Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Illinois

Median $46.99 an hour for 12,290 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$46.99/hrMedian hourly wageIllinois, May data
$97,740/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$23.93 – $59.3010th to 90th percentilehourly range
12,290Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-09-28

Heavy equipment operator pay in Illinois: the full range

Wage percentiles, IllinoisMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrIllinois: 10th $23.93 · 25th $33.28 · median $46.99 · 75th $52.56 · 90th $59.30Illinois$46.99$23.93$59.30United 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: Illinois vs United States, May 2025.

Illinois ranks 2nd of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 2nd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $46.99). 12,290 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$23.93 – $33.28$49,770 – $69,230roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$33.28 – $52.56$69,230 – $109,320the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$52.56 – $59.30$109,320 – $123,330the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Illinois

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrChicago: $49.57Chicago$49.57Decatur: $48.33Decatur$48.33Rockford: $46.75Rockford$46.75Bloomington: $46.27Bloomington$46.27Springfield: $45.82Springfield$45.82Kankakee: $45.32Kankakee$45.32Champaign: $44.66Champaign$44.66Peoria: $41.56Peoria$41.56St. Louis: $39.56St. Louis$39.56Davenport: $31.18Davenport$31.18Cape Girardeau: $29.56Cape Girardeau$29.56Paducah: $28.36Paducah$28.36
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators by metro area in Illinois, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Chicago$27.92$49.57$59.697,9305% above
Decatur$23.97$48.33$55.851003% above
Rockford$27.73$46.75$56.272601% below
Bloomington$28.44$46.27$48.141802% below
Springfield$21.71$45.82$49.312102% below
Kankakee$29.09$45.32$59.00904% below
Champaign$27.73$44.66$54.561605% below
Peoria$22.16$41.56$49.3733012% below
St. Louis$22.70$39.56$48.474,19016% below
Davenport$20.63$31.18$46.6657034% below
Cape Girardeau$18.74$29.56$43.2113037% below
Paducah$22.89$28.36$40.2946040% below

Heavy equipment operator wages in Illinois over time

Illinois, 1999-2025IllinoisUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50$60200020052010201520202025$46.99Illinois$28.78United States
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, Illinois vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIllinois $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$22.67$43.81$15.3111,640
2000$25.59$47.84$15.9911,270
2001$25.45$46.26$16.4212,330
2002$26.55$47.51$16.949,740
2003$27.35$47.85$16.849,400
2004$27.26$46.46$17.008,930
2005$27.61$45.51$17.239,290
2006$28.98$46.28$17.7410,190
2007$33.50$52.02$18.3310,810
2008$34.67$51.84$18.8811,000
2009$31.36$47.06$19.1211,240
2010$29.34$43.32$19.4211,300
2011$30.09$43.07$19.9611,180
2012$32.34$45.35$20.139,720
2013$33.54$46.35$20.459,590
2014$34.68$47.16$20.929,620
2015$35.88$48.74$21.4410,470
2016$38.82$52.07$22.0611,550
2017$38.68$50.80$22.6111,400
2018$40.32$51.69$22.9811,150
2019$38.68$48.71$23.5510,780
2020$38.61$48.03$23.9310,550
2021$37.87$44.99$23.2511,530
2022$41.27$45.40$24.7312,310
2023$43.13$45.57$27.0011,780
2024$46.62$47.85$28.2311,690
2025$46.99$46.99$28.7812,290

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Illinois changed by -3.6% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for heavy equipment operators in Illinois

