Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Arizona

Median $29.14 an hour for 13,200 heavy equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$29.14/hrMedian hourly wageArizona, May data
$60,620/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.92 – $38.2010th to 90th percentilehourly range
13,200Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-06

Heavy equipment operator pay in Arizona: the full range

Wage percentiles, ArizonaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrArizona: 10th $22.92 · 25th $24.62 · median $29.14 · 75th $31.43 · 90th $38.20Arizona$29.14$22.92$38.20United 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: Arizona vs United States, May 2025.

Arizona ranks 27th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 31st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.94). 13,200 heavy equipment operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$22.92 – $24.62$47,680 – $51,200roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$24.62 – $31.43$51,200 – $65,370the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$31.43 – $38.20$65,370 – $79,460the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Arizona

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrPhoenix: $30.07Phoenix$30.07Prescott Valley: $29.24Prescott Valley$29.24Flagstaff: $28.23Flagstaff$28.23Tucson: $27.93Tucson$27.93Yuma: $26.09Yuma$26.09Lake Havasu City: $24.78Lake Havasu City$24.78Sierra Vista: $24.27Sierra Vista$24.27
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators by metro area in Arizona, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Phoenix$23.39$30.07$29.11$39.057,9803% above
Prescott Valley$23.41$29.24$29.75$34.89770about the same as
Flagstaff$22.91$28.23$28.15$37.302503% below
Tucson$21.71$27.93$28.82$36.181,1304% below
Yuma$20.60$26.09$28.14$35.5618010% below
Lake Havasu City$20.51$24.78$26.33$40.0022015% below
Sierra Vista$18.53$24.27$27.21$33.9414017% below

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

Heavy equipment operator wages in Arizona over time

Arizona, 1999-2025ArizonaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.14Arizona$28.78United States
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators, Arizona vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearArizona $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$15.15$29.28$15.315,270
2000$16.08$30.06$15.996,310
2001$16.19$29.43$16.428,520
2002$16.75$29.98$16.948,820
2003$16.50$28.87$16.849,190
2004$16.98$28.94$17.009,050
2005$17.87$29.46$17.239,970
2006$18.88$30.15$17.7412,070
2007$19.57$30.39$18.3313,080
2008$20.61$30.82$18.8813,560
2009$21.47$32.22$19.129,400
2010$21.70$32.04$19.427,600
2011$21.70$31.06$19.966,720
2012$20.65$28.96$20.137,370
2013$20.42$28.22$20.457,440
2014$20.46$27.82$20.927,640
2015$21.15$28.73$21.447,300
2016$22.02$29.54$22.066,950
2017$22.14$29.08$22.616,810
2018$22.08$28.31$22.987,400
2019$21.93$27.62$23.558,400
2020$22.90$28.49$23.938,840
2021$23.11$27.46$23.2510,690
2022$24.61$27.07$24.7311,050
2023$28.11$29.70$27.0012,710
2024$28.80$29.56$28.2313,520
2025$29.14$29.14$28.7813,200

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Arizona changed by +1.4% over the last ten years of data and by +5.5% since 2019.

Are there more heavy equipment operator jobs in Arizona?

+57.1%Jobs since 20198,400 then, 13,200 in 2025
+80.8%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
4.1Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.3× the US share, 15th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of heavy equipment operators counted in Arizona has changed by +150.5%, against +47.4% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +57.1%.

Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Arizona vs United States, 1999 = 100ArizonaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages50100150200250300200020052010201520202025250Arizona147United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Arizona vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearArizona jobsArizona indexUS index
19995,270100100
20006,310120103
20018,520162109
20028,820167106
20039,190174106
20049,050172110
20059,970189117
200612,070229121
200713,080248124
200813,560257123
20099,400178114
20107,600144103
20116,720128103
20127,370140103
20137,440141105
20147,640145106
20157,300138110
20166,950132110
20176,810129113
20187,400140118
20198,400159125
20208,840168124
202110,690203125
202211,050210130
202312,710241139
202413,520256145
202513,200250147

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 Arizona

+17.3%Projected growth in Arizona2024–2034, state agency
1,490Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
14,180Jobs in 202416,640 projected for 2034
+4.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Arizona's labor market agency projects the number of heavy equipment operators in the state to change by +17.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 14,180 to 16,640, with about 1,490 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +4.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 13,200 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Arizona 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 Arizona

