Heavy equipment operator salary in Wyoming
Median $30.27 an hour for 3,800 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 Wyoming: the full range
Wyoming ranks 18th of 51 states for median heavy equipment operator pay, and 18th once adjusted for cost of living (the cost-of-living-adjusted median is $32.65). 3,800 heavy equipment operators work in the state. The top 10% earn 1.8× what the bottom 10% earn.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $23.26 – $26.14 | $48,370 – $54,370 | roughly the 10th to 25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $26.14 – $40.84 | $54,370 – $84,950 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master, foreman or specialist | $40.84 – $41.17 | $84,950 – $85,630 | the 75th to 90th percentile and above |
Where does your pay fall?
Heavy equipment operator pay by metro in Wyoming
| Metro | 10th | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | 90th | Jobs | vs state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne | $21.59 | $27.87 | $28.88 | $34.51 | 270 | 8% below |
| Casper | $20.88 | $26.38 | $28.12 | $35.34 | 280 | 13% below |
Cost-of-living adjusted: median divided by the BEA regional price parity for the metro (2024, US = 100).
Heavy equipment operator wages in Wyoming over time
Table
| Year | Wyoming $/hr | In 2025 $ | US $/hr | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $13.19 | $25.49 | $15.31 | 1,530 |
| 2000 | $14.57 | $27.24 | $15.99 | 1,840 |
| 2001 | $15.02 | $27.30 | $16.42 | 2,340 |
| 2002 | $15.43 | $27.61 | $16.94 | 2,380 |
| 2003 | $15.86 | $27.75 | $16.84 | 2,490 |
| 2004 | $16.04 | $27.34 | $17.00 | 2,590 |
| 2005 | $16.96 | $27.96 | $17.23 | 3,330 |
| 2006 | $17.59 | $28.09 | $17.74 | 3,750 |
| 2007 | $18.95 | $29.42 | $18.33 | — |
| 2008 | $19.05 | $28.49 | $18.88 | 4,830 |
| 2009 | $19.92 | $29.89 | $19.12 | 4,740 |
| 2010 | $22.89 | $33.80 | $19.42 | 4,430 |
| 2011 | $22.56 | $32.29 | $19.96 | 5,600 |
| 2012 | $22.10 | $30.99 | $20.13 | 5,550 |
| 2013 | $22.56 | $31.18 | $20.45 | 5,850 |
| 2014 | $25.45 | $34.61 | $20.92 | 5,120 |
| 2015 | $26.23 | $35.63 | $21.44 | 4,910 |
| 2016 | $26.95 | $36.15 | $22.06 | 4,150 |
| 2017 | $27.15 | $35.66 | $22.61 | 3,960 |
| 2018 | $27.70 | $35.51 | $22.98 | 4,240 |
| 2019 | $28.05 | $35.32 | $23.55 | 4,060 |
| 2020 | $29.13 | $36.24 | $23.93 | 4,050 |
| 2021 | $29.56 | $35.12 | $23.25 | 3,790 |
| 2022 | $30.46 | $33.51 | $24.73 | 3,880 |
| 2023 | $29.70 | $31.38 | $27.00 | 4,020 |
| 2024 | $30.56 | $31.36 | $28.23 | 3,880 |
| 2025 | $30.27 | $30.27 | $28.78 | 3,800 |
In today's dollars, the median heavy equipment operator wage in Wyoming changed by -15.0% over the last ten years of data and by -14.3% since 2019.
Are there more heavy equipment operator jobs in Wyoming?
Since 1999, the number of heavy equipment operators counted in Wyoming has changed by +148.4%, against +47.4% for the country as a whole. Since 2019 the state count changed by -6.4%.
Table
| Year | Wyoming jobs | Wyoming index | US index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 1,530 | 100 | 100 |
| 2000 | 1,840 | 120 | 103 |
| 2001 | 2,340 | 153 | 109 |
| 2002 | 2,380 | 156 | 106 |
| 2003 | 2,490 | 163 | 106 |
| 2004 | 2,590 | 169 | 110 |
| 2005 | 3,330 | 218 | 117 |
| 2006 | 3,750 | 245 | 121 |
| 2008 | 4,830 | 316 | 123 |
| 2009 | 4,740 | 310 | 114 |
| 2010 | 4,430 | 290 | 103 |
| 2011 | 5,600 | 366 | 103 |
| 2012 | 5,550 | 363 | 103 |
| 2013 | 5,850 | 382 | 105 |
| 2014 | 5,120 | 335 | 106 |
| 2015 | 4,910 | 321 | 110 |
| 2016 | 4,150 | 271 | 110 |
| 2017 | 3,960 | 259 | 113 |
| 2018 | 4,240 | 277 | 118 |
| 2019 | 4,060 | 265 | 125 |
| 2020 | 4,050 | 265 | 124 |
| 2021 | 3,790 | 248 | 125 |
| 2022 | 3,880 | 254 | 130 |
| 2023 | 4,020 | 263 | 139 |
| 2024 | 3,880 | 254 | 145 |
| 2025 | 3,800 | 248 | 147 |
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 Wyoming
Wyoming's labor market agency projects the number of heavy equipment operators in the state to change by +4.7% between 2024 and 2034, from 3,970 to 4,160, with about 350 openings a year. Nationally, BLS projects +4.6% over 2025-35. State counts include the self-employed, so the base is larger than the 3,800 counted by the BLS employer survey.
