Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Tennessee

Median $25.00 an hour for 10,660 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$25.00/hrMedian hourly wageTennessee, May data
$52,000/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$20.00 – $36.2710th to 90th percentilehourly range
10,660Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Heavy equipment operator pay in Tennessee: the full range

Wage percentiles, TennesseeMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrTennessee: 10th $20.00 · 25th $22.35 · median $25.00 · 75th $28.54 · 90th $36.27Tennessee$25.00$20.00$36.27United 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: Tennessee vs United States, May 2025.

Tennessee ranks 39th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 40th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.20). 10,660 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$20.00 – $22.35$41,600 – $46,490roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$22.35 – $28.54$46,490 – $59,360the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$28.54 – $36.27$59,360 – $75,430the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Tennessee

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30/hrNashville: $26.94Nashville$26.94Kingsport: $26.90Kingsport$26.90Memphis: $25.90Memphis$25.90Clarksville: $24.48Clarksville$24.48Chattanooga: $24.19Chattanooga$24.19Knoxville: $23.41Knoxville$23.41Cleveland: $23.18Cleveland$23.18Morristown: $23.16Morristown$23.16Johnson City: $22.87Johnson City$22.87Jackson: $22.71Jackson$22.71
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators by metro area in Tennessee, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Nashville$22.42$26.94$35.533,8208% above
Kingsport$19.72$26.90$36.737708% above
Memphis$19.50$25.90$35.001,1404% above
Clarksville$19.52$24.48$33.054202% below
Chattanooga$19.41$24.19$37.177503% below
Knoxville$20.09$23.41$37.751,2106% below
Cleveland$18.56$23.18$31.061607% below
Morristown$18.46$23.16$28.202207% below
Johnson City$18.46$22.87$30.652009% below
Jackson$18.26$22.71$30.902709% below

Heavy equipment operator wages in Tennessee over time

Tennessee, 1999-2025TennesseeUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$28.78United States$25.00Tennessee
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, Tennessee vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearTennessee $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$12.17$23.52$15.316,810
2000$12.42$23.22$15.995,410
2001$12.45$22.63$16.425,660
2002$13.02$23.30$16.945,570
2003$13.33$23.32$16.845,700
2004$13.69$23.33$17.006,090
2005$13.90$22.91$17.236,870
2006$14.05$22.44$17.747,830
2007$14.73$22.87$18.337,240
2008$15.65$23.40$18.886,700
2009$15.68$23.53$19.125,980
2010$15.96$23.56$19.425,520
2011$16.23$23.23$19.965,120
2012$16.52$23.16$20.134,530
2013$16.76$23.16$20.454,500
2014$17.39$23.65$20.924,550
2015$17.69$24.03$21.444,730
2016$17.98$24.12$22.064,550
2017$18.23$23.94$22.615,170
2018$18.46$23.67$22.985,470
2019$18.88$23.78$23.556,640
2020$19.14$23.81$23.936,300
2021$18.72$22.24$23.256,750
2022$21.91$24.10$24.737,720
2023$22.73$24.02$27.009,140
2024$23.59$24.21$28.2310,190
2025$25.00$25.00$28.7810,660

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Tennessee changed by +4.0% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for heavy equipment operators in Tennessee

