Skilled Wages

Heavy equipment operator salary in West Virginia

Median $24.66 an hour for 7,830 heavy equipment operators, May 2025, with the union scale by county, the job trend since 1999 and the state's own outlook.

$24.66/hrMedian hourly wageWest Virginia, May data
$51,300/yrMedian annual payfull-time equivalent
$17.55 – $37.0110th to 90th percentilehourly range
7,830Jobs countedemployer survey

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

Heavy equipment operator pay in West Virginia: the full range

Wage percentiles, West VirginiaMarket wage, 10th-90th pctU.S. reference$10$20$30$40$50$60/hrWest Virginia: 10th $17.55 · 25th $20.49 · median $24.66 · 75th $29.66 · 90th $37.01West Virginia$24.66$17.55$37.01United 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: West Virginia vs United States, May 2025.

West Virginia ranks 42nd of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 38th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $27.55). 7,830 heavy equipment operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 2.1× what the bottom 10% earn.

Career stage (approximate)HourlyAnnualWhere it sits in the distribution
Apprentice / entry level$17.55 – $20.49$36,500 – $42,630roughly the 10th to 25th percentile
Journeyman$20.49 – $29.66$42,630 – $61,690the middle half, around the median
Master, foreman or specialist$29.66 – $37.01$61,690 – $76,970the 75th to 90th percentile and above

Where does your pay fall?



Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in West Virginia

Ranked median wages$0$10$20$30$40/hrWashington DC: $29.64Washington DC$29.64Beckley: $28.70Beckley$28.70Wheeling: $28.01Wheeling$28.01Charleston: $27.71Charleston$27.71Huntington: $27.56Huntington$27.56Morgantown: $25.46Morgantown$25.46Weirton: $24.66Weirton$24.66Hagerstown: $24.43Hagerstown$24.43Winchester: $24.42Winchester$24.42Parkersburg: $22.81Parkersburg$22.81
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators by metro area in West Virginia, May 2025.
Metro10thMedian $/hrCost-of-living adjusted90thJobsvs state
Washington DC$22.39$29.64$27.22$40.476,45020% above
Beckley$17.66$28.70$32.47$30.9848016% above
Wheeling$18.76$28.01$31.72$44.4350014% above
Charleston$18.00$27.71$31.24$37.2594012% above
Huntington$18.16$27.56$31.18$45.141,04012% above
Morgantown$17.55$25.46$27.29$36.485303% above
Weirton$18.76$24.66$27.71$45.13310about the same as
Hagerstown$19.24$24.43$25.93$32.143801% below
Winchester$18.76$24.42$25.31$30.032601% below
Parkersburg$15.49$22.81$26.19$29.663308% below

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

Heavy equipment operator wages in West Virginia over time

West Virginia, 1999-2025West VirginiaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages$10$15$20$25$30$35200020052010201520202025$28.78United States$24.66West Virginia
Median hourly wage for heavy equipment operators, West Virginia vs United States, 1999–2025, nominal dollars.
Table
YearWest Virginia $/hrIn 2025 $US $/hrJobs
1999$16.08$31.07$15.312,210
2000$12.14$22.70$15.994,820
2001$12.86$23.38$16.425,390
2002$13.53$24.21$16.944,880
2003$13.75$24.06$16.845,480
2004$15.14$25.80$17.005,820
2005$15.20$25.06$17.236,900
2006$14.52$23.19$17.747,320
2007$15.28$23.73$18.337,360
2008$16.35$24.45$18.887,540
2009$18.46$27.70$19.127,750
2010$17.15$25.32$19.427,360
2011$17.75$25.40$19.967,420
2012$19.50$27.34$20.136,980
2013$20.37$28.15$20.456,200
2014$20.52$27.91$20.926,470
2015$21.39$29.05$21.446,160
2016$19.17$25.71$22.066,360
2017$18.93$24.86$22.616,150
2018$19.36$24.82$22.986,690
2019$21.48$27.05$23.558,820
2020$19.09$23.75$23.937,460
2021$22.53$26.77$23.256,570
2022$23.20$25.52$24.737,320
2023$22.75$24.04$27.006,810
2024$24.04$24.67$28.237,940
2025$24.66$24.66$28.787,830

In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in West Virginia changed by -15.1% over the last ten years of data and by -8.8% since 2019.