On federally funded construction in Arizona, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 15 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $23.37). 7 of the 15 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Apache County at $15.80). The market median for the state is $29.14.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, AZApache: $15.80 (survey)Cochise: $23.37 (survey)Coconino: $30.38 (survey)Gila: $15.80 (survey)Graham: $15.80 (survey)Greenlee: $15.80 (survey)La Paz: $15.80 (survey)Maricopa: $28.03 (survey)Mohave: $30.38 (survey)Navajo: $15.80 (survey)Pima: $23.37 (survey)Pinal: $28.03 (survey)Santa Cruz: $15.80 (survey)Yavapai: $30.38 (survey)Yuma: $23.37 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$23.37$28.50survey 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 (survey)$22.50$25$27.50$30$32.50/hrMohave (Lake Havasu City): market median $24.78, prevailing (survey) $30.38, gap +$5.60Mohave (Lake Havasu City)+$5.60Coconino (Flagstaff): market median $28.23, prevailing (survey) $30.38, gap +$2.15Coconino (Flagstaff)+$2.15Yavapai (Prescott Valley): market median $29.24, prevailing (survey) $30.38, gap +$1.14Yavapai (Prescott Valley)+$1.14Cochise (Sierra Vista): market median $24.27, prevailing (survey) $23.37, gap −$0.90Cochise (Sierra Vista)−$0.90Maricopa (Phoenix): market median $30.07, prevailing (survey) $28.03, gap −$2.04Maricopa (Phoenix)−$2.04Yuma (Yuma): market median $26.09, prevailing (survey) $23.37, gap −$2.72Yuma (Yuma)−$2.72Pima (Tucson): market median $27.93, prevailing (survey) $23.37, gap −$4.56Pima (Tucson)−$4.56
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Arizona.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CoconinoSurvey SUAZ2019-006 2023-06-12$24.97$5.41$30.38AZ20260043
MohaveSurvey SUAZ2019-006 2023-06-12$24.97$5.41$30.38AZ20260043
YavapaiSurvey SUAZ2019-006 2023-06-12$24.97$5.41$30.38AZ20260043
MaricopaSurvey SUAZ2019-002 2023-06-12$24.61$3.42$28.03AZ20260039
PinalSurvey SUAZ2019-004 2023-06-12$24.61$3.42$28.03AZ20260041
CochiseSurvey SUAZ2019-001 2023-06-12$19.58$3.79$23.37AZ20260038
PimaSurvey SUAZ2019-003 2023-06-12$19.58$3.79$23.37AZ20260040
YumaSurvey SUAZ2019-005 2023-06-12$19.58$3.79$23.37AZ20260042
ApacheSurvey SUAZ2012-011 2012-05-30$14.00$1.80$15.80AZ20260022
GilaSurvey SUAZ2012-013 2012-05-30$14.00$1.80$15.80AZ20260024
GrahamSurvey SUAZ2012-014 2012-05-30$14.00$1.80$15.80AZ20260025
GreenleeSurvey SUAZ2012-018 2012-05-30$14.00$1.80$15.80AZ20260029
La PazSurvey SUAZ2012-018 2012-05-30$14.00$1.80$15.80AZ20260029
NavajoSurvey SUAZ2012-016 2012-05-30$14.00$1.80$15.80AZ20260027
Santa CruzSurvey SUAZ2012-017 2012-05-30$14.00$1.80$15.80AZ20260028

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Arizona prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Arizona?

228.2kConstruction jobsArizona, 2026-09
+2.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k100k200k300k19901995200020052010201520202025228kSep 2026
Construction employment in Arizona (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 10 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 86,512 in 2015 to 145,171 in 2025, +67.8%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Maricopa County7,780112,986$80,473$1,548
Pinal County4253,624$69,328$1,333
Apache County29229$67,470$1,298
Pima County1,44214,433$60,754$1,168
Gila County88457$60,549$1,164
Yavapai County6494,005$59,912$1,152
Coconino County2541,997$59,074$1,136
Cochise County141996$55,800$1,073
Mohave County5423,158$55,472$1,067
Yuma County2962,478$54,599$1,050
Navajo County1501,037$53,067$1,021
Graham County————

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Arizona

More on Arizona

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Arizona?

The median heavy equipment operator in Arizona earned $29.14 an hour ($60,620 a year) in May 2025, 1% above the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $24.62–$31.43; the top 10% earn more than $38.20.

Where does Arizona rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Arizona ranks 27th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $29.14 an hour, and 31st after adjusting for Arizona's cost of living (BEA price parity 100.7, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Arizona?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a heavy equipment operator classification for most Arizona counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many heavy equipment operators work in Arizona?

BLS counted 13,200 heavy equipment operators in Arizona in May 2025, 4.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.33; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is heavy equipment operator work growing in Arizona?

The BLS employer survey count of heavy equipment operators in Arizona went from 7,300 in 2015 to 13,200 in 2025, +80.8%, and +57.1% since 2019. Arizona's labor market agency projects +17.3% growth for heavy equipment operators between 2024 and 2034, from 14,180 to 16,640 jobs.

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

Arizona projects about 1,490 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, Arizona 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
  • BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
  • State projection: Arizona labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.