On federally funded construction in Illinois, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 102 of the 102 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $75.85 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $46.99.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, ILAdams: $114.00 (union)Alexander: $69.46 (union)Bond: $114.00 (union)Boone: $47.05 (union)Brown: $114.00 (union)Bureau: $114.00 (union)Calhoun: $114.00 (union)Carroll: $114.00 (union)Cass: $114.00 (union)Champaign: $69.46 (union)Christian: $69.46 (union)Clark: $69.46 (union)Clay: $69.46 (union)Clinton: $114.00 (union)Coles: $69.46 (union)Cook: $115.80 (union)Crawford: $69.46 (union)Cumberland: $69.46 (union)DeKalb: $47.05 (union)De Witt: $69.46 (union)Douglas: $69.46 (union)DuPage: $115.80 (union)Edgar: $69.46 (union)Edwards: $69.46 (union)Effingham: $69.46 (union)Fayette: $69.46 (union)Ford: $69.46 (union)Franklin: $69.46 (union)Fulton: $114.00 (union)Gallatin: $69.46 (union)Greene: $114.00 (union)Grundy: $115.80 (union)Hamilton: $69.46 (union)Hancock: $114.00 (union)Hardin: $69.46 (union)Henderson: $114.00 (union)Henry: $47.05 (union)Iroquois: $69.46 (union)Jackson: $69.46 (union)Jasper: $69.46 (union)Jefferson: $69.46 (union)Jersey: $114.00 (union)Jo Daviess: $114.00 (union)Johnson: $69.46 (union)Kane: $115.80 (union)Kankakee: $115.80 (union)Kendall: $115.80 (union)Knox: $114.00 (union)Lake: $115.80 (union)LaSalle: $114.00 (union)Lawrence: $69.46 (union)Lee: $114.00 (union)Livingston: $114.00 (union)Logan: $114.00 (union)McDonough: $114.00 (union)McHenry: $115.80 (union)McLean: $47.05 (union)Macon: $69.46 (union)Macoupin: $114.00 (union)Madison: $82.25 (union)Marion: $69.46 (union)Marshall: $114.00 (union)Mason: $114.00 (union)Massac: $69.46 (union)Menard: $114.00 (union)Mercer: $114.00 (union)Monroe: $114.00 (union)Montgomery: $114.00 (union)Morgan: $114.00 (union)Moultrie: $69.46 (union)Ogle: $47.05 (union)Peoria: $91.21 (union)Perry: $69.46 (union)Piatt: $69.46 (union)Pike: $114.00 (union)Pope: $69.46 (union)Pulaski: $69.46 (union)Putnam: $114.00 (union)Randolph: $114.00 (union)Richland: $69.46 (union)Rock Island: $47.05 (union)St. Clair: $82.25 (union)Saline: $69.46 (union)Sangamon: $69.46 (union)Schuyler: $114.00 (union)Scott: $114.00 (union)Shelby: $69.46 (union)Stark: $114.00 (union)Stephenson: $114.00 (union)Tazewell: $91.21 (union)Union: $69.46 (union)Vermilion: $69.46 (union)Wabash: $69.46 (union)Warren: $114.00 (union)Washington: $114.00 (union)Wayne: $69.46 (union)White: $69.46 (union)Whiteside: $114.00 (union)Will: $115.80 (union)Williamson: $69.46 (union)Winnebago: $47.05 (union)Woodford: $47.05 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$69.46$114.00
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)$0$50$100$150/hrMercer (Davenport): market median $31.18, prevailing (union) $114.00, gap +$82.82Mercer (Davenport)+$82.82Bond (St. Louis): market median $39.56, prevailing (union) $114.00, gap +$74.44Bond (St. Louis)+$74.44Marshall (Peoria): market median $41.56, prevailing (union) $114.00, gap +$72.44Marshall (Peoria)+$72.44Kankakee (Kankakee): market median $45.32, prevailing (union) $115.80, gap +$70.48Kankakee (Kankakee)+$70.48Menard (Springfield): market median $45.82, prevailing (union) $114.00, gap +$68.18Menard (Springfield)+$68.18Cook (Chicago): market median $49.57, prevailing (union) $115.80, gap +$66.23Cook (Chicago)+$66.23Massac (Paducah): market median $28.36, prevailing (union) $69.46, gap +$41.10Massac (Paducah)+$41.10Alexander (Cape Girardeau): market median $29.56, prevailing (union) $69.46, gap +$39.90Alexander (Cape Girardeau)+$39.90Champaign (Champaign): market median $44.66, prevailing (union) $69.46, gap +$24.80Champaign (Champaign)+$24.80Macon (Decatur): market median $48.33, prevailing (union) $69.46, gap +$21.13Macon (Decatur)+$21.13McLean (Bloomington): market median $46.27, prevailing (union) $47.05, gap +$0.78McLean (Bloomington)+$0.78Boone (Rockford): market median $46.75, prevailing (union) $47.05, gap +$0.30Boone (Rockford)+$0.30
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Illinois.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
CookUnion ENGI0150-006 2025-06-01$64.80$51.00$115.80IL20260009
DuPageUnion ENGI0150-026 2025-06-01$64.80$51.00$115.80IL20260008
GrundyUnion ENGI0150-026 2025-06-01$64.80$51.00$115.80IL20260008
KaneUnion ENGI0150-026 2025-06-01$64.80$51.00$115.80IL20260008
KankakeeUnion ENGI0150-026 2025-06-01$64.80$51.00$115.80IL20260006
KendallUnion ENGI0150-026 2025-06-01$64.80$51.00$115.80IL20260008
LakeUnion ENGI0150-026 2025-06-01$64.80$51.00$115.80IL20260008
McHenryUnion ENGI0150-026 2025-06-01$64.80$51.00$115.80IL20260008
WillUnion ENGI0150-026 2025-06-01$64.80$51.00$115.80IL20260008
AdamsUnion ENGI0150-005 2025-06-01$63.00$51.00$114.00IL20260001
BondUnion ENGI0150-005 2025-06-01$63.00$51.00$114.00IL20260001
BrownUnion ENGI0150-005 2025-06-01$63.00$51.00$114.00IL20260001
BureauUnion ENGI0150-005 2025-06-01$63.00$51.00$114.00IL20260001
CalhounUnion ENGI0150-005 2025-06-01$63.00$51.00$114.00IL20260001
CarrollUnion ENGI0150-005 2025-06-01$63.00$51.00$114.00IL20260001

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-09-28. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Illinois prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Illinois?

271.6kConstruction jobsIllinois, 2026-08
+6.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026150k200k250k300k350k19901995200020052010201520202025272kAug 2026
Construction employment in Illinois (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
DuPage County22,002$102,132$1,964
Cook County49,027$97,576$1,876
Stephenson County982$96,066$1,847
Will County10,689$94,755$1,822
Saline County371$91,633$1,762
Kane County9,205$89,994$1,731
LaSalle County950$89,622$1,723
Winnebago County3,472$89,234$1,716
Lake County8,568$86,971$1,673
Grundy County759$85,203$1,639
Henry County870$84,653$1,628
Hancock County178$83,461$1,605

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Illinois

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Illinois?

The median heavy equipment operator in Illinois earned $46.99 an hour ($97,740 a year) in May 2025, 63% above the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $33.28–$52.56; the top 10% earn more than $59.30.

Where does Illinois rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Illinois ranks 2nd of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $46.99 an hour, and 2nd after adjusting for Illinois's cost of living (BEA price parity 100.0, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Illinois?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for heavy equipment operators in 102 counties, with a typical package of $75.85 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many heavy equipment operators work in Illinois?

BLS counted 12,290 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Illinois in May 2025, 2.0 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.66; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Illinois 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.