Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Oklahoma

Median $23.06 an hour for 7,050 heavy equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$23.06/hrMedian hourly wageOklahoma, May data
$47,970/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$18.00 – $30.9510th to 90th percentilehourly range
7,050Jobs countedemployer survey

Data compiled by Skilled WagesBLS OEWS May 2025; prevailing wage as of 2026-11-13

Heavy equipment operator pay in Oklahoma: the full range

Wage percentiles, OklahomaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrOklahoma: 10th $18.00 · 25th $20.15 · median $23.06 · 75th $27.26 · 90th $30.95Oklahoma$23.06$18.00$30.95United 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: Oklahoma vs United States, May 2025.

Oklahoma ranks 47th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 43rd once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $26.26). 7,050 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$18.00 – $20.15$37,440 – $41,920roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$20.15 – $27.26$41,920 – $56,700the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$27.26 – $30.95$56,700 – $64,380the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Oklahoma

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrEnid: $23.58Enid$23.58Oklahoma City: $23.41Oklahoma City$23.41Tulsa: $23.28Tulsa$23.28Lawton: $22.13Lawton$22.13Fort Smith: $20.11Fort Smith$20.11
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators by metro area in Oklahoma, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Enid$18.00$23.58$27.97$28.951102% above
Oklahoma City$18.00$23.41$25.90$31.302,2502% above
Tulsa$18.67$23.28$26.10$30.371,5301% above
Lawton$17.85$22.13$25.76$29.502104% below
Fort Smith$17.06$20.11$23.41$23.6444013% below

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

Heavy equipment operator wages in Oklahoma over time

Oklahoma, 1999-2025OklahomaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$0$10$20$30$40200020052010201520202025$28.78United States$23.06Oklahoma
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators, Oklahoma vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearOklahoma $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$10.69$20.66$15.315,130
2000$11.63$21.74$15.994,080
2001$12.67$23.03$16.423,220
2002$13.52$24.19$16.943,210
2003$13.57$23.74$16.843,030
2004$13.47$22.96$17.003,750
2005$13.22$21.79$17.233,900
2006$13.60$21.72$17.745,150
2007$14.10$21.89$18.334,540
2008$15.11$22.59$18.884,590
2009$15.36$23.05$19.124,320
2010$15.88$23.45$19.424,480
2011$16.63$23.80$19.964,450
2012$16.98$23.81$20.135,490
2013$17.03$23.54$20.455,660
2014$17.30$23.53$20.926,300
2015$17.75$24.11$21.446,080
2016$17.95$24.08$22.065,940
2017$18.48$24.27$22.615,800
2018$18.60$23.85$22.986,510
2019$18.67$23.51$23.556,930
2020$19.60$24.38$23.936,810
2021$20.41$24.25$23.257,130
2022$21.88$24.07$24.736,430
2023$22.22$23.48$27.007,080
2024$22.69$23.29$28.236,690
2025$23.06$23.06$28.787,050

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Oklahoma changed by -4.4% over the last ten years of data and by -1.9% since 2019.

Are there more heavy equipment operator jobs in Oklahoma?

+1.7%Jobs since 20196,930 then, 7,050 in 2025
+16.0%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
4.1Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.3× the US share, 14th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of heavy equipment operators counted in Oklahoma has changed by +37.4%, against +47.4% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +1.7%.

Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Oklahoma vs United States, 1999 = 100OklahomaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages50100150200200020052010201520202025147United States137Oklahoma
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Oklahoma vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearOklahoma jobsOklahoma indexUS index
19995,130100100
20004,08080103
20013,22063109
20023,21063106
20033,03059106
20043,75073110
20053,90076117
20065,150100121
20074,54088124
20084,59090123
20094,32084114
20104,48087103
20114,45087103
20125,490107103
20135,660110105
20146,300123106
20156,080118110
20165,940116110
20175,800113113
20186,510127118
20196,930135125
20206,810133124
20217,130139125
20226,430125130
20237,080138139
20246,690130145
20257,050137147

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 Oklahoma

+3.8%Projected growth in Oklahoma2024–2034, state agency
610Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
7,080Jobs in 20247,360 projected for 2034
+4.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Oklahoma's labor market agency projects the number of heavy equipment operators in the state to change by +3.8% between 2024 and 2034, from 7,080 to 7,360, with about 610 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +4.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 7,050 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma

