Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Utah

Median $29.20 an hour for 7,880 heavy equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$29.20/hrMedian hourly wageUtah, May data
$60,740/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$22.80 – $36.4810th to 90th percentilehourly range
7,880Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Heavy equipment operator pay in Utah: the full range

Wage percentiles, UtahMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrUtah: 10th $22.80 · 25th $24.91 · median $29.20 · 75th $31.46 · 90th $36.48Utah$29.20$22.80$36.48United 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: Utah vs United States, May 2025.

Utah ranks 26th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 29th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $29.52). 7,880 heavy equipment operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.6× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$22.80 – $24.91$47,420 – $51,800roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$24.91 – $31.46$51,800 – $65,430the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$31.46 – $36.48$65,430 – $75,880the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Utah

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrSalt Lake City: $29.69Salt Lake City$29.69Ogden: $28.96Ogden$28.96Provo: $28.79Provo$28.79St. George: $27.84St. George$27.84Logan: $27.39Logan$27.39
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators by metro area in Utah, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Salt Lake City$23.54$29.69$29.43$37.702,5702% above
Ogden$23.11$28.96$28.87$35.941,1601% below
Provo$22.84$28.79$29.32$35.511,4401% below
St. George$22.14$27.84$28.61$34.676705% below
Logan$21.62$27.39$28.56$35.351806% below

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

Heavy equipment operator wages in Utah over time

Utah, 1999-2025UtahUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$29.20Utah$28.78United States
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators, Utah vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearUtah $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$14.83$28.66$15.313,180
2000$15.53$29.03$15.994,000
2001$15.78$28.69$16.424,010
2002$16.00$28.63$16.943,660
2003$16.41$28.71$16.844,260
2004$16.01$27.29$17.003,760
2005$16.17$26.66$17.233,960
2006$16.82$26.86$17.744,220
2007$16.86$26.18$18.335,710
2008$17.86$26.71$18.885,450
2009$18.56$27.85$19.124,970
2010$19.60$28.94$19.425,210
2011$21.19$30.33$19.967,630
2012$21.42$30.04$20.137,810
2013$21.66$29.93$20.457,140
2014$19.47$26.48$20.924,990
2015$20.29$27.56$21.445,330
2016$20.87$27.99$22.064,920
2017$21.94$28.82$22.614,570
2018$22.34$28.64$22.984,110
2019$22.62$28.48$23.554,330
2020$22.67$28.20$23.934,390
2021$23.09$27.43$23.254,700
2022$25.57$28.13$24.735,460
2023$27.78$29.35$27.006,650
2024$28.73$29.49$28.236,320
2025$29.20$29.20$28.787,880

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Utah changed by +6.0% over the last ten years of data and by +2.5% since 2019.

Are there more heavy equipment operator jobs in Utah?

+82.0%Jobs since 20194,330 then, 7,880 in 2025
+47.8%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
4.5Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 1.5× the US share, 10th of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of heavy equipment operators counted in Utah has changed by +147.8%, against +47.4% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by +82.0%.

Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Utah vs United States, 1999 = 100UtahUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages50100150200250300200020052010201520202025248Utah147United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, Utah vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearUtah jobsUtah indexUS index
19993,180100100
20004,000126103
20014,010126109
20023,660115106
20034,260134106
20043,760118110
20053,960124117
20064,220133121
20075,710180124
20085,450171123
20094,970156114
20105,210164103
20117,630240103
20127,810246103
20137,140224105
20144,990157106
20155,330168110
20164,920155110
20174,570144113
20184,110129118
20194,330136125
20204,390138124
20214,700148125
20225,460172130
20236,650209139
20246,320199145
20257,880248147

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 Utah

+11.1%Projected growth in Utah2024–2034, state agency
620Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
6,430Jobs in 20247,140 projected for 2034
+4.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

Utah's labor market agency projects the number of heavy equipment operators in the state to change by +11.1% between 2024 and 2034, from 6,430 to 7,140, with about 620 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 7,880 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: Utah 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 Utah

