Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Kansas

Median $24.82 an hour for 7,070 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$24.82/hrMedian hourly wageKansas, May data
$51,620/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$19.00 – $41.0710th to 90th percentilehourly range
7,070Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Heavy equipment operator pay in Kansas: the full range

Wage percentiles, KansasMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrKansas: 10th $19.00 · 25th $21.50 · median $24.82 · 75th $29.82 · 90th $41.07Kansas$24.82$19.00$41.07United 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: Kansas vs United States, May 2025.

Kansas ranks 41st of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 39th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.55). 7,070 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$19.00 – $21.50$39,520 – $44,720roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$21.50 – $29.82$44,720 – $62,030the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$29.82 – $41.07$62,030 – $85,420the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Kansas

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrKansas City: $30.80Kansas City$30.80St. Joseph: $30.20St. Joseph$30.20Lawrence: $28.88Lawrence$28.88Manhattan: $27.92Manhattan$27.92Topeka: $27.29Topeka$27.29Joplin: $25.58Joplin$25.58Wichita: $24.00Wichita$24.00
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators by metro area in Kansas, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Kansas City$22.72$30.80$46.564,11024% above
St. Joseph$20.13$30.20$44.4739022% above
Lawrence$20.13$28.88$44.6412016% above
Manhattan$20.13$27.92$39.8436012% above
Topeka$20.13$27.29$39.6953010% above
Joplin$18.43$25.58$38.683303% above
Wichita$19.26$24.00$35.591,1503% below

Heavy equipment operator wages in Kansas over time

Kansas, 1999-2025KansasUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$28.78United States$24.82Kansas
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, Kansas vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearKansas $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$11.83$22.86$15.315,840
2000$12.27$22.94$15.995,350
2001$12.97$23.58$16.425,700
2002$13.90$24.87$16.945,550
2003$14.11$24.69$16.845,660
2004$14.48$24.68$17.006,480
2005$14.01$23.09$17.236,260
2006$15.05$24.03$17.746,640
2007$15.19$23.59$18.337,090
2008$15.95$23.85$18.887,540
2009$15.06$22.60$19.126,870
2010$15.23$22.49$19.426,190
2011$15.24$21.81$19.966,410
2012$15.93$22.34$20.136,380
2013$16.70$23.08$20.456,130
2014$17.02$23.15$20.926,520
2015$17.21$23.38$21.446,420
2016$17.77$23.84$22.066,440
2017$17.73$23.29$22.616,440
2018$17.90$22.95$22.986,810
2019$18.50$23.30$23.557,430
2020$19.42$24.16$23.936,730
2021$20.65$24.53$23.256,450
2022$22.47$24.72$24.736,570
2023$22.96$24.26$27.007,280
2024$24.33$24.97$28.236,850
2025$24.82$24.82$28.787,070

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Kansas changed by +6.2% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for heavy equipment operators in Kansas