On federally funded construction in Tennessee, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 55 of the 95 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $46.63 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $24.50). The market median for the state is $25.00.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, TNAnderson: $46.63 (union)Bedford: $46.63 (union)Benton: $46.63 (union)Bledsoe: $46.63 (union)Blount: $37.52 (survey)Bradley: $24.08 (survey)Campbell: $37.52 (survey)Cannon: $24.50 (survey)Carroll: $46.63 (union)Carter: $21.17 (survey)Cheatham: $24.50 (survey)Chester: $23.06 (survey)Claiborne: $46.63 (union)Clay: $46.63 (union)Cocke: $46.63 (union)Coffee: $46.63 (union)Crockett: $23.06 (survey)Cumberland: $46.63 (union)Davidson: $24.50 (survey)Decatur: $46.63 (union)DeKalb: $46.63 (union)Dickson: $24.50 (survey)Dyer: $46.63 (union)Fayette: $23.06 (survey)Fentress: $46.63 (union)Franklin: $46.63 (union)Gibson: $46.63 (union)Giles: $46.63 (union)Grainger: $37.52 (survey)Greene: $46.63 (union)Grundy: $46.63 (union)Hamblen: $21.17 (survey)Hamilton: $23.94 (survey)Hancock: $46.63 (union)Hardeman: $46.63 (union)Hardin: $46.63 (union)Hawkins: $21.17 (survey)Haywood: $46.63 (union)Henderson: $46.63 (union)Henry: $46.63 (union)Hickman: $24.50 (survey)Houston: $46.63 (union)Humphreys: $46.63 (union)Jackson: $46.63 (union)Jefferson: $21.17 (survey)Johnson: $46.63 (union)Knox: $37.52 (survey)Lake: $46.63 (union)Lauderdale: $46.63 (union)Lawrence: $46.63 (union)Lewis: $46.63 (union)Lincoln: $46.63 (union)Loudon: $37.52 (survey)McMinn: $46.63 (union)McNairy: $46.63 (union)Macon: $24.50 (survey)Madison: $23.06 (survey)Marion: $24.09 (survey)Marshall: $46.63 (union)Maury: $24.50 (survey)Meigs: $46.63 (union)Monroe: $46.63 (union)Montgomery: $19.53 (survey)Moore: $46.63 (union)Morgan: $37.52 (survey)Obion: $46.63 (union)Overton: $46.63 (union)Perry: $46.63 (union)Pickett: $46.63 (union)Polk: $24.08 (survey)Putnam: $46.63 (union)Rhea: $46.63 (union)Roane: $46.63 (union)Robertson: $24.50 (survey)Rutherford: $24.50 (survey)Scott: $46.63 (union)Sequatchie: $24.09 (survey)Sevier: $46.63 (union)Shelby: $23.06 (survey)Smith: $24.50 (survey)Stewart: $46.63 (union)Sullivan: $21.17 (survey)Sumner: $24.50 (survey)Tipton: $23.06 (survey)Trousdale: $24.50 (survey)Unicoi: $21.17 (survey)Union: $37.52 (survey)Van Buren: $46.63 (union)Warren: $46.63 (union)Washington: $21.17 (survey)Wayne: $46.63 (union)Weakley: $46.63 (union)White: $46.63 (union)Williamson: $24.50 (survey)Wilson: $24.50 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$24.42$37.52survey 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 (union)Prevailing (survey)$10$20$30$40$50/hrGibson (Jackson): market median $22.71, prevailing (union) $46.63, gap +$23.92Gibson (Jackson)+$23.92Anderson (Knoxville): market median $23.41, prevailing (union) $46.63, gap +$23.22Anderson (Knoxville)+$23.22Stewart (Clarksville): market median $24.48, prevailing (union) $46.63, gap +$22.15Stewart (Clarksville)+$22.15Bradley (Cleveland): market median $23.18, prevailing (survey) $24.08, gap +$0.90Bradley (Cleveland)+$0.90Marion (Chattanooga): market median $24.19, prevailing (survey) $24.09, gap −$0.10Marion (Chattanooga)−$0.10Carter (Johnson City): market median $22.87, prevailing (survey) $21.17, gap −$1.70Carter (Johnson City)−$1.70Hamblen (Morristown): market median $23.16, prevailing (survey) $21.17, gap −$1.99Hamblen (Morristown)−$1.99Cannon (Nashville): market median $26.94, prevailing (survey) $24.50, gap −$2.44Cannon (Nashville)−$2.44Fayette (Memphis): market median $25.90, prevailing (survey) $23.06, gap −$2.84Fayette (Memphis)−$2.84Hawkins (Kingsport): market median $26.90, prevailing (survey) $21.17, gap −$5.73Hawkins (Kingsport)−$5.73
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Tennessee.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
AndersonUnion ENGI0917-003 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260176
BedfordUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260151
BentonUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260152
BledsoeUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260153
CarrollUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260152
ClaiborneUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260154
ClayUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260154
CockeUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260153
CoffeeUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260151
CumberlandUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260155
DecaturUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260156
DeKalbUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260155
DyerUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260156
FentressUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260157
FranklinUnion ENGI0917-006 2024-05-01$33.23$13.40$46.63TN20260158

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

Is construction work growing in Tennessee?

168.5kConstruction jobsTennessee, 2026-08
-0.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025168kAug 2026
Construction employment in Tennessee (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
Bedford County921$94,972$1,826
Haywood County235$90,389$1,738
Roane County598$87,468$1,682
Marion County286$87,072$1,674
Williamson County5,452$85,205$1,639
Davidson County20,362$85,012$1,635
Shelby County13,271$84,922$1,633
Anderson County1,351$81,706$1,571
Wilson County2,332$79,342$1,526
Sumner County3,111$79,181$1,523
Robertson County1,220$77,372$1,488
Rutherford County4,977$76,799$1,477

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Tennessee

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Tennessee?

The median heavy equipment operator in Tennessee earned $25.00 an hour ($52,000 a year) in May 2025, 13% below the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $22.35–$28.54; the top 10% earn more than $36.27.

Where does Tennessee rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Tennessee ranks 39th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $25.00 an hour, and 40th after adjusting for Tennessee's cost of living (BEA price parity 91.9, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Tennessee?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for heavy equipment operators in 55 counties, with a typical package of $46.63 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many heavy equipment operators work in Tennessee?

BLS counted 10,660 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Tennessee in May 2025, 3.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.06; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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