Are there more heavy equipment operator jobs in West Virginia?

-11.2%Jobs since 20198,820 then, 7,830 in 2025
+27.1%Jobs over 10 years2015 to 2025, employer survey
11.2Jobs per 1,000 in the stateconcentration 3.6× the US share, 3rd of 51 states

Since 1999, the number of heavy equipment operators counted in West Virginia has changed by +254.3%, against +47.4% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -11.2%.

Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in West Virginia vs United States, 1999 = 100West VirginiaUnited StatesSOC 2010SOC 2018 / Method changeExact wages0100200300400500200020052010201520202025354West Virginia147United States
Jobs counted by the BLS employer survey, West Virginia vs United States, indexed to 1999 = 100. Shaded bands mark survey method changes.
Table
YearWest Virginia jobsWest Virginia indexUS index
19992,210100100
20004,820218103
20015,390244109
20024,880221106
20035,480248106
20045,820263110
20056,900312117
20067,320331121
20077,360333124
20087,540341123
20097,750351114
20107,360333103
20117,420336103
20126,980316103
20136,200280105
20146,470293106
20156,160279110
20166,360288110
20176,150278113
20186,690303118
20198,820399125
20207,460338124
20216,570297125
20227,320331130
20236,810308139
20247,940359145
20257,830354147

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 West Virginia

+6.2%Projected growth in West Virginia2024–2034, state agency
690Openings per yeargrowth plus replacements
7,720Jobs in 20248,200 projected for 2034
+4.6%US projected growth2025-35, BLS, for comparison

West Virginia's labor market agency projects the number of heavy equipment operators in the state to change by +6.2% between 2024 and 2034, from 7,720 to 8,200, with about 690 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 7,830 counted by the BLS employer survey.

Source: West Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034 long-term projections.

Union scale and prevailing wage for heavy equipment operators in West Virginia

On federally funded construction in West Virginia, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 44 of the 55 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package $67.26 an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $28.87). 11 of the 55 counties still use a survey rate dated 2012 or earlier (for example Berkeley County at $28.87). The market median for the state is $24.66.

Union contract rateSurvey rate
Union / prevailing package, $/hr, WVBarbour: $67.26 (union)Berkeley: $28.87 (survey)Boone: $67.26 (union)Braxton: $67.26 (union)Brooke: $28.87 (survey)Cabell: $67.26 (union)Calhoun: $67.26 (union)Clay: $67.26 (union)Doddridge: $67.26 (union)Fayette: $67.26 (union)Gilmer: $67.26 (union)Grant: $67.26 (union)Greenbrier: $67.26 (union)Hampshire: $28.87 (survey)Hancock: $28.87 (survey)Hardy: $67.26 (union)Harrison: $67.26 (union)Jackson: $67.26 (union)Jefferson: $28.87 (survey)Kanawha: $67.26 (union)Lewis: $67.26 (union)Lincoln: $67.26 (union)Logan: $67.26 (union)McDowell: $67.26 (union)Marion: $67.26 (union)Marshall: $28.87 (survey)Mason: $67.26 (union)Mercer: $67.26 (union)Mineral: $28.87 (survey)Mingo: $67.26 (union)Monongalia: $28.87 (survey)Monroe: $67.26 (union)Morgan: $28.87 (survey)Nicholas: $67.26 (union)Ohio: $28.87 (survey)Pendleton: $67.26 (union)Pleasants: $67.26 (union)Pocahontas: $67.26 (union)Preston: $28.87 (survey)Putnam: $67.26 (union)Raleigh: $67.26 (union)Randolph: $67.26 (union)Ritchie: $67.26 (union)Roane: $67.26 (union)Summers: $67.26 (union)Taylor: $67.26 (union)Tucker: $67.26 (union)Tyler: $67.26 (union)Upshur: $67.26 (union)Wayne: $67.26 (union)Webster: $67.26 (union)Wetzel: $67.26 (union)Wirt: $67.26 (union)Wood: $67.26 (union)Wyoming: $67.26 (union)Union / prevailing package, $/hr$59.58survey 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)$0$20$40$60$80/hrWirt (Parkersburg): market median $22.81, prevailing (union) $67.26, gap +$44.45Wirt (Parkersburg)+$44.45Cabell (Huntington): market median $27.56, prevailing (union) $67.26, gap +$39.70Cabell (Huntington)+$39.70Boone (Charleston): market median $27.71, prevailing (union) $67.26, gap +$39.55Boone (Charleston)+$39.55Fayette (Beckley): market median $28.70, prevailing (union) $67.26, gap +$38.56Fayette (Beckley)+$38.56Hampshire (Winchester): market median $24.42, prevailing (survey) $28.87, gap +$4.45Hampshire (Winchester)+$4.45Berkeley (Hagerstown): market median $24.43, prevailing (survey) $28.87, gap +$4.44Berkeley (Hagerstown)+$4.44Brooke (Weirton): market median $24.66, prevailing (survey) $28.87, gap +$4.21Brooke (Weirton)+$4.21Monongalia (Morgantown): market median $25.46, prevailing (survey) $28.87, gap +$3.41Monongalia (Morgantown)+$3.41Marshall (Wheeling): market median $28.01, prevailing (survey) $28.87, gap +$0.86Marshall (Wheeling)+$0.86Jefferson (Washington DC): market median $29.64, prevailing (survey) $28.87, gap −$0.77Jefferson (Washington DC)−$0.77
Market median (BLS metro wage) vs the Davis-Bacon package (base + fringe) for heavy equipment operators, metro counties in West Virginia.
CountyRate sourceBaseFringeTotalDetermination
BarbourUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260033
BooneUnion ENGI0132-011 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260049
BraxtonUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260004
CabellUnion ENGI0132-010 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260035
CalhounUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260033
ClayUnion ENGI0132-011 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260049
DoddridgeUnion ENGI0132-006 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260005
FayetteUnion ENGI0132-008 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260006
GilmerUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260007
GrantUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260008
GreenbrierUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260009
HardyUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260010
HarrisonUnion ENGI0132-006 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260011
JacksonUnion ENGI0132-007 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260012
KanawhaUnion ENGI0132-011 2024-12-01$45.21$22.05$67.26WV20260038