On federally funded construction in Kansas, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 5 of the 105 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $67.90 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $17.67). 100 of the 105 counties still use a survey rate dated 2015 or earlier (for example Allen County at $17.67). The market median for the state is $24.82.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, KSAllen: $17.67 (survey)Anderson: $17.67 (survey)Atchison: $17.67 (survey)Barber: $17.67 (survey)Barton: $17.67 (survey)Bourbon: $17.67 (survey)Brown: $17.67 (survey)Butler: $23.99 (survey)Chase: $17.67 (survey)Chautauqua: $17.67 (survey)Cherokee: $17.67 (survey)Cheyenne: $17.67 (survey)Clark: $17.67 (survey)Clay: $17.67 (survey)Cloud: $17.67 (survey)Coffey: $17.67 (survey)Comanche: $17.67 (survey)Cowley: $17.67 (survey)Crawford: $17.67 (survey)Decatur: $17.67 (survey)Dickinson: $17.67 (survey)Doniphan: $33.70 (survey)Douglas: $33.70 (survey)Edwards: $17.67 (survey)Elk: $17.67 (survey)Ellis: $17.67 (survey)Ellsworth: $17.67 (survey)Finney: $17.67 (survey)Ford: $17.67 (survey)Franklin: $67.90 (union)Geary: $45.68 (survey)Gove: $17.67 (survey)Graham: $17.67 (survey)Grant: $17.67 (survey)Gray: $17.67 (survey)Greeley: $17.67 (survey)Greenwood: $17.67 (survey)Hamilton: $17.67 (survey)Harper: $17.67 (survey)Harvey: $23.99 (survey)Haskell: $17.67 (survey)Hodgeman: $17.67 (survey)Jackson: $33.70 (survey)Jefferson: $33.70 (survey)Jewell: $17.67 (survey)Johnson: $67.90 (union)Kearny: $17.67 (survey)Kingman: $17.67 (survey)Kiowa: $17.67 (survey)Labette: $17.67 (survey)Lane: $17.67 (survey)Leavenworth: $47.72 (survey)Lincoln: $17.67 (survey)Linn: $67.90 (union)Logan: $17.67 (survey)Lyon: $17.67 (survey)McPherson: $17.67 (survey)Marion: $17.67 (survey)Marshall: $17.67 (survey)Meade: $17.67 (survey)Miami: $67.90 (union)Mitchell: $17.67 (survey)Montgomery: $17.67 (survey)Morris: $17.67 (survey)Morton: $17.67 (survey)Nemaha: $17.67 (survey)Neosho: $17.67 (survey)Ness: $17.67 (survey)Norton: $17.67 (survey)Osage: $33.70 (survey)Osborne: $17.67 (survey)Ottawa: $17.67 (survey)Pawnee: $17.67 (survey)Phillips: $17.67 (survey)Pottawatomie: $42.84 (survey)Pratt: $17.67 (survey)Rawlins: $17.67 (survey)Reno: $17.67 (survey)Republic: $17.67 (survey)Rice: $17.67 (survey)Riley: $42.84 (survey)Rooks: $17.67 (survey)Rush: $17.67 (survey)Russell: $17.67 (survey)Saline: $17.67 (survey)Scott: $17.67 (survey)Sedgwick: $23.99 (survey)Seward: $17.67 (survey)Shawnee: $33.70 (survey)Sheridan: $17.67 (survey)Sherman: $17.67 (survey)Smith: $17.67 (survey)Stafford: $17.67 (survey)Stanton: $17.67 (survey)Stevens: $17.67 (survey)Sumner: $23.99 (survey)Thomas: $17.67 (survey)Trego: $17.67 (survey)Wabaunsee: $33.70 (survey)Wallace: $17.67 (survey)Washington: $17.67 (survey)Wichita: $17.67 (survey)Wilson: $17.67 (survey)Woodson: $17.67 (survey)Wyandotte: $67.90 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hrsurvey 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)$0$20$40$60$80/hrJohnson (Kansas City): market median $30.80, prevailing (union) $67.90, gap +$37.10Johnson (Kansas City)+$37.10Geary (Manhattan): market median $27.92, prevailing (survey) $45.68, gap +$17.76Geary (Manhattan)+$17.76Jackson (Topeka): market median $27.29, prevailing (survey) $33.70, gap +$6.41Jackson (Topeka)+$6.41Douglas (Lawrence): market median $28.88, prevailing (survey) $33.70, gap +$4.82Douglas (Lawrence)+$4.82Doniphan (St. Joseph): market median $30.20, prevailing (survey) $33.70, gap +$3.50Doniphan (St. Joseph)+$3.50Butler (Wichita): market median $24.00, prevailing (survey) $23.99, gap −$0.01Butler (Wichita)−$0.01Cherokee (Joplin): market median $25.58, prevailing (survey) $17.67, gap −$7.91Cherokee (Joplin)−$7.91
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Kansas.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
FranklinUnion ENGI0101-042 2025-04-01$45.48$22.42$67.90KS20260060
JohnsonUnion ENGI0101-042 2025-04-01$45.48$22.42$67.90KS20260052
LinnUnion ENGI0101-044 2025-04-01$45.48$22.42$67.90KS20260054
MiamiUnion ENGI0101-042 2025-04-01$45.48$22.42$67.90KS20260060
WyandotteUnion ENGI0101-042 2025-04-01$45.48$22.42$67.90KS20260060
LeavenworthSurvey SUKS2015-022 2015-07-08$33.85$13.87$47.72KS20260053
GearySurvey SUKS2015-018 2015-07-08$32.88$12.80$45.68KS20260049
PottawatomieSurvey SUKS2015-024 2015-07-08$31.56$11.28$42.84KS20260055
RileySurvey SUKS2015-025 2015-07-08$31.56$11.28$42.84KS20260056
DoniphanSurvey SUKS2015-016 2015-07-08$26.69$7.01$33.70KS20260047
DouglasSurvey SUKS2015-017 2015-07-08$26.69$7.01$33.70KS20260048
JacksonSurvey SUKS2015-030 2015-07-08$26.69$7.01$33.70KS20260061
JeffersonSurvey SUKS2015-020 2015-07-08$26.69$7.01$33.70KS20260051
OsageSurvey SUKS2015-030 2015-07-08$26.69$7.01$33.70KS20260061
ShawneeSurvey SUKS2015-027 2015-07-08$26.69$7.01$33.70KS20260058

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

Is construction work growing in Kansas?

79.3kConstruction jobsKansas, 2026-08
+4.9%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k100k1990199520002005201020152020202579kAug 2026
Construction employment in Kansas (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
Ellsworth County158$137,206$2,639
Harper County61$102,952$1,980
Wyandotte County4,490$89,815$1,727
Johnson County13,237$88,059$1,693
Gray County248$87,145$1,676
Wilson County163$82,348$1,584
Coffey County114$74,119$1,425
Shawnee County2,998$72,916$1,402
Geary County98$71,542$1,376
Linn County140$70,156$1,349
Lincoln County39$69,203$1,331
Reno County688$68,672$1,321

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Kansas

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Kansas?

The median heavy equipment operator in Kansas earned $24.82 an hour ($51,620 a year) in May 2025, 14% below the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $21.50–$29.82; the top 10% earn more than $41.07.

Where does Kansas rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Kansas ranks 41st of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $24.82 an hour, and 39th after adjusting for Kansas's cost of living (BEA price parity 90.1, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Kansas?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for heavy equipment operators in 5 counties, with a typical package of $67.90 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many heavy equipment operators work in Kansas?

BLS counted 7,070 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Kansas in May 2025, 4.9 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.60; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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