Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Florida

Median $23.75 an hour for 27,510 heavy equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$23.75/hrMedian hourly wageFlorida, May data
$49,400/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.66 – $30.7810th to 90th percentilehourly range
27,510Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Heavy equipment operator pay in Florida: the full range

Wage percentiles, FloridaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrFlorida: 10th $18.66 · 25th $22.27 · median $23.75 · 75th $28.06 · 90th $30.78Florida$23.75$18.66$30.78United 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: Florida vs United States, May 2025.

Florida ranks 44th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 51st once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $22.97). 27,510 heavy equipment operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$18.66 – $22.27$38,820 – $46,330roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$22.27 – $28.06$46,330 – $58,360the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$28.06 – $30.78$58,360 – $64,020the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Florida

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrMiami: $24.91Miami$24.91Naples: $24.54Naples$24.54Orlando: $24.53Orlando$24.53Tampa: $24.18Tampa$24.18Vero Beach: $23.90Vero Beach$23.90Sarasota: $23.78Sarasota$23.78Cape Coral: $23.72Cape Coral$23.72Palm Bay: $23.62Palm Bay$23.62Jacksonville: $23.52Jacksonville$23.52Punta Gorda: $23.49Punta Gorda$23.49Fort Walton Beach: $23.39Fort Walton Beach$23.39Panama City: $23.38Panama City$23.38
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators by metro area in Florida, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Miami$19.33$24.91$21.81$34.235,8505% above
Naples$19.45$24.54$23.78$31.496803% above
Orlando$18.88$24.53$24.19$30.684,3303% above
Tampa$19.42$24.18$23.96$35.253,9802% above
Vero Beach$19.81$23.90$24.31$29.001201% above
Sarasota$19.08$23.78$23.22$30.041,090about the same as
Cape Coral$19.00$23.72$23.19$30.431,160about the same as
Palm Bay$19.02$23.62$23.62$30.746201% below
Jacksonville$18.89$23.52$23.64$31.091,9901% below
Punta Gorda$19.19$23.49$23.37$29.752001% below
Fort Walton Beach$19.07$23.39$24.11$34.343902% below
Panama City$17.88$23.38$24.03$29.745002% below
Port St. Lucie$18.89$23.37$23.32$30.146102% below
Gainesville$17.67$23.17$23.96$28.863002% below
Lakeland$18.00$23.03$23.72$31.658203% below
Pensacola$18.52$23.01$23.55$29.276003% below
Daytona Beach$17.95$22.57$22.71$28.397305% below
Sebring$17.21$22.48$24.30$29.67705% below
Tallahassee$17.74$22.37$23.82$28.174906% below
Ocala$17.56$22.35$23.48$28.694606% below
Wildwood$16.01$22.14$25.93$28.574107% below
Homosassa Springs$18.10$21.95$23.48$27.282208% below

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

Heavy equipment operator wages in Florida over time

Florida, 1999-2025FloridaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$28.78United States$23.75Florida
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators, Florida vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearFlorida $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.56$22.34$15.3117,480
2000$12.19$22.79$15.9918,820
2001$12.69$23.07$16.4219,360
2002$13.17$23.57$16.9419,600
2003$13.23$23.15$16.8420,310
2004$13.59$23.16$17.0020,880
2005$14.14$23.31$17.2323,370
2006$14.53$23.20$17.7423,190
2007$15.24$23.66$18.3322,020
2008$15.64$23.39$18.8819,540
2009$16.11$24.18$19.1217,160
2010$16.32$24.10$19.4213,570
2011$16.93$24.23$19.9612,820
2012$16.59$23.26$20.1311,840
2013$16.48$22.78$20.4513,030
2014$16.47$22.40$20.9213,120
2015$16.75$22.75$21.4414,160
2016$17.44$23.39$22.0615,450
2017$17.75$23.31$22.6115,590
2018$18.07$23.17$22.9818,720
2019$18.53$23.33$23.5521,050
2020$18.82$23.41$23.9322,490
2021$18.62$22.12$23.2520,570
2022$21.74$23.92$24.7327,730
2023$22.72$24.01$27.0027,540
2024$23.45$24.07$28.2329,420
2025$23.75$23.75$28.7827,510

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Florida changed by +4.4% over the last ten years of data and by +1.8% since 2019.

Are there more heavy equipment operator jobs in Florida?

+30.7%Jobs since 201921,050 then, 27,510 in 2025
+94.3%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
2.8Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.9× the US share, 38th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of heavy equipment operators counted in Florida has changed by +57.4%, against +47.4% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +30.7%.

Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Florida vs United States, 1999 = 100FloridaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages50100150200200020052010201520202025157Florida147United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Florida vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearFlorida jobsFlorida indexUS index
199917,480100100
200018,820108103
200119,360111109
200219,600112106
200320,310116106
200420,880120110
200523,370134117
200623,190133121
200722,020126124
200819,540112123
200917,16098114
201013,57078103
201112,82073103
201211,84068103
201313,03074105
201413,12075106
201514,16081110
201615,45088110
201715,59089113
201818,720107118
201921,050120125
202022,490129124
202120,570118125
202227,730159130
202327,540158139
202429,420168145
202527,510157147

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 Florida

+13.1%Projected growth in Florida2024–2034, state agency
3,040Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
30,700Jobs in 202434,710 projected for 2034
+4.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Florida's labor market agency projects the number of heavy equipment operators in the state to change by +13.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 30,700 to 34,710, with about 3,040 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +4.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 27,510 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Florida 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 Florida

On federally funded construction in Florida, 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 $41.90 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $16.98). 61 of the 67 counties still use a survey rate dated 2016 or earlier (for example Alachua County at $15.84). The market median for the state is $23.75.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, FLAlachua: $15.84 (survey)Baker: $15.84 (survey)Bay: $30.87 (survey)Bradford: $13.19 (survey)Brevard: $22.43 (survey)Broward: $41.90 (union)Calhoun: $12.43 (survey)Charlotte: $30.87 (survey)Citrus: $30.87 (survey)Clay: $15.84 (survey)Collier: $30.87 (survey)Columbia: $13.19 (survey)DeSoto: $16.98 (survey)Dixie: $13.19 (survey)Duval: $15.84 (survey)Escambia: $30.87 (survey)Flagler: $20.61 (survey)Franklin: $12.43 (survey)Gadsden: $30.87 (survey)Gilchrist: $15.84 (survey)Glades: $16.98 (survey)Gulf: $30.87 (survey)Hamilton: $13.19 (survey)Hardee: $16.98 (survey)Hendry: $16.98 (survey)Hernando: $30.87 (survey)Highlands: $20.61 (survey)Hillsborough: $30.87 (survey)Holmes: $12.43 (survey)Indian River: $41.90 (union)Jackson: $12.43 (survey)Jefferson: $30.87 (survey)Lafayette: $13.19 (survey)Lake: $22.43 (survey)Lee: $30.87 (survey)Leon: $30.87 (survey)Levy: $13.19 (survey)Liberty: $12.43 (survey)Madison: $13.19 (survey)Manatee: $30.87 (survey)Marion: $15.84 (survey)Martin: $41.90 (union)Miami-Dade: $41.90 (union)Monroe: $16.98 (survey)Nassau: $15.84 (survey)Okaloosa: $30.87 (survey)Okeechobee: $16.98 (survey)Orange: $21.96 (survey)Osceola: $22.43 (survey)Palm Beach: $41.90 (union)Pasco: $30.87 (survey)Pinellas: $30.87 (survey)Polk: $20.61 (survey)Putnam: $13.19 (survey)St. Johns: $15.84 (survey)St. Lucie: $41.90 (union)Santa Rosa: $30.87 (survey)Sarasota: $30.87 (survey)Seminole: $22.43 (survey)Sumter: $20.61 (survey)Suwannee: $13.19 (survey)Taylor: $13.19 (survey)Union: $13.19 (survey)Volusia: $20.61 (survey)Wakulla: $30.87 (survey)Walton: $30.87 (survey)Washington: $12.43 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$13.19$16.98$22.43$30.87survey 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/hrMartin (Port St. Lucie): market median $23.37, prevailing (union) $41.90, gap +$18.53Martin (Port St. Lucie)+$18.53Indian River (Vero Beach): market median $23.90, prevailing (union) $41.90, gap +$18.00Indian River (Vero Beach)+$18.00Broward (Miami): market median $24.91, prevailing (union) $41.90, gap +$16.99Broward (Miami)+$16.99Citrus (Homosassa Springs): market median $21.95, prevailing (survey) $30.87, gap +$8.92Citrus (Homosassa Springs)+$8.92Gadsden (Tallahassee): market median $22.37, prevailing (survey) $30.87, gap +$8.50Gadsden (Tallahassee)+$8.50Escambia (Pensacola): market median $23.01, prevailing (survey) $30.87, gap +$7.86Escambia (Pensacola)+$7.86Bay (Panama City): market median $23.38, prevailing (survey) $30.87, gap +$7.49Bay (Panama City)+$7.49Okaloosa (Fort Walton Beach): market median $23.39, prevailing (survey) $30.87, gap +$7.48Okaloosa (Fort Walton Beach)+$7.48Charlotte (Punta Gorda): market median $23.49, prevailing (survey) $30.87, gap +$7.38Charlotte (Punta Gorda)+$7.38Lee (Cape Coral): market median $23.72, prevailing (survey) $30.87, gap +$7.15Lee (Cape Coral)+$7.15Manatee (Sarasota): market median $23.78, prevailing (survey) $30.87, gap +$7.09Manatee (Sarasota)+$7.09Hernando (Tampa): market median $24.18, prevailing (survey) $30.87, gap +$6.69Hernando (Tampa)+$6.69Collier (Naples): market median $24.54, prevailing (survey) $30.87, gap +$6.33Collier (Naples)+$6.33Brevard (Palm Bay): market median $23.62, prevailing (survey) $22.43, gap −$1.19Brevard (Palm Bay)−$1.19Sumter (Wildwood): market median $22.14, prevailing (survey) $20.61, gap −$1.53Sumter (Wildwood)−$1.53Highlands (Sebring): market median $22.48, prevailing (survey) $20.61, gap −$1.87Highlands (Sebring)−$1.87Flagler (Daytona Beach): market median $22.57, prevailing (survey) $20.61, gap −$1.96Flagler (Daytona Beach)−$1.96Lake (Orlando): market median $24.53, prevailing (survey) $22.43, gap −$2.10Lake (Orlando)−$2.10Polk (Lakeland): market median $23.03, prevailing (survey) $20.61, gap −$2.42Polk (Lakeland)−$2.42Alachua (Gainesville): market median $23.17, prevailing (survey) $15.84, gap −$7.33Alachua (Gainesville)−$7.33
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Florida.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BrowardUnion ENGI0487-019 2023-07-01$27.00$14.90$41.90FL20260197
Indian RiverUnion ENGI0487-019 2023-07-01$27.00$14.90$41.90FL20260209
MartinUnion ENGI0487-019 2023-07-01$27.00$14.90$41.90FL20260214
Miami-DadeUnion ENGI0487-019 2023-07-01$27.00$14.90$41.90FL20260215
Palm BeachUnion ENGI0487-019 2023-07-01$27.00$14.90$41.90FL20260220
St. LucieUnion ENGI0487-019 2023-07-01$27.00$14.90$41.90FL20260228
BaySurvey SUFL2014-043 2016-08-16$22.07$8.80$30.87FL20260005
CharlotteSurvey SUFL2014-006 2016-08-16$22.07$8.80$30.87FL20260198
CitrusSurvey SUFL2014-007 2016-08-16$22.07$8.80$30.87FL20260199
CollierSurvey SUFL2014-009 2016-08-16$22.07$8.80$30.87FL20260201
EscambiaSurvey SUFL2014-011 2016-08-16$22.07$8.80$30.87FL20260203
GadsdenSurvey SUFL2014-012 2016-08-16$22.07$8.80$30.87FL20260204
GulfSurvey SUFL2014-043 2016-08-16$22.07$8.80$30.87FL20260005
HernandoSurvey SUFL2014-015 2016-08-16$22.07$8.80$30.87FL20260206
HillsboroughSurvey SUFL2014-017 2016-08-16$22.07$8.80$30.87FL20260208

