Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Maryland

Median $29.53 an hour for 6,610 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$29.53/hrMedian hourly wageMaryland, May data
$61,410/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.48 – $37.9210th to 90th percentilehourly range
6,610Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Heavy equipment operator pay in Maryland: the full range

Wage percentiles, MarylandMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrMaryland: 10th $22.48 · 25th $23.76 · median $29.53 · 75th $34.07 · 90th $37.92Maryland$29.53$22.48$37.92United 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: Maryland vs United States, May 2025.

Maryland ranks 25th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 35th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.12). 6,610 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$22.48 – $23.76$46,760 – $49,430roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$23.76 – $34.07$49,430 – $70,860the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$34.07 – $37.92$70,860 – $78,870the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Maryland

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrPhiladelphia: $32.12Philadelphia$32.12Washington DC: $29.64Washington DC$29.64Lexington Park: $29.29Lexington Park$29.29Baltimore: $29.20Baltimore$29.20Salisbury: $26.68Salisbury$26.68Hagerstown: $24.43Hagerstown$24.43
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators by metro area in Maryland, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Philadelphia$23.45$32.12$54.475,6209% above
Washington DC$22.39$29.64$40.476,450about the same as
Lexington Park$23.08$29.29$36.762301% below
Baltimore$22.78$29.20$37.393,3501% below
Salisbury$21.28$26.68$35.617010% below
Hagerstown$19.24$24.43$32.1438017% below

Heavy equipment operator wages in Maryland over time

Maryland, 1999-2025MarylandUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.53Maryland$28.78United States
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, Maryland vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearMaryland $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.72$28.45$15.314,030
2000$15.87$29.67$15.995,310
2001$16.75$30.45$16.425,490
2002$16.66$29.81$16.945,020
2003$17.36$30.37$16.845,880
2004$17.04$29.04$17.005,800
2005$17.14$28.25$17.237,450
2006$18.51$29.56$17.746,950
2007$19.40$30.12$18.337,070
2008$20.03$29.95$18.886,480
2009$20.25$30.39$19.126,730
2010$20.47$30.22$19.426,020
2011$20.88$29.88$19.966,050
2012$20.79$29.15$20.134,740
2013$20.83$28.79$20.454,640
2014$21.80$29.65$20.925,110
2015$21.97$29.84$21.445,150
2016$22.59$30.30$22.065,170
2017$22.63$29.72$22.614,610
2018$23.07$29.58$22.984,660
2019$24.00$30.22$23.555,590
2020$24.50$30.48$23.935,630
2021$24.60$29.23$23.255,730
2022$27.14$29.86$24.735,610
2023$28.85$30.48$27.006,210
2024$29.14$29.91$28.236,470
2025$29.53$29.53$28.786,610

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Maryland changed by -1.0% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for heavy equipment operators in Maryland

On federally funded construction in Maryland, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 24 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $47.30). The market median for the state is $29.53.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, MDAllegany: $53.72 (survey)Anne Arundel: $50.30 (survey)Baltimore: $50.30 (survey)Calvert: $56.71 (survey)Caroline: $35.38 (survey)Carroll: $40.66 (survey)Cecil: $47.30 (survey)Charles: $56.71 (survey)Dorchester: $32.28 (survey)Frederick: $35.51 (survey)Garrett: $53.72 (survey)Harford: $50.30 (survey)Howard: $40.66 (survey)Kent: $32.14 (survey)Montgomery: $35.51 (survey)Prince George's: $35.51 (survey)Queen Anne's: $47.30 (survey)St. Mary's: $56.71 (survey)Somerset: $32.28 (survey)Talbot: $35.38 (survey)Washington: $53.72 (survey)Wicomico: $33.76 (survey)Worcester: $50.30 (survey)Baltimore: $50.30 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$35.38$40.66$50.30$53.72survey 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)$20$30$40$50$60/hrWashington (Hagerstown): market median $24.43, prevailing (survey) $53.72, gap +$29.29Washington (Hagerstown)+$29.29Calvert (Lexington Park): market median $29.29, prevailing (survey) $56.71, gap +$27.42Calvert (Lexington Park)+$27.42Charles (Washington DC): market median $29.64, prevailing (survey) $56.71, gap +$27.07Charles (Washington DC)+$27.07Anne Arundel (Baltimore): market median $29.20, prevailing (survey) $50.30, gap +$21.10Anne Arundel (Baltimore)+$21.10Cecil (Philadelphia): market median $32.12, prevailing (survey) $47.30, gap +$15.18Cecil (Philadelphia)+$15.18Wicomico (Salisbury): market median $26.68, prevailing (survey) $33.76, gap +$7.08Wicomico (Salisbury)+$7.08
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Maryland.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
Calvertstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$43.44$13.27$56.71MD20260109
Charlesstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$43.44$13.27$56.71MD20260113
St. Mary'sstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$43.44$13.27$56.71MD20260124
Alleganystate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$36.62$17.10$53.72MD20260081
Garrettstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$36.62$17.10$53.72MD20260116
Washingtonstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$36.62$17.10$53.72MD20260126
Anne Arundelstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$35.18$15.12$50.30MD20260082
Baltimorestate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$35.18$15.12$50.30MD20260108
Harfordstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$35.18$15.12$50.30MD20260117
Worcesterstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$35.18$15.12$50.30MD20260128
Baltimorestate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$35.18$15.12$50.30MD20260107
Cecilstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$33.38$13.92$47.30MD20260112
Queen Anne'sstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$33.38$13.92$47.30MD20260122
Carrollstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$32.00$8.66$40.66MD20260111
Howardstate SAMD2025-001 2025-12-11$32.00$8.66$40.66MD20260118

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

Is construction work growing in Maryland?

165.8kConstruction jobsMaryland, 2026-08
-1.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k19901995200020052010201520202025166kAug 2026
Construction employment in Maryland (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
Prince George's County21,463$94,963$1,826
Howard County7,376$89,421$1,720
Anne Arundel County14,008$88,985$1,711
Baltimore County16,317$85,194$1,638
Baltimore City5,904$85,150$1,637
St. Mary's County1,667$79,958$1,538
Charles County2,391$79,295$1,525
Montgomery County13,077$78,980$1,519
Frederick County6,674$77,989$1,500
Harford County3,714$75,387$1,450
Calvert County1,186$75,159$1,445
Carroll County4,718$73,878$1,421

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Maryland

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Maryland?

The median heavy equipment operator in Maryland earned $29.53 an hour ($61,410 a year) in May 2025, 3% above the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $23.76–$34.07; the top 10% earn more than $37.92.

Where does Maryland rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Maryland ranks 25th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $29.53 an hour, and 35th after adjusting for Maryland's cost of living (BEA price parity 105.0, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Maryland?

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

How many heavy equipment operators work in Maryland?

BLS counted 6,610 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Maryland in May 2025, 2.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.78; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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