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

Is construction work growing in West Virginia?

35.2kConstruction jobsWest Virginia, 2026-09
-5.1%Change over 12 monthsseasonally unadjusted
Construction employment, 1990-202620k30k40k50k60k1990199520002005201020152020202535kSep 2026
Construction employment in West Virginia (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 38 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 14,371 in 2015 to 15,870 in 2025, +10.4%.

CountyEstablishmentsEmployeesAverage annual payAvg weekly wage
McDowell County512$83,385$1,604
Brooke County18143$82,021$1,577
Putnam County1061,081$81,436$1,566
Cabell County1351,328$76,653$1,474
Marshall County27328$76,068$1,463
Kanawha County2542,097$75,814$1,458
Mineral County28205$72,925$1,402
Harrison County1021,125$72,447$1,393
Lewis County20291$72,256$1,390
Wood County1021,098$72,016$1,385
Wetzel County19182$71,927$1,383
Monongalia County1741,370$71,329$1,372

Keep comparing

Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states

Other trades in West Virginia

More on West Virginia

Questions this page answers

How much do heavy equipment operators make in West Virginia?

The median heavy equipment operator in West Virginia earned $24.66 an hour ($51,300 a year) in May 2025, 14% below the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $20.49–$29.66; the top 10% earn more than $37.01.

Where does West Virginia rank for heavy equipment operator pay?

West Virginia ranks 42nd of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $24.66 an hour, and 38th after adjusting for West Virginia's cost of living (BEA price parity 89.5, US = 100).

What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in West Virginia?

Davis-Bacon determinations list a union contract rate for heavy equipment operators in 44 counties, with a typical package of $67.26 an hour including fringe benefits; see the county table above.

How many heavy equipment operators work in West Virginia?

BLS counted 7,830 heavy equipment operators in West Virginia in May 2025, 11.2 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 3.63; 1.0 is the national average concentration).

Is heavy equipment operator work growing in West Virginia?

The BLS employer survey count of heavy equipment operators in West Virginia went from 6,160 in 2015 to 7,830 in 2025, +27.1%, and -11.2% since 2019. West Virginia's labor market agency projects +6.2% growth for heavy equipment operators between 2024 and 2034, from 7,720 to 8,200 jobs.

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

West Virginia projects about 690 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, West Virginia 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: West Virginia labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.