025, +58.6%, and +33.0% since 2019. Alabama's labor market agency projects +6.4% growth for heavy equipment operators between 2024 and 2034, from 9,850 to 10,480 jobs.

How many heavy equipment operator openings a year are there in Alabama?

Alabama projects about 880 openings a year for heavy equipment operators over 2024–2034, counting both new positions and replacements for people who retire or change occupation. Nationally BLS projects about 39,200 a year.

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Alabama and metro areas, SOC 47-2073. Job counts are survey estimates and exclude the self-employed.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-09.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Alabama labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.