Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Indiana

Median $38.26 an hour for 11,520 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$38.26/hrMedian hourly wageIndiana, May data
$79,580/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.90 – $47.5310th to 90th percentilehourly range
11,520Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Heavy equipment operator pay in Indiana: the full range

Wage percentiles, IndianaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrIndiana: 10th $22.90 · 25th $28.00 · median $38.26 · 75th $44.86 · 90th $47.53Indiana$38.26$22.90$47.53United 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: Indiana vs United States, May 2025.

Indiana ranks 7th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 3rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $41.01). 11,520 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.90 – $28.00$47,630 – $58,240roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$28.00 – $44.86$58,240 – $93,300the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$44.86 – $47.53$93,300 – $98,850the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Indiana

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrChicago: $49.57Chicago$49.57Michigan City: $47.17Michigan City$47.17Evansville: $40.63Evansville$40.63Lafayette: $40.12Lafayette$40.12Kokomo: $39.55Kokomo$39.55Indianapolis: $39.51Indianapolis$39.51South Bend: $38.68South Bend$38.68Fort Wayne: $37.24Fort Wayne$37.24Cincinnati: $32.19Cincinnati$32.19Columbus: $31.24Columbus$31.24Bloomington: $29.87Bloomington$29.87Louisville: $29.76Louisville$29.76
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators by metro area in Indiana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Chicago$27.92$49.57$59.697,93030% above
Michigan City$24.20$47.17$49.4517023% above
Evansville$24.73$40.63$45.245106% above
Lafayette$22.77$40.12$45.853405% above
Kokomo$22.83$39.55$50.661003% above
Indianapolis$23.87$39.51$46.703,7003% above
South Bend$23.08$38.68$49.053601% above
Fort Wayne$22.36$37.24$46.026503% below
Cincinnati$22.70$32.19$47.843,12016% below
Columbus$22.06$31.24$43.7211018% below
Bloomington$19.23$29.87$45.4623022% below
Louisville$23.15$29.76$43.421,92022% below
Elkhart$22.16$29.67$45.1429022% below
Terre Haute$20.85$29.63$44.4623023% below
Muncie$21.04$28.81$46.428025% below

Heavy equipment operator wages in Indiana over time

Indiana, 1999-2025IndianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$38.26Indiana$28.78United States
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, Indiana vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearIndiana $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$16.66$32.19$15.316,610
2000$19.16$35.82$15.998,070
2001$19.23$34.96$16.427,670
2002$19.95$35.70$16.947,540
2003$20.17$35.29$16.848,200
2004$21.08$35.93$17.008,910
2005$19.41$32.00$17.2310,380
2006$20.64$32.96$17.7410,520
2007$20.25$31.44$18.3310,050
2008$22.46$33.58$18.8810,070
2009$22.85$34.29$19.129,960
2010$24.26$35.82$19.428,870
2011$24.00$34.35$19.968,930
2012$24.82$34.80$20.138,940
2013$23.71$32.77$20.458,330
2014$23.11$31.43$20.927,770
2015$24.66$33.50$21.448,140
2016$24.43$32.77$22.068,230
2017$25.38$33.33$22.618,270
2018$25.86$33.15$22.989,160
2019$27.78$34.98$23.5510,090
2020$28.46$35.40$23.9310,030
2021$29.15$34.63$23.2510,620
2022$29.39$32.33$24.739,990
2023$30.75$32.49$27.0011,500
2024$34.79$35.71$28.2311,230
2025$38.26$38.26$28.7811,520

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Indiana changed by +14.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for heavy equipment operators in Indiana