On federally funded construction in Utah, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 29 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $17.38). 29 of the 29 counties still use a survey rate dated 2014 or earlier (for example Beaver County at $17.38). The market median for the state is $29.20.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, UTBeaver: $17.38 (survey)Box Elder: $16.92 (survey)Cache: $16.92 (survey)Carbon: $17.38 (survey)Daggett: $17.38 (survey)Davis: $16.92 (survey)Duchesne: $17.38 (survey)Emery: $17.38 (survey)Garfield: $17.20 (survey)Grand: $17.38 (survey)Iron: $17.38 (survey)Juab: $16.92 (survey)Kane: $17.38 (survey)Millard: $17.38 (survey)Morgan: $16.92 (survey)Piute: $17.38 (survey)Rich: $17.38 (survey)Salt Lake: $14.48 (survey)San Juan: $17.38 (survey)Sanpete: $17.38 (survey)Sevier: $17.38 (survey)Summit: $17.38 (survey)Tooele: $14.48 (survey)Uintah: $17.38 (survey)Utah: $16.92 (survey)Wasatch: $17.38 (survey)Washington: $16.92 (survey)Wayne: $17.38 (survey)Weber: $16.92 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$16.92survey 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)$10$15$20$25$30$35/hrCache (Logan): market median $27.39, prevailing (survey) $16.92, gap −$10.47Cache (Logan)−$10.47Washington (St. George): market median $27.84, prevailing (survey) $16.92, gap −$10.92Washington (St. George)−$10.92Juab (Provo): market median $28.79, prevailing (survey) $16.92, gap −$11.87Juab (Provo)−$11.87Davis (Ogden): market median $28.96, prevailing (survey) $16.92, gap −$12.04Davis (Ogden)−$12.04Salt Lake (Salt Lake City): market median $29.69, prevailing (survey) $14.48, gap −$15.21Salt Lake (Salt Lake City)−$15.21
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Utah.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BeaverSurvey SUUT2012-001 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260069
CarbonSurvey SUUT2012-002 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260070
DaggettSurvey SUUT2012-011 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260079
DuchesneSurvey SUUT2012-011 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260079
EmerySurvey SUUT2012-012 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260080
GrandSurvey SUUT2012-004 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260072
IronSurvey SUUT2012-005 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260073
KaneSurvey SUUT2012-012 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260080
MillardSurvey SUUT2012-012 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260080
PiuteSurvey SUUT2012-006 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260074
RichSurvey SUUT2012-011 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260079
San JuanSurvey SUUT2012-007 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260075
SanpeteSurvey SUUT2012-008 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260076
SevierSurvey SUUT2012-012 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260080
SummitSurvey SUUT2012-011 2014-07-29$16.59$0.79$17.38UT20260079

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

Is construction work growing in Utah?

148.9kConstruction jobsUtah, 2026-09
+3.5%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-20260k50k100k150k200k19901995200020052010201520202025149kSep 2026
Construction employment in Utah (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 57,352 in 2015 to 97,328 in 2025, +69.7%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
Box Elder County1621,523$76,498$1,471
Utah County2,05822,517$75,667$1,455
Salt Lake County3,67638,556$74,339$1,430
Uintah County961,261$70,283$1,352
Carbon County31276$69,011$1,327
Summit County2111,507$67,319$1,295
Davis County8248,259$66,282$1,275
Duchesne County66392$65,283$1,255
Weber County7586,055$63,127$1,214
Emery County15165$63,062$1,213
Millard County40152$61,610$1,185
Morgan County72599$58,888$1,132

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Utah

More on Utah

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Utah?

The median heavy equipment operator in Utah earned $29.20 an hour ($60,740 a year) in May 2025, 1% above the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $24.91–$31.46; the top 10% earn more than $36.48.

Where does Utah rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Utah ranks 26th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $29.20 an hour, and 29th after adjusting for Utah's cost of living (BEA price parity 98.9, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Utah?

Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a heavy equipment operator classification for most Utah counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.

How many heavy equipment operators work in Utah?

BLS counted 7,880 heavy equipment operators in Utah in May 2025, 4.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 1.48; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is heavy equipment operator work growing in Utah?

The BLS employer survey count of heavy equipment operators in Utah went from 5,330 in 2015 to 7,880 in 2025, +47.8%, and +82.0% since 2019. Utah's labor market agency projects +11.1% growth for heavy equipment operators between 2024 and 2034, from 6,430 to 7,140 jobs.

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

Utah projects about 620 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, Utah 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: Utah labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.