Heavy equipment operator salary in New Hampshire
Median $29.91 an hour for 1,330 heavy equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.
Heavy equipment operator pay in New Hampshire: the full range
New Hampshire ranks 21st of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 33rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $28.70). 1,330 heavy equipment operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.8× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $23.93 – $27.55 | $49,770 – $57,310 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $27.55 – $35.51 | $57,310 – $73,860 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $35.51 – $42.18 | $73,860 – $87,730 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in New Hampshire
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $25.96 | $36.99 | $34.16 | $60.51 | 6,370 | 24% above |
| Manchester | $23.67 | $29.02 | $27.46 | $42.64 | 210 | 3% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Heavy equipment operator wages in New Hampshire over time
Table
| Year | New Hampshire $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $15.28 | $29.53 | $15.31 | 1,100 |
| 2000 | $15.87 | $29.67 | $15.99 | 1,160 |
| 2001 | $16.12 | $29.30 | $16.42 | 1,330 |
| 2002 | $16.39 | $29.33 | $16.94 | 1,440 |
| 2003 | $16.33 | $28.57 | $16.84 | 1,440 |
| 2004 | $17.56 | $29.93 | $17.00 | 1,270 |
| 2005 | $18.25 | $30.08 | $17.23 | 1,180 |
| 2006 | $18.59 | $29.69 | $17.74 | 1,320 |
| 2007 | $19.29 | $29.95 | $18.33 | 1,200 |
| 2008 | $18.85 | $28.19 | $18.88 | 1,330 |
| 2009 | $19.48 | $29.23 | $19.12 | 1,090 |
| 2010 | $20.38 | $30.09 | $19.42 | 1,000 |
| 2011 | $20.92 | $29.94 | $19.96 | 1,010 |
| 2012 | $21.05 | $29.52 | $20.13 | 950 |
| 2013 | $20.82 | $28.77 | $20.45 | 940 |
| 2014 | $20.73 | $28.19 | $20.92 | 940 |
| 2015 | $20.82 | $28.28 | $21.44 | 870 |
| 2016 | $22.35 | $29.98 | $22.06 | 860 |
| 2017 | $22.86 | $30.02 | $22.61 | 820 |
| 2018 | $23.68 | $30.36 | $22.98 | 890 |
| 2019 | $24.44 | $30.78 | $23.55 | 1,200 |
| 2020 | $24.04 | $29.90 | $23.93 | 1,350 |
| 2021 | $23.27 | $27.65 | $23.25 | 1,420 |
| 2022 | $26.19 | $28.81 | $24.73 | 1,490 |
| 2023 | $30.00 | $31.70 | $27.00 | 1,820 |
| 2024 | $30.18 | $30.97 | $28.23 | 1,530 |
| 2025 | $29.91 | $29.91 | $28.78 | 1,330 |
In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in New Hampshire changed by +5.8% over the last ten years of data and by -2.8% since 2019.
Are there more heavy equipment operator jobs in New Hampshire?
BLS counted 1,330 heavy equipment operators in New Hampshire in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 13%. With fewer than 3,000 jobs or a wide margin of error, year-to-year changes are within the survey's noise and are not shown as a trend.
Outlook for heavy equipment operators in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's labor market agency projects the number of heavy equipment operators in the state to change by +5.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 1,560 to 1,650, with about 140 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +4.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 1,330 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire
On federally funded construction in New Hampshire, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 10 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $24.69). 10 of the 10 counties still use a survey rate dated 2017 or earlier (for example Belknap County at $24.69). The market median for the state is $29.91.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough | Survey SUNH2015-007 2017-06-16 | $24.08 | $4.75 | $28.83 | NH20260021 |
| Rockingham | Survey SUNH2015-008 2017-06-16 | $24.02 | $4.25 | $28.27 | NH20260022 |
| Strafford | Survey SUNH2015-009 2017-06-16 | $24.02 | $4.25 | $28.27 | NH20260023 |
| Belknap | Survey SUNH2015-001 2017-06-16 | $21.52 | $3.17 | $24.69 | NH20260015 |
| Cheshire | Survey SUNH2015-006 2017-06-16 | $21.52 | $3.17 | $24.69 | NH20260020 |
| Merrimack | Survey SUNH2015-005 2017-06-16 | $21.52 | $3.17 | $24.69 | NH20260019 |
| Sullivan | Survey SUNH2015-006 2017-06-16 | $21.52 | $3.17 | $24.69 | NH20260020 |
| Carroll | Survey SUNH2015-002 2017-06-16 | $21.00 | $2.34 | $23.34 | NH20260016 |
| Coos | Survey SUNH2015-003 2017-06-16 | $21.00 | $2.34 | $23.34 | NH20260017 |
| Grafton | Survey SUNH2015-004 2017-06-16 | $21.00 | $2.34 | $23.34 | NH20260018 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the New Hampshire prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in New Hampshire?
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 10 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 15,259 in 2015 to 20,966 in 2025, +37.4%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough County | 976 | 6,935 | $86,903 | $1,671 |
| Coos County | 67 | 320 | $86,825 | $1,670 |
| Rockingham County | 868 | 5,588 | $81,699 | $1,571 |
| Merrimack County | 372 | 2,352 | $80,560 | $1,549 |
| Belknap County | 189 | 941 | $79,698 | $1,533 |
| Strafford County | 252 | 1,356 | $73,271 | $1,409 |
| Cheshire County | 230 | 1,391 | $72,846 | $1,401 |
| Grafton County | 212 | 1,040 | $71,293 | $1,371 |
| Carroll County | 183 | 632 | $65,169 | $1,253 |
| Sullivan County | 97 | 411 | $63,458 | $1,220 |
Keep comparing
Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in New Hampshire
More on New Hampshire
Questions this page answers
How much do heavy equipment operators make in New Hampshire?
The median heavy equipment operator in New Hampshire earned $29.91 an hour ($62,200 a year) in May 2025, 4% above the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $27.55–$35.51; the top 10% earn more than $42.18.
Where does New Hampshire rank for heavy equipment operator pay?
New Hampshire ranks 21st of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $29.91 an hour, and 33rd after adjusting for New Hampshire's cost of living (BEA price parity 104.2, US = 100).
What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in New Hampshire?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a heavy equipment operator classification for most New Hampshire counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many heavy equipment operators work in New Hampshire?
BLS counted 1,330 heavy equipment operators in New Hampshire in May 2025, 1.9 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.63; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is heavy equipment operator work growing in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire's labor market agency projects +5.4% growth for heavy equipment operators between 2024 and 2034, from 1,560 to 1,650 jobs.
How many heavy equipment operator openings a year are there in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire projects about 140 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, New Hampshire 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 2026-11-06. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national, 2025-35.
- State projection: New Hampshire labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.