Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Louisiana

Median $24.86 an hour for 7,860 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$24.86/hrMedian hourly wageLouisiana, May data
$51,700/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.00 – $36.1410th to 90th percentilehourly range
7,860Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Heavy equipment operator pay in Louisiana: the full range

Wage percentiles, LouisianaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrLouisiana: 10th $18.00 · 25th $22.33 · median $24.86 · 75th $29.92 · 90th $36.14Louisiana$24.86$18.00$36.14United 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: Louisiana vs United States, May 2025.

Louisiana ranks 40th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 34th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.19). 7,860 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$18.00 – $22.33$37,440 – $46,440roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$22.33 – $29.92$46,440 – $62,230the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$29.92 – $36.14$62,230 – $75,180the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Louisiana

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrNew Orleans: $28.00New Orleans$28.00Baton Rouge: $27.99Baton Rouge$27.99Shreveport: $24.52Shreveport$24.52Slidell: $24.32Slidell$24.32Hammond: $23.97Hammond$23.97Lafayette: $23.94Lafayette$23.94Lake Charles: $23.69Lake Charles$23.69Houma: $23.55Houma$23.55Monroe: $22.12Monroe$22.12Alexandria: $21.43Alexandria$21.43
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators by metro area in Louisiana, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
New Orleans$18.91$28.00$36.251,15013% above
Baton Rouge$19.71$27.99$36.882,26013% above
Shreveport$18.69$24.52$33.247501% below
Slidell$18.89$24.32$46.882502% below
Hammond$17.87$23.97$28.61904% below
Lafayette$18.34$23.94$35.693704% below
Lake Charles$17.29$23.69$36.594105% below
Houma$17.92$23.55$34.197105% below
Monroe$14.59$22.12$32.0523011% below
Alexandria$14.50$21.43$31.6926014% below

Heavy equipment operator wages in Louisiana over time

Louisiana, 1999-2025LouisianaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$28.78United States$24.86Louisiana
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, Louisiana vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearLouisiana $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$12.18$23.54$15.316,240
2000$12.39$23.16$15.997,230
2001$12.30$22.36$16.427,050
2002$13.10$23.44$16.945,260
2003$13.79$24.13$16.845,230
2004$13.43$22.89$17.005,620
2005$14.22$23.44$17.236,090
2006$14.54$23.22$17.747,960
2007$15.55$24.14$18.337,900
2008$15.93$23.82$18.888,260
2009$16.77$25.17$19.128,950
2010$17.21$25.41$19.428,960
2011$17.37$24.86$19.969,880
2012$17.27$24.22$20.138,960
2013$17.17$23.73$20.459,960
2014$17.88$24.32$20.929,610
2015$18.32$24.88$21.448,800
2016$19.23$25.79$22.067,740
2017$19.77$25.97$22.617,820
2018$20.96$26.87$22.988,820
2019$21.77$27.41$23.558,430
2020$22.16$27.57$23.938,230
2021$22.42$26.64$23.257,320
2022$22.45$24.70$24.736,580
2023$23.52$24.85$27.006,840
2024$23.87$24.50$28.237,230
2025$24.86$24.86$28.787,860

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Louisiana changed by -0.1% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for heavy equipment operators in Louisiana

