Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in Washington

Median $39.28 an hour for 10,290 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county and the trend since 1999.

$39.28/hrMedian hourly wageWashington, May data
$81,700/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$27.50 – $60.3310th to 90th percentilehourly range
10,290Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Heavy equipment operator pay in Washington: the full range

Wage percentiles, WashingtonMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$0$20$40$60$80/hrWashington: 10th $27.50 · 25th $30.96 · median $39.28 · 75th $55.12 · 90th $60.33Washington$39.28$27.50$60.33United 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: Washington vs United States, May 2025.

Washington ranks 5th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 8th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $36.71). 10,290 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators work in the state.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry$27.50 – $30.96$57,200 – $64,390roughly the 10th–25th percentile
Journeyman$30.96 – $55.12$64,390 – $114,640the middle half, around the median
Master / foreman / specialist$55.12 – $60.33$114,640 – $125,490the 75th–90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Washington

Ranked median wages$0$20$40$60/hrOlympia: $49.55Olympia$49.55Seattle: $46.04Seattle$46.04Bellingham: $44.00Bellingham$44.00Wenatchee: $43.01Wenatchee$43.01Mount Vernon: $41.05Mount Vernon$41.05Kennewick: $38.39Kennewick$38.39Portland: $38.00Portland$38.00Bremerton: $37.39Bremerton$37.39Spokane: $35.75Spokane$35.75Yakima: $34.52Yakima$34.52Walla Walla: $32.57Walla Walla$32.57Longview: $30.84Longview$30.84
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators by metro area in Washington, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hr90thJobsvs state
Olympia$25.81$49.55$59.2726026% above
Seattle$28.77$46.04$61.744,86017% above
Bellingham$29.55$44.00$61.0640012% above
Wenatchee$25.85$43.01$56.782409% above
Mount Vernon$29.32$41.05$59.791805% above
Kennewick$28.79$38.39$58.944602% below
Portland$28.62$38.00$59.273,0403% below
Bremerton$28.07$37.39$58.471805% below
Spokane$25.05$35.75$51.757009% below
Yakima$25.11$34.52$50.3919012% below
Walla Walla$26.00$32.57$40.085017% below
Longview$25.23$30.84$51.7719021% below
Lewiston$23.28$29.47$37.9210025% below

Heavy equipment operator wages in Washington over time

Washington, 1999-2025WashingtonUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$20$30$40$50200020052010201520202025$39.28Washington$28.78United States
Median hourly wage for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, Washington vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWashington $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$21.41$41.37$15.317,370
2000$22.74$42.51$15.997,240
2001$23.07$41.94$16.427,390
2002$23.53$42.11$16.947,310
2003$24.30$42.52$16.846,800
2004$24.51$41.77$17.006,940
2005$24.07$39.68$17.238,310
2006$24.34$38.87$17.7410,020
2007$24.61$38.21$18.3310,120
2008$25.74$38.49$18.8810,460
2009$25.89$38.85$19.128,510
2010$26.23$38.73$19.427,380
2011$27.15$38.86$19.966,220
2012$27.58$38.67$20.136,200
2013$28.31$39.12$20.456,640
2014$28.04$38.13$20.927,210
2015$27.73$37.67$21.447,060
2016$28.38$38.07$22.067,510
2017$29.39$38.60$22.617,780
2018$31.19$39.99$22.988,750
2019$32.78$41.28$23.559,000
2020$37.00$46.03$23.938,840
2021$35.88$42.63$23.259,250
2022$36.94$40.64$24.738,060
2023$37.13$39.23$27.008,080
2024$38.07$39.07$28.239,070
2025$39.28$39.28$28.7810,290

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Washington changed by +4.3% over the last ten years of data.