Source: Wyoming 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 Wyoming
On federally funded construction in Wyoming, contractors must pay heavy equipment operators at least the Davis-Bacon rate for the county. 0 of the 23 counties with a Building rate use a union contract rate (typical package — an hour including fringe); the rest use a survey rate (typical $34.28). The market median for the state is $30.27.
| County | Rate source | Base | Fringe | Total | Determination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Big Horn | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Campbell | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Carbon | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Converse | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Crook | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Fremont | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Goshen | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Hot Springs | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Johnson | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Laramie | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Lincoln | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Natrona | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Niobrara | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Park | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Platte | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Sheridan | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Sublette | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Sweetwater | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Teton | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Uinta | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Washakie | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
| Weston | state SAWY2026-001 2026-05-01 | $29.95 | $4.33 | $34.28 | WY20260041 |
Building construction type, current revisions as of 2026-11-06. Residential, Heavy and Highway rates differ; look them up on the Wyoming prevailing wage page. This is not the official wage determination.
Is construction work growing in Wyoming?
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 21 counties that report both years, specialty trade contractor employment (all trades) went from 12,066 in 2015 to 12,742 in 2025, +5.6%.
| County | Establishments | Employees | Average annual pay | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon County | 37 | 221 | $90,675 | $1,744 |
| Campbell County | 129 | 1,297 | $79,784 | $1,534 |
| Uinta County | 46 | 219 | $77,969 | $1,499 |
| Weston County | 11 | 113 | $75,901 | $1,460 |
| Natrona County | 246 | 1,913 | $73,879 | $1,421 |
| Teton County | 222 | 1,531 | $72,070 | $1,386 |
| Sweetwater County | 92 | 800 | $71,916 | $1,383 |
| Laramie County | 339 | 2,520 | $70,715 | $1,360 |
| Sheridan County | 138 | 827 | $68,886 | $1,325 |
| Converse County | 43 | 198 | $67,083 | $1,290 |
| Platte County | 24 | 71 | $60,773 | $1,169 |
| Lincoln County | 152 | 559 | $59,215 | $1,139 |
| Albany County | 107 | 602 | $58,753 | $1,130 |
| Sublette County | 54 | 219 | $57,793 | $1,111 |
| Crook County | 30 | 119 | $56,875 | $1,094 |
| Washakie County | 23 | 132 | $56,052 | $1,078 |
| Park County | 135 | 591 | $53,754 | $1,034 |
| Fremont County | 125 | 482 | $52,045 | $1,001 |
| Big Horn County | 35 | 107 | $48,125 | $925 |
| Goshen County | 30 | 89 | $47,083 | $905 |
| Johnson County | 40 | 132 | $46,461 | $893 |
| Hot Springs County | — | — | — | — |
| Niobrara County | — | — | — | — |
Keep comparing
Heavy equipment operator pay in neighbouring states
Other trades in Wyoming
More on Wyoming
Questions this page answers
How much do heavy equipment operators make in Wyoming?
The median heavy equipment operator in Wyoming earned $30.27 an hour ($62,960 a year) in May 2025, 5% above the national median of $28.78. The middle half earn $26.14–$40.84; the top 10% earn more than $41.17.
Where does Wyoming rank for heavy equipment operator pay?
Wyoming ranks 18th of 51 states for heavy equipment operator pay, with a median of $30.27 an hour, and 18th after adjusting for Wyoming's cost of living (BEA price parity 92.7, US = 100).
What is the union heavy equipment operator rate in Wyoming?
Davis-Bacon determinations do not list a heavy equipment operator classification for most Wyoming counties, or the trade is not covered; the BLS wage figures above are the best available measure.
How many heavy equipment operators work in Wyoming?
BLS counted 3,800 heavy equipment operators in Wyoming in May 2025, 13.5 per 1,000 jobs (location quotient 4.40; 1.0 is the national average concentration).
Is heavy equipment operator work growing in Wyoming?
The BLS employer survey count of heavy equipment operators in Wyoming went from 4,910 in 2015 to 3,800 in 2025, -22.6%, and -6.4% since 2019. Wyoming's labor market agency projects +4.7% growth for heavy equipment operators between 2024 and 2034, from 3,970 to 4,160 jobs.
How many heavy equipment operator openings a year are there in Wyoming?
Wyoming projects about 350 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, Wyoming 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: Wyoming labor market information agency via Projections Central, 2024–2034, fetched 2026-10-05.