Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Indiana

Median $38.26 an hour for 11,520 heavy equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$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 2026-11-13

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 heavy 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 heavy equipment operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$22.90 – $28.00$47,630 – $58,240roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$28.00 – $44.86$58,240 – $93,300the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$44.86 – $47.53$93,300 – $98,850the 75th to 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 heavy equipment operators by metro area in Indiana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Chicago$27.92$49.57$47.85$59.697,93030% above
Michigan City$24.20$47.17$51.44$49.4517023% above
Evansville$24.73$40.63$44.40$45.245106% above
Lafayette$22.77$40.12$42.96$45.853405% above
Kokomo$22.83$39.55$44.14$50.661003% above
Indianapolis$23.87$39.51$41.29$46.703,7003% above
South Bend$23.08$38.68$41.64$49.053601% above
Fort Wayne$22.36$37.24$40.22$46.026503% below
Cincinnati$22.70$32.19$33.74$47.843,12016% below
Columbus$22.06$31.24$33.59$43.7211018% below
Bloomington$19.23$29.87$31.41$45.4623022% below
Louisville$23.15$29.76$31.97$43.421,92022% below
Elkhart$22.16$29.67$32.86$45.1429022% below
Terre Haute$20.85$29.63$33.75$44.4623023% below
Muncie$21.04$28.81$32.70$46.428025% below

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

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 heavy 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 and by +9.4% since 2019.

Are there more heavy equipment operator jobs in Indiana?

+14.2%Jobs since 201910,090 then, 11,520 in 2025
+41.5%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
3.6Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.2× the US share, 21st of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of heavy equipment operators counted in Indiana has changed by +74.3%, against +47.4% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +14.2%.

Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Indiana vs United States, 1999 = 100IndianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages75100125150175200200020052010201520202025174Indiana147United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Indiana vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearIndiana jobsIndiana indexUS index
19996,610100100
20008,070122103
20017,670116109
20027,540114106
20038,200124106
20048,910135110
200510,380157117
200610,520159121
200710,050152124
200810,070152123
20099,960151114
20108,870134103
20118,930135103
20128,940135103
20138,330126105
20147,770118106
20158,140123110
20168,230124110
20178,270125113
20189,160139118
201910,090153125
202010,030152124
202110,620161125
20229,990151130
202311,500174139
202411,230170145
202511,520174147

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 Indiana

+3.3%Projected growth in Indiana2024–2034, state agency
980Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
11,560Jobs in 202411,940 projected for 2034
+4.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Indiana's labor market agency projects the number of heavy equipment operators in the state to change by +3.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 11,560 to 11,940, with about 980 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +4.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 11,520 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Indiana 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 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 2026-11-13. 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?

185.6kConstruction jobsIndiana, 2026-09
+2.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025186kSep 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. Across the 87 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 77,698 in 2015 to 107,611 in 2025, +38.5%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Randolph County46577$103,389$1,988
Pike County14183$97,809$1,881
Sullivan County1872$94,129$1,810
Lake County7188,370$91,512$1,760
Cass County32554$90,794$1,746
Howard County991,262$90,498$1,740
Blackford County13155$89,074$1,713
Porter County2682,996$87,755$1,688
St. Joseph County3354,514$84,954$1,634
Miami County44422$83,813$1,612
Allen County6687,733$83,778$1,611
Marion County1,45622,916$82,454$1,586

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Indiana

More on 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 heavy equipment operators in Indiana in May 2025, 3.6 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.17; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is heavy equipment operator work growing in Indiana?

The BLS employer survey count of heavy equipment operators in Indiana went from 8,140 in 2015 to 11,520 in 2025, +41.5%, and +14.2% since 2019. Indiana's labor market agency projects +3.3% growth for heavy equipment operators between 2024 and 2034, from 11,560 to 11,940 jobs.

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

Indiana projects about 980 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, Indiana 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: Indiana labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.