On federally funded construction in Louisiana, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 64 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $20.34). 64 of the 64 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Acadia County at $19.07). The market median for the state is $24.86.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, LAAcadia: $19.07 (survey)Allen: $21.90 (survey)Ascension: $19.07 (survey)Assumption: $21.90 (survey)Avoyelles: $21.90 (survey)Beauregard: $21.90 (survey)Bienville: $20.34 (survey)Bossier: $20.74 (survey)Caddo: $20.74 (survey)Calcasieu: $19.88 (survey)Caldwell: $20.34 (survey)Cameron: $19.88 (survey)Catahoula: $20.34 (survey)Claiborne: $20.34 (survey)Concordia: $20.34 (survey)De Soto: $20.74 (survey)East Baton Rouge: $19.07 (survey)East Carroll: $20.34 (survey)East Feliciana: $19.07 (survey)Evangeline: $21.90 (survey)Franklin: $20.34 (survey)Grant: $19.88 (survey)Iberia: $19.07 (survey)Iberville: $19.07 (survey)Jackson: $20.34 (survey)Jefferson: $21.03 (survey)Jefferson Davis: $21.90 (survey)Lafayette: $19.07 (survey)Lafourche: $21.03 (survey)LaSalle: $20.34 (survey)Lincoln: $20.44 (survey)Livingston: $19.07 (survey)Madison: $20.34 (survey)Morehouse: $20.34 (survey)Natchitoches: $20.34 (survey)Orleans: $22.92 (survey)Ouachita: $21.42 (survey)Plaquemines: $21.03 (survey)Pointe Coupee: $19.07 (survey)Rapides: $19.88 (survey)Red River: $20.34 (survey)Richland: $20.34 (survey)Sabine: $20.34 (survey)St. Bernard: $21.03 (survey)St. Charles: $21.03 (survey)St. Helena: $19.07 (survey)St. James: $21.03 (survey)St. John the Baptist: $21.03 (survey)St. Landry: $21.90 (survey)St. Martin: $19.07 (survey)St. Mary: $21.90 (survey)St. Tammany: $21.03 (survey)Tangipahoa: $21.03 (survey)Tensas: $20.34 (survey)Terrebonne: $21.03 (survey)Union: $21.42 (survey)Vermilion: $19.07 (survey)Vernon: $21.90 (survey)Washington: $21.90 (survey)Webster: $20.74 (survey)West Baton Rouge: $19.07 (survey)West Carroll: $20.34 (survey)West Feliciana: $19.07 (survey)Winn: $20.34 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$20.34$20.74$21.19survey 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 (survey)$15$20$25$30/hrOuachita (Monroe): market median $22.12, prevailing (survey) $21.42, gap −$0.70Ouachita (Monroe)−$0.70Grant (Alexandria): market median $21.43, prevailing (survey) $19.88, gap −$1.55Grant (Alexandria)−$1.55Jefferson Davis (Lake Charles): market median $23.69, prevailing (survey) $21.90, gap −$1.79Jefferson Davis (Lake Charles)−$1.79Lafourche (Houma): market median $23.55, prevailing (survey) $21.03, gap −$2.52Lafourche (Houma)−$2.52Tangipahoa (Hammond): market median $23.97, prevailing (survey) $21.03, gap −$2.94Tangipahoa (Hammond)−$2.94St. Tammany (Slidell): market median $24.32, prevailing (survey) $21.03, gap −$3.29St. Tammany (Slidell)−$3.29Bossier (Shreveport): market median $24.52, prevailing (survey) $20.74, gap −$3.78Bossier (Shreveport)−$3.78Acadia (Lafayette): market median $23.94, prevailing (survey) $19.07, gap −$4.87Acadia (Lafayette)−$4.87Orleans (New Orleans): market median $28.00, prevailing (survey) $22.92, gap −$5.08Orleans (New Orleans)−$5.08Assumption (Baton Rouge): market median $27.99, prevailing (survey) $21.90, gap −$6.09Assumption (Baton Rouge)−$6.09
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Louisiana.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
OrleansSurvey SULA2012-026 2014-09-22$22.92$0.00$22.92LA20260041
AllenSurvey SULA2012-001 2014-09-22$18.50$3.40$21.90LA20260016
AssumptionSurvey SULA2012-002 2014-09-22$18.50$3.40$21.90LA20260017
AvoyellesSurvey SULA2012-010 2014-09-22$18.50$3.40$21.90LA20260025
BeauregardSurvey SULA2012-010 2014-09-22$18.50$3.40$21.90LA20260025
EvangelineSurvey SULA2012-010 2014-09-22$18.50$3.40$21.90LA20260025
Jefferson DavisSurvey SULA2012-010 2014-09-22$18.50$3.40$21.90LA20260025
St. LandrySurvey SULA2012-006 2014-09-22$18.50$3.40$21.90LA20260021
St. MarySurvey SULA2012-007 2014-09-22$18.50$3.40$21.90LA20260022
VernonSurvey SULA2012-008 2014-09-22$18.50$3.40$21.90LA20260023
WashingtonSurvey SULA2012-009 2014-09-22$18.50$3.40$21.90LA20260024
OuachitaSurvey SULA2012-027 2014-09-22$19.33$2.09$21.42LA20260042
UnionSurvey SULA2012-032 2014-09-22$19.33$2.09$21.42LA20260047
JeffersonSurvey SULA2012-023 2014-09-22$21.03$0.00$21.03LA20260038
LafourcheSurvey SULA2012-025 2014-09-22$21.03$0.00$21.03LA20260040

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

Is construction work growing in Louisiana?

152.6kConstruction jobsLouisiana, 2026-08
+12.6%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202680k100k120k140k160k180k19901995200020052010201520202025153kAug 2026
Construction employment in Louisiana (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
Orleans Parish1,940$129,981$2,500
Plaquemines Parish1,000$122,438$2,355
Iberville Parish527$82,977$1,596
West Baton Rouge Parish1,740$81,977$1,576
St. Bernard Parish527$81,535$1,568
Richland Parish251$81,506$1,567
East Baton Rouge Parish10,058$80,106$1,540
St. John the Baptist Parish792$77,555$1,491
St. Charles Parish1,574$75,983$1,461
Grant Parish171$75,937$1,460
St. Mary Parish567$73,867$1,421
Ascension Parish4,057$73,040$1,405

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Louisiana

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Louisiana?

The median heavy equipment operator in Louisiana earned $24.86 an hour ($51,700 a year) in May 2025, 14% below the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $22.33–$29.92; the top 10% earn more than $36.14.

Where does Louisiana rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Louisiana ranks 40th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $24.86 an hour, and 34th after adjusting for Louisiana's cost of living (BEA price parity 88.2, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Louisiana?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a heavy equipment operator classification for most Louisiana counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many heavy equipment operators work in Louisiana?

BLS counted 7,860 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Louisiana in May 2025, 4.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.32; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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