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

Is construction work growing in Florida?

657.0kConstruction jobsFlorida, 2026-09
+0.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026200k400k600k800k19901995200020052010201520202025657kSep 2026
Construction employment in Florida (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 63 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 285,688 in 2015 to 427,402 in 2025, +49.6%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Sumter County1702,868$80,029$1,539
Bradford County58300$75,025$1,443
Jackson County72609$71,388$1,373
Duval County2,53925,743$71,254$1,370
Hillsborough County3,75431,923$70,532$1,356
Broward County4,62435,823$69,666$1,340
Orange County3,28530,220$69,524$1,337
Seminole County1,34416,632$69,453$1,336
Palm Beach County4,26828,358$67,115$1,291
Escambia County7026,304$66,187$1,273
Pinellas County2,52319,206$66,044$1,270
Sarasota County1,87013,342$65,544$1,260

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Florida

More on Florida

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Florida?

The median heavy equipment operator in Florida earned $23.75 an hour ($49,400 a year) in May 2025, 17% below the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $22.27–$28.06; the top 10% earn more than $30.78.

Where does Florida rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Florida ranks 44th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $23.75 an hour, and 51st after adjusting for Florida's cost of living (BEA price parity 103.4, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Florida?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for heavy equipment operators in 6 counties, with a typical package of $41.90 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many heavy equipment operators work in Florida?

BLS counted 27,510 heavy equipment operators in Florida in May 2025, 2.8 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.90; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is heavy equipment operator work growing in Florida?

The BLS employer survey count of heavy equipment operators in Florida went from 14,160 in 2015 to 27,510 in 2025, +94.3%, and +30.7% since 2019. Florida's labor market agency projects +13.1% growth for heavy equipment operators between 2024 and 2034, from 30,700 to 34,710 jobs.

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

Florida projects about 3,040 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, Florida 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: Florida labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.