Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Alabama

Median $22.84 an hour for 9,640 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$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 2026-09-28

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 operating engineers and other construction 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 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$17.42 – $19.12$36,230 – $39,780roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$19.12 – $27.66$39,780 – $57,540the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$27.66 – $32.54$57,540 – $67,690the 75th–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 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators by metro area in Alabama, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Birmingham$19.12$26.12$35.732,07014% above
Decatur$18.40$23.79$35.282904% above
Huntsville$19.12$23.61$31.171,1003% above
Tuscaloosa$18.21$22.94$29.28650about the same as
Daphne$17.88$22.81$36.56350about the same as
Mobile$18.46$22.79$30.28990about the same as
Dothan$14.32$22.66$36.002001% below
Auburn$17.37$22.60$29.443601% below
Florence$17.48$22.52$31.012601% below
Columbus$17.85$22.32$27.194902% below
Montgomery$14.43$21.57$29.375806% below
Anniston$14.92$20.20$46.4224012% below
Gadsden$13.64$17.74$26.5010022% below

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 operating engineers and other construction 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.

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 2026-09-28. 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?

113.4kConstruction jobsAlabama, 2026-08
+2.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202660k80k100k120k19901995200020052010201520202025113kAug 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.

CountyEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Jefferson County12,148$79,282$1,525
Madison County5,213$75,617$1,454
Mobile County8,072$75,348$1,449
Morgan County2,314$75,205$1,446
Chilton County457$75,114$1,445
Shelby County3,494$74,861$1,440
Montgomery County3,254$71,634$1,378
Colbert County1,209$68,621$1,320
Baldwin County3,531$67,920$1,306
Lauderdale County1,405$67,819$1,304
Elmore County805$67,299$1,294
Limestone County1,759$66,641$1,282

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in 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 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Alabama in May 2025, 4.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.48; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Alabama and metro areas, SOC 47-2073.
  • BLS Current Employment Statistics, state construction employment through 2026-08.
  • BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages.
  • BEA Regional Price Parities (cost-of-living adjustment).
  • SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Not the official determination.