Union scale and prevailing wage for heavy equipment operators in Washington

On federally funded construction in Washington, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 19 of the 39 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $66.79 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $35.83). 6 of the 39 counties still use a survey rate dated 2009 or earlier (for example Clallam County at $27.94). The market median for the state is $39.28.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WAAdams: $66.11 (union)Asotin: $63.79 (union)Benton: $28.10 (survey)Chelan: $53.76 (survey)Clallam: $27.94 (survey)Clark: $43.56 (survey)Columbia: $28.10 (survey)Cowlitz: $44.78 (survey)Douglas: $53.76 (survey)Ferry: $66.11 (union)Franklin: $28.10 (survey)Garfield: $63.11 (union)Grant: $66.11 (union)Grays Harbor: $87.45 (union)Island: $27.94 (survey)Jefferson: $27.94 (survey)King: $88.03 (union)Kitsap: $87.06 (union)Kittitas: $27.94 (survey)Klickitat: $76.09 (union)Lewis: $82.45 (union)Lincoln: $63.11 (union)Mason: $27.94 (survey)Okanogan: $66.11 (union)Pacific: $76.09 (union)Pend Oreille: $66.79 (union)Pierce: $56.56 (survey)San Juan: $27.94 (survey)Skagit: $53.76 (survey)Skamania: $43.56 (survey)Snohomish: $45.65 (survey)Spokane: $63.79 (union)Stevens: $66.79 (union)Thurston: $86.78 (union)Wahkiakum: $76.09 (union)Walla Walla: $28.10 (survey)Whatcom: $53.76 (survey)Whitman: $63.11 (union)Yakima: $44.78 (survey)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$28.10$53.76$63.65$70.51survey 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)$20$40$60$80$100/hrKitsap (Bremerton): market median $37.39, prevailing (union) $87.06, gap +$49.67Kitsap (Bremerton)+$49.67King (Seattle): market median $46.04, prevailing (union) $88.03, gap +$41.99King (Seattle)+$41.99Thurston (Olympia): market median $49.55, prevailing (union) $86.78, gap +$37.23Thurston (Olympia)+$37.23Asotin (Lewiston): market median $29.47, prevailing (union) $63.79, gap +$34.32Asotin (Lewiston)+$34.32Stevens (Spokane): market median $35.75, prevailing (union) $66.79, gap +$31.04Stevens (Spokane)+$31.04Cowlitz (Longview): market median $30.84, prevailing (survey) $44.78, gap +$13.94Cowlitz (Longview)+$13.94Skagit (Mount Vernon): market median $41.05, prevailing (survey) $53.76, gap +$12.71Skagit (Mount Vernon)+$12.71Chelan (Wenatchee): market median $43.01, prevailing (survey) $53.76, gap +$10.75Chelan (Wenatchee)+$10.75Yakima (Yakima): market median $34.52, prevailing (survey) $44.78, gap +$10.26Yakima (Yakima)+$10.26Whatcom (Bellingham): market median $44.00, prevailing (survey) $53.76, gap +$9.76Whatcom (Bellingham)+$9.76Clark (Portland): market median $38.00, prevailing (survey) $43.56, gap +$5.56Clark (Portland)+$5.56Walla Walla (Walla Walla): market median $32.57, prevailing (survey) $28.10, gap −$4.47Walla Walla (Walla Walla)−$4.47Benton (Kennewick): market median $38.39, prevailing (survey) $28.10, gap −$10.29Benton (Kennewick)−$10.29
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in Washington.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
KingUnion ENGI0302-055 2025-06-01$60.46$27.57$88.03WA20260108
Grays HarborUnion ENGI0302-024 2025-06-01$59.88$27.57$87.45WA20260027
KitsapUnion ENGI0302-101 2025-06-01$59.49$27.57$87.06WA20260109
ThurstonUnion ENGI0612-011 2025-06-01$59.46$27.32$86.78WA20260116
LewisUnion ENGI0612-018 2025-06-01$55.13$27.32$82.45WA20260032
KlickitatUnion ENGI0701-010 2025-01-01$58.94$17.15$76.09WA20260031
PacificUnion ENGI0701-011 2025-01-01$58.94$17.15$76.09WA20260036
WahkiakumUnion ENGI0701-010 2025-01-01$58.94$17.15$76.09WA20260040
Pend OreilleUnion ENGI0302-116 2025-06-01$43.39$23.40$66.79WA20260110
StevensUnion ENGI0302-116 2025-06-01$43.39$23.40$66.79WA20260115
AdamsUnion ENGI0302-132 2025-06-01$42.71$23.40$66.11WA20260021
FerryUnion ENGI0302-132 2025-06-01$42.71$23.40$66.11WA20260024
GrantUnion ENGI0302-132 2025-06-01$42.71$23.40$66.11WA20260026
OkanoganUnion ENGI0302-135 2025-06-01$42.71$23.40$66.11WA20260035
AsotinUnion ENGI0302-115 2025-06-01$40.39$23.40$63.79WA20260003

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

Is construction work growing in Washington?

223.8kConstruction jobsWashington, 2026-08
-0.2%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202650k100k150k200k250k300k19901995200020052010201520202025224kAug 2026
Construction employment in Washington (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
King County43,001$99,762$1,919
Cowlitz County2,630$97,790$1,881
Skagit County2,570$91,962$1,769
Whatcom County4,315$87,963$1,692
Chelan County1,502$84,463$1,624
Thurston County3,935$82,188$1,581
Asotin County308$80,442$1,547
Pierce County15,353$79,740$1,533
Snohomish County17,374$79,367$1,526
Benton County4,809$78,506$1,510
Clark County10,966$76,418$1,470
Kittitas County868$76,417$1,470

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in Washington

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Washington?

The median heavy equipment operator in Washington earned $39.28 an hour ($81,700 a year) in May 2025, 36% above the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $30.96–$55.12; the top 10% earn more than $60.33.

Where does Washington rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

Washington ranks 5th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $39.28 an hour, and 8th after adjusting for Washington's cost of living (BEA price parity 107.0, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Washington?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for heavy equipment operators in 19 counties, with a typical package of $66.79 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many heavy equipment operators work in Washington?

BLS counted 10,290 operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Washington in May 2025, 2.9 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 0.94; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Sources and notes

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