On federally funded construction in Oklahoma, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 10 of the 77 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $47.82 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $20.08). 67 of the 77 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Alfalfa County at $20.08). The market median for the state is $23.06.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, OKAdair: $47.82 (union)Alfalfa: $20.08 (survey)Atoka: $16.83 (survey)Beaver: $20.08 (survey)Beckham: $20.08 (survey)Blaine: $20.08 (survey)Bryan: $16.83 (survey)Caddo: $20.08 (survey)Canadian: $25.60 (survey)Carter: $16.83 (survey)Cherokee: $47.82 (union)Choctaw: $16.83 (survey)Cimarron: $20.08 (survey)Cleveland: $25.60 (survey)Coal: $16.83 (survey)Comanche: $25.60 (survey)Cotton: $20.08 (survey)Craig: $47.82 (union)Creek: $21.31 (survey)Custer: $20.08 (survey)Delaware: $47.82 (union)Dewey: $20.08 (survey)Ellis: $20.08 (survey)Garfield: $20.08 (survey)Garvin: $16.83 (survey)Grady: $25.60 (survey)Grant: $20.08 (survey)Greer: $20.08 (survey)Harmon: $20.08 (survey)Harper: $20.08 (survey)Haskell: $16.83 (survey)Hughes: $16.83 (survey)Jackson: $20.08 (survey)Jefferson: $20.08 (survey)Johnston: $16.83 (survey)Kay: $20.08 (survey)Kingfisher: $20.08 (survey)Kiowa: $20.08 (survey)Latimer: $16.83 (survey)Le Flore: $21.46 (survey)Lincoln: $25.60 (survey)Logan: $25.60 (survey)Love: $16.83 (survey)McClain: $25.60 (survey)McCurtain: $16.83 (survey)McIntosh: $47.82 (union)Major: $20.08 (survey)Marshall: $16.83 (survey)Mayes: $47.82 (union)Murray: $16.83 (survey)Muskogee: $13.00 (survey)Noble: $20.08 (survey)Nowata: $47.82 (union)Okfuskee: $47.82 (union)Oklahoma: $25.60 (survey)Okmulgee: $21.31 (survey)Osage: $21.31 (survey)Ottawa: $47.82 (union)Pawnee: $21.31 (survey)Payne: $20.08 (survey)Pittsburg: $16.83 (survey)Pontotoc: $16.83 (survey)Pottawatomie: $16.83 (survey)Pushmataha: $16.83 (survey)Roger Mills: $20.08 (survey)Rogers: $18.02 (survey)Seminole: $16.83 (survey)Sequoyah: $21.46 (survey)Stephens: $20.08 (survey)Texas: $20.08 (survey)Tillman: $20.08 (survey)Tulsa: $21.18 (survey)Wagoner: $21.31 (survey)Washington: $47.82 (union)Washita: $20.08 (survey)Woods: $20.08 (survey)Woodward: $20.08 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$16.83$20.08$25.60survey 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)$18$20$22$24$26$28/hrComanche (Lawton): market median $22.13, prevailing (survey) $25.60, gap +$3.47Comanche (Lawton)+$3.47Canadian (Oklahoma City): market median $23.41, prevailing (survey) $25.60, gap +$2.19Canadian (Oklahoma City)+$2.19Sequoyah (Fort Smith): market median $20.11, prevailing (survey) $21.46, gap +$1.35Sequoyah (Fort Smith)+$1.35Creek (Tulsa): market median $23.28, prevailing (survey) $21.31, gap −$1.97Creek (Tulsa)−$1.97Garfield (Enid): market median $23.58, prevailing (survey) $20.08, gap −$3.50Garfield (Enid)−$3.50
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Oklahoma.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AdairUnion ENGI0627-022 2025-06-01$28.77$19.05$47.82OK20260067
CherokeeUnion ENGI0627-022 2025-06-01$28.77$19.05$47.82OK20260067
CraigUnion ENGI0627-022 2025-06-01$28.77$19.05$47.82OK20260072
DelawareUnion ENGI0627-022 2025-06-01$28.77$19.05$47.82OK20260072
McIntoshUnion ENGI0627-022 2025-06-01$28.77$19.05$47.82OK20260072
MayesUnion ENGI0627-022 2025-06-01$28.77$19.05$47.82OK20260059
NowataUnion ENGI0627-022 2025-06-01$28.77$19.05$47.82OK20260072
OkfuskeeUnion ENGI0627-022 2025-06-01$28.77$19.05$47.82OK20260072
OttawaUnion ENGI0627-022 2025-06-01$28.77$19.05$47.82OK20260062
WashingtonUnion ENGI0627-022 2025-06-01$28.77$19.05$47.82OK20260065
CanadianSurvey SUOK2012-021 2012-07-30$21.25$4.35$25.60OK20260041
ClevelandSurvey SUOK2012-022 2012-07-30$21.25$4.35$25.60OK20260042
ComancheSurvey SUOK2012-023 2012-07-30$21.25$4.35$25.60OK20260043
GradySurvey SUOK2012-025 2012-07-30$21.25$4.35$25.60OK20260045
LincolnSurvey SUOK2012-026 2012-07-30$21.25$4.35$25.60OK20260046

Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-13. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Oklahoma prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.

Is construction work growing in Oklahoma?

93.5kConstruction jobsOklahoma, 2026-09
+3.8%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k40k60k80k100k120k1990199520002005201020152020202594kSep 2026
Construction employment in Oklahoma (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 59 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 46,195 in 2015 to 53,001 in 2025, +14.7%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Mayes County74881$87,492$1,683
Wagoner County1291,430$70,348$1,353
Oklahoma County1,67314,942$69,993$1,346
Creek County1611,700$69,072$1,328
Cherokee County48381$68,777$1,323
Tulsa County1,42113,861$68,683$1,321
Garvin County61378$67,508$1,298
Stephens County59407$66,128$1,272
Delaware County66436$65,616$1,262
Washington County77674$63,951$1,230
Beckham County23227$63,523$1,222
Beaver County7142$63,492$1,221

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Oklahoma

More on Oklahoma

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Oklahoma?

The median heavy equipment operator in Oklahoma earned $23.06 an hour ($47,970 a year) in May 2025, 20% below the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $20.15–$27.26; the top 10% earn more than $30.95.

Where does Oklahoma rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Oklahoma ranks 47th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $23.06 an hour, and 43rd after adjusting for Oklahoma's cost of living (BEA price parity 87.8, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Oklahoma?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for heavy equipment operators in 10 counties, with a typical package of $47.82 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many heavy equipment operators work in Oklahoma?

BLS counted 7,050 heavy equipment operators in Oklahoma in May 2025, 4.1 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.34; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is heavy equipment operator work growing in Oklahoma?

The BLS employer survey count of heavy equipment operators in Oklahoma went from 6,080 in 2015 to 7,050 in 2025, +16.0%, and +1.7% since 2019. Oklahoma's labor market agency projects +3.8% growth for heavy equipment operators between 2024 and 2034, from 7,080 to 7,360 jobs.

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

Oklahoma projects about 610 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, Oklahoma 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: Oklahoma labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.