Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Maryland

Median $29.53 an hour for 6,610 heavy equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$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 2026-11-13

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 heavy 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 heavy equipment operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.7× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$22.48 – $23.76$46,760 – $49,430roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$23.76 – $34.07$49,430 – $70,860the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$34.07 – $37.92$70,860 – $78,870the 75th to 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 heavy equipment operators by metro area in Maryland, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Philadelphia$23.45$32.12$31.31$54.475,6209% above
Washington DC$22.39$29.64$27.22$40.476,450about the same as
Lexington Park$23.08$29.29$29.06$36.762301% below
Baltimore$22.78$29.20$27.94$37.393,3501% below
Salisbury$21.28$26.68$27.91$35.617010% below
Hagerstown$19.24$24.43$25.93$32.1438017% below

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

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 heavy 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 and by -2.3% since 2019.

Are there more heavy equipment operator jobs in Maryland?

+18.2%Jobs since 20195,590 then, 6,610 in 2025
+28.3%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
2.4Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 0.8× the US share, 42nd of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of heavy equipment operators counted in Maryland has changed by +64.0%, against +47.4% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +18.2%.

Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Maryland vs United States, 1999 = 100MarylandUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages50100150200200020052010201520202025164Maryland147United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Maryland vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearMaryland jobsMaryland indexUS index
19994,030100100
20005,310132103
20015,490136109
20025,020125106
20035,880146106
20045,800144110
20057,450185117
20066,950172121
20077,070175124
20086,480161123
20096,730167114
20106,020149103
20116,050150103
20124,740118103
20134,640115105
20145,110127106
20155,150128110
20165,170128110
20174,610114113
20184,660116118
20195,590139125
20205,630140124
20215,730142125
20225,610139130
20236,210154139
20246,470160145
20256,610164147

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 Maryland

+5.3%Projected growth in Maryland2024–2034, state agency
600Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
6,820Jobs in 20247,180 projected for 2034
+4.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Maryland's labor market agency projects the number of heavy equipment operators in the state to change by +5.3% between 2024 and 2034, from 6,820 to 7,180, with about 600 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +4.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 6,610 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Maryland 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 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 2026-11-13. 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?

166.0kConstruction jobsMaryland, 2026-09
-0.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-2026100k150k200k250k19901995200020052010201520202025166kSep 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. Across the 24 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 100,634 in 2015 to 107,991 in 2025, +7.3%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Prince George's County1,20621,463$94,963$1,826
Howard County4947,376$89,421$1,720
Anne Arundel County99314,008$88,985$1,711
Baltimore County1,26316,317$85,194$1,638
Baltimore city4325,904$85,150$1,637
St. Mary's County1681,667$79,958$1,538
Charles County2652,391$79,295$1,525
Montgomery County1,35613,077$78,980$1,519
Frederick County5696,674$77,989$1,500
Harford County5043,714$75,387$1,450
Calvert County2221,186$75,159$1,445
Carroll County4824,718$73,878$1,421

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Maryland

More on 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 heavy equipment operators in Maryland in May 2025, 2.4 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.78; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is heavy equipment operator work growing in Maryland?

The BLS employer survey count of heavy equipment operators in Maryland went from 5,150 in 2015 to 6,610 in 2025, +28.3%, and +18.2% since 2019. Maryland's labor market agency projects +5.3% growth for heavy equipment operators between 2024 and 2034, from 6,820 to 7,180 jobs.

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

Maryland projects about 600 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, Maryland 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: Maryland labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.