Heavy equipment operator salary in Rhode Island
Median $30.58 an hour for 970 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 Rhode Island: the full range
Rhode Island ranks 17th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 27th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $29.89). 970 heavy equipment operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.9× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $25.22 – $29.65 | $52,460 – $61,660 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $29.65 – $40.30 | $61,660 – $83,820 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $40.30 – $47.54 | $83,820 – $98,870 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Rhode Island
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence | $25.22 | $33.61 | $50.48 | 1,570 | 10% above |
Heavy equipment operator wages in Rhode Island over time
Table
| Year | Rhode Island $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $19.41 | $37.51 | $15.31 | 350 |
| 2000 | $19.46 | $36.38 | $15.99 | 420 |
| 2001 | $20.99 | $38.16 | $16.42 | 640 |
| 2002 | $22.62 | $40.48 | $16.94 | 530 |
| 2003 | $23.08 | $40.38 | $16.84 | 820 |
| 2004 | $23.73 | $40.44 | $17.00 | — |
| 2005 | $24.29 | $40.04 | $17.23 | 920 |
| 2006 | $25.80 | $41.20 | $17.74 | 820 |
| 2007 | $27.37 | $42.50 | $18.33 | 640 |
| 2008 | $28.48 | $42.59 | $18.88 | 610 |
| 2009 | $28.35 | $42.54 | $19.12 | 530 |
| 2010 | $26.11 | $38.55 | $19.42 | 560 |
| 2011 | $25.10 | $35.92 | $19.96 | 760 |
| 2012 | $25.02 | $35.08 | $20.13 | 870 |
| 2013 | $24.72 | $34.16 | $20.45 | 990 |
| 2014 | $23.57 | $32.05 | $20.92 | 880 |
| 2015 | $25.03 | $34.00 | $21.44 | 750 |
| 2016 | $28.54 | $38.28 | $22.06 | 660 |
| 2017 | $29.84 | $39.19 | $22.61 | 610 |
| 2018 | $30.08 | $38.57 | $22.98 | 540 |
| 2019 | $29.84 | $37.58 | $23.55 | 440 |
| 2020 | $29.83 | $37.11 | $23.93 | 500 |
| 2021 | $29.41 | $34.94 | $23.25 | 640 |
| 2022 | $28.01 | $30.81 | $24.73 | 720 |
| 2023 | $36.74 | $38.82 | $27.00 | 780 |
| 2024 | $36.55 | $37.51 | $28.23 | 850 |
| 2025 | $30.58 | $30.58 | $28.78 | 970 |
In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Rhode Island changed by -10.1% over the last ten years of data and by -18.6% since 2019.
Are there more heavy equipment operator jobs in Rhode Island?
BLS counted 970 heavy equipment operators in Rhode Island in May 2025, an estimate with a relative standard error of 14%. 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 Rhode Island
Rhode Island's labor market agency projects the number of heavy equipment operators in the state to change by +13.4% between 2024 and 2034, from 870 to 990, with about 90 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +4.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed and use a different base year, so they do not match the 970 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island
On federally funded construction in Rhode Island, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 5 of the 5 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $78.52 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical —). The market median for the state is $30.58.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol | Union ENGI0057-003 2025-12-01 | $48.57 | $29.95 | $78.52 | RI20260001 |
| Kent | Union ENGI0057-003 2025-12-01 | $48.57 | $29.95 | $78.52 | RI20260001 |
| Newport | Union ENGI0057-003 2025-12-01 | $48.57 | $29.95 | $78.52 | RI20260001 |
| Providence | Union ENGI0057-003 2025-12-01 | $48.57 | $29.95 | $78.52 | RI20260001 |
| Washington | Union ENGI0057-003 2025-12-01 | $48.57 | $29.95 | $78.52 | RI20260001 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Rhode Island prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Rhode Island?
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 5 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 10,457 in 2015 to 14,708 in 2025, +40.7%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Providence County | 1,384 | 8,688 | $84,454 | $1,624 |
| Kent County | 390 | 2,826 | $78,742 | $1,514 |
| Washington County | 350 | 1,590 | $78,211 | $1,504 |
| Newport County | 214 | 1,102 | $73,003 | $1,404 |
| Bristol County | 122 | 502 | $72,651 | $1,397 |
Keep comparing
Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Rhode Island
More on Rhode Island
Questions this page answers
How much do heavy equipment operators make in Rhode Island?
The median heavy equipment operator in Rhode Island earned $30.58 an hour ($63,610 a year) in May 2025, 6% above the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $29.65–$40.30; the top 10% earn more than $47.54.
Where does Rhode Island rank for heavy equipment operator pay?
Rhode Island ranks 17th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $30.58 an hour, and 27th after adjusting for Rhode Island's cost of living (BEA price parity 102.3, US = 100).
What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Rhode Island?
Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for heavy equipment operators in 5 counties, with a typical package of $78.52 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.
How many heavy equipment operators work in Rhode Island?
BLS counted 970 heavy equipment operators in Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island?
Rhode Island's labor market agency projects +13.4% growth for heavy equipment operators between 2024 and 2034, from 870 to 990 jobs.
How many heavy equipment operator openings a year are there in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island projects about 90 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, Rhode Island 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: Rhode Island labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.