On federally funded construction in Indiana, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 83 of the 92 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $74.80 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $16.85). 9 of the 92 counties still use a survey rate dated 1996 or earlier (for example Crawford County at $16.92). The market median for the state is $38.26.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, INAdams: $74.80 (union)Allen: $74.80 (union)Bartholomew: $74.80 (union)Benton: $74.80 (union)Blackford: $74.80 (union)Boone: $74.80 (union)Brown: $63.18 (union)Carroll: $74.80 (union)Cass: $74.80 (union)Clark: $63.18 (union)Clay: $49.75 (union)Clinton: $74.80 (union)Crawford: $16.92 (survey)Daviess: $51.48 (union)Dearborn: $63.18 (union)Decatur: $63.18 (union)DeKalb: $74.80 (union)Delaware: $74.80 (union)Dubois: $12.38 (survey)Elkhart: $74.80 (union)Fayette: $63.18 (union)Floyd: $63.18 (union)Fountain: $74.80 (union)Franklin: $63.18 (union)Fulton: $74.80 (union)Gibson: $49.75 (union)Grant: $74.80 (union)Greene: $49.75 (union)Hamilton: $74.80 (union)Hancock: $74.80 (union)Harrison: $63.18 (union)Hendricks: $74.80 (union)Henry: $63.18 (union)Howard: $74.80 (union)Huntington: $74.80 (union)Jackson: $58.78 (union)Jasper: $74.80 (union)Jay: $74.80 (union)Jefferson: $11.06 (survey)Jennings: $63.18 (union)Johnson: $74.80 (union)Knox: $55.25 (union)Kosciusko: $74.80 (union)LaGrange: $74.80 (union)Lake: $74.80 (union)LaPorte: $74.80 (union)Lawrence: $59.28 (union)Madison: $74.80 (union)Marion: $74.80 (union)Marshall: $74.80 (union)Martin: $51.48 (union)Miami: $74.80 (union)Monroe: $74.80 (union)Montgomery: $74.80 (union)Morgan: $74.80 (union)Newton: $74.80 (union)Noble: $74.80 (union)Ohio: $63.18 (union)Orange: $17.70 (survey)Owen: $49.75 (union)Parke: $49.75 (union)Perry: $16.92 (survey)Pike: $12.38 (survey)Porter: $74.80 (union)Posey: $49.75 (union)Pulaski: $74.80 (union)Putnam: $49.75 (union)Randolph: $63.18 (union)Ripley: $63.18 (union)Rush: $63.18 (union)St. Joseph: $74.80 (union)Scott: $11.06 (survey)Shelby: $74.80 (union)Spencer: $16.85 (survey)Starke: $74.80 (union)Steuben: $74.80 (union)Sullivan: $49.75 (union)Switzerland: $63.18 (union)Tippecanoe: $74.80 (union)Tipton: $74.80 (union)Union: $63.18 (union)Vanderburgh: $49.75 (union)Vermillion: $49.75 (union)Vigo: $49.75 (union)Wabash: $74.80 (union)Warren: $74.80 (union)Warrick: $49.75 (union)Washington: $17.70 (survey)Wayne: $63.18 (union)Wells: $74.80 (union)White: $74.80 (union)Whitley: $74.80 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$49.75$63.18survey 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)$20$40$60$80/hrDelaware (Muncie): market median $28.81, prevailing (union) $74.80, gap +$45.99Delaware (Muncie)+$45.99Elkhart (Elkhart): market median $29.67, prevailing (union) $74.80, gap +$45.13Elkhart (Elkhart)+$45.13Monroe (Bloomington): market median $29.87, prevailing (union) $74.80, gap +$44.93Monroe (Bloomington)+$44.93Bartholomew (Columbus): market median $31.24, prevailing (union) $74.80, gap +$43.56Bartholomew (Columbus)+$43.56Allen (Fort Wayne): market median $37.24, prevailing (union) $74.80, gap +$37.56Allen (Fort Wayne)+$37.56St. Joseph (South Bend): market median $38.68, prevailing (union) $74.80, gap +$36.12St. Joseph (South Bend)+$36.12Boone (Indianapolis): market median $39.51, prevailing (union) $74.80, gap +$35.29Boone (Indianapolis)+$35.29Howard (Kokomo): market median $39.55, prevailing (union) $74.80, gap +$35.25Howard (Kokomo)+$35.25Benton (Lafayette): market median $40.12, prevailing (union) $74.80, gap +$34.68Benton (Lafayette)+$34.68Clark (Louisville): market median $29.76, prevailing (union) $63.18, gap +$33.42Clark (Louisville)+$33.42Dearborn (Cincinnati): market median $32.19, prevailing (union) $63.18, gap +$30.99Dearborn (Cincinnati)+$30.99LaPorte (Michigan City): market median $47.17, prevailing (union) $74.80, gap +$27.63LaPorte (Michigan City)+$27.63Jasper (Chicago): market median $49.57, prevailing (union) $74.80, gap +$25.23Jasper (Chicago)+$25.23Clay (Terre Haute): market median $29.63, prevailing (union) $49.75, gap +$20.12Clay (Terre Haute)+$20.12Posey (Evansville): market median $40.63, prevailing (union) $49.75, gap +$9.12Posey (Evansville)+$9.12
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Indiana.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdamsUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
AllenUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
BartholomewUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
BentonUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
BlackfordUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
BooneUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
CarrollUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
CassUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
ClintonUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
DeKalbUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
DelawareUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
ElkhartUnion ENGI0150-002 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260005
FountainUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
FultonUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002
GrantUnion ENGI0150-017 2025-06-01$36.15$38.65$74.80IN20260002

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

Is construction work growing in Indiana?

187.2kConstruction jobsIndiana, 2026-08
+2.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025187kAug 2026
Construction employment in Indiana (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
Randolph County577$103,389$1,988
Pike County183$97,809$1,881
Sullivan County72$94,129$1,810
Lake County8,370$91,512$1,760
Cass County554$90,794$1,746
Howard County1,262$90,498$1,740
Blackford County155$89,074$1,713
Porter County2,996$87,755$1,688
St. Joseph County4,514$84,954$1,634
Miami County422$83,813$1,612
Allen County7,733$83,778$1,611
Marion County22,916$82,454$1,586

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Indiana

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Indiana?

The median heavy equipment operator in Indiana earned $38.26 an hour ($79,580 a year) in May 2025, 33% above the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $28.00–$44.86; the top 10% earn more than $47.53.

Where does Indiana rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Indiana ranks 7th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $38.26 an hour, and 3rd after adjusting for Indiana's cost of living (BEA price parity 93.3, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Indiana?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for heavy equipment operators in 83 counties, with a typical package of $74.80 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many heavy equipment operators work in Indiana?

BLS counted 11,520 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Indiana in May 2025, 3.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.17; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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