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Excavator operator salary
Average excavator operator salary
$46,102
Excavator Operator Salary Overview
The average salary for an excavator operator in the United States is approximately $46,102 per year, equating to around $22 per hour. Factors influencing salary include geographic location, years of experience, and industry sector. For instance, operators in California tend to earn higher wages due to demand and cost of living considerations.
Top Paying States
Some of the highest-paying states for excavator operators include:
- Alaska
- Washington
- New York
In these states, salaries can exceed the national average significantly. Additionally, operators with specialized skills or certifications may access lucrative job opportunities, particularly in sectors like construction and mining. By exploring job listings and salary data, individuals can better understand their earning potential and make strategic career decisions.
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Where can an Excavator Operator earn more?
Excavator operator salary estimates from across the web
Average excavator operator salary by state
The highest-paying states for excavator operators are Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. The lowest average excavator operator salary states are Oklahoma, Alabama, and Arkansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for excavator operators
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $61,658 | $29.64 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $61,663 | $29.65 |
| 3 | Maryland | $56,878 | $27.35 |
| 4 | Delaware | $58,524 | $28.14 |
| 5 | Alaska | $52,022 | $25.01 |
| 6 | Montana | $49,345 | $23.72 |
| 7 | Nevada | $57,241 | $27.52 |
| 8 | Maine | $49,123 | $23.62 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $61,603 | $29.62 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $56,166 | $27.00 |
| 11 | Vermont | $60,772 | $29.22 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $61,048 | $29.35 |
| 13 | Idaho | $45,851 | $22.04 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $48,848 | $23.48 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $44,650 | $21.47 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $47,233 | $22.71 |
| 17 | Ohio | $47,093 | $22.64 |
| 18 | Utah | $43,721 | $21.02 |
| 19 | Oregon | $48,015 | $23.08 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $48,667 | $23.40 |
| 21 | New York | $51,443 | $24.73 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $46,637 | $22.42 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $46,183 | $22.20 |
| 24 | Iowa | $42,046 | $20.21 |
| 25 | Washington | $47,987 | $23.07 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $42,421 | $20.39 |
| 27 | Colorado | $45,265 | $21.76 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $42,900 | $20.63 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $42,741 | $20.55 |
| 30 | Michigan | $43,399 | $20.86 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $41,011 | $19.72 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $43,372 | $20.85 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $41,768 | $20.08 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $43,709 | $21.01 |
| 35 | California | $46,638 | $22.42 |
| 36 | Arizona | $42,890 | $20.62 |
| 37 | Kansas | $39,811 | $19.14 |
| 38 | Indiana | $41,152 | $19.78 |
| 39 | Virginia | $42,785 | $20.57 |
| 40 | Illinois | $42,685 | $20.52 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $40,288 | $19.37 |
| 42 | Alabama | $37,475 | $18.02 |
| 43 | Texas | $37,900 | $18.22 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $37,813 | $18.18 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $38,559 | $18.54 |
| 46 | Missouri | $41,083 | $19.75 |
| 47 | Georgia | $36,207 | $17.41 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $36,741 | $17.66 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $36,877 | $17.73 |
| 50 | Florida | $36,761 | $17.67 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $37,500 | $18.03 |
Highest paying cities for excavator operators
The highest-paying cities for excavator operators are Baltimore, MD, Schenectady, NY, and Cleveland, OH.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore, MD | $57,289 | $27.54 |
| 2 | Schenectady, NY | $51,922 | $24.96 |
| 3 | Cleveland, OH | $49,028 | $23.57 |
| 4 | Grand Junction, CO | $46,460 | $22.34 |
| 5 | Alhambra, CA | $45,911 | $22.07 |
| 6 | Charleston, WV | $44,922 | $21.60 |
| 7 | Bismarck, ND | $44,403 | $21.35 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $43,704 | $21.01 |
| 9 | Salt Lake City, UT | $43,671 | $21.00 |
| 10 | Avondale, AZ | $43,041 | $20.69 |
| 11 | Kearney, NE | $42,649 | $20.50 |
| 12 | Chesapeake, VA | $42,059 | $20.22 |
| 13 | Des Moines, IA | $41,740 | $20.07 |
| 14 | Bloomington, IL | $41,453 | $19.93 |
| 15 | Charleston, SC | $40,769 | $19.60 |
| 16 | San Antonio, TX | $37,907 | $18.22 |
| 17 | Asheville, NC | $37,849 | $18.20 |
| 18 | Jacksonville, FL | $37,164 | $17.87 |
| 19 | Duluth, GA | $36,273 | $17.44 |
Excavator operator salary details
An excavator operator's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $62,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an excavator operator's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| 75th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| Average | $46,102 | $3,842 | $22 |
| 25th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying excavator operator jobs
The highest paying types of excavator operators are foreman/operator, excavator, and track hoe operator.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment Operator/Labour | $33,959 | $2,830 | $16.33 | 60,770 |
| Heavy Equipment Operator | $39,822 | $3,319 | $19.15 | 47,261 |
| Equipment Operator | $31,739 | $2,645 | $15.26 | 62,473 |
| Operator | $37,928 | $3,161 | $18.23 | 159,077 |
| Loader Operator | $36,987 | $3,082 | $17.78 | 61,980 |
| Labour Operator | $34,180 | $2,848 | $16.43 | 61,894 |
Top companies hiring excavator operators now:
Which companies pay excavator operators the most?
Excavator operator salaries at Roto and Oldcastle Infrastructure are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average excavator operator salary at companies like American Residential Services and FlatironConstruction are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roto | $53,251 | $25.60 |
| 2 | Oldcastle Infrastructure | $52,990 | $25.48 |
| 3 | American Residential Services | $52,553 | $25.27 |
| 4 | FlatironConstruction | $52,012 | $25.01 |
| 5 | MDU Resources | $51,277 | $24.65 |
| 6 | Bird Construction | $51,139 | $24.59 |
| 7 | Baker Concrete Construction | $51,123 | $24.58 |
| 8 | Martin Marietta | $50,904 | $24.47 |
| 9 | The Walsh Group | $50,820 | $24.43 |
| 10 | MasTec | $50,815 | $24.43 |
| 11 | Kiewit | $50,725 | $24.39 |
| 12 | Allan A. Myers | $50,669 | $24.36 |
| 13 | FNF Construction | $50,256 | $24.16 |
| 14 | Hunter Contracting | $50,154 | $24.11 |
| 15 | Blythe Construction | $50,118 | $24.10 |
| 16 | Hubbard Construction | $50,062 | $24.07 |
| 17 | Peckham Industries | $49,877 | $23.98 |
| 18 | Garney Holding Company | $49,859 | $23.97 |
| 19 | T. A. Loving | $49,766 | $23.93 |
| 20 | Rummel Construction | $49,764 | $23.93 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Excavator Operator salary by industry
The average excavator operator salary varies across industries:
- The average excavator operator salary in the energy industry is $49,837, the highest of any industry.
- The average excavator operator salary in the finance industry is $48,901.
- Excavator operators in the government industry earn an average salary of $43,667, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for excavator operators
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Energy | $49,837 | $23.96 |
| 2 | Construction | $48,901 | $23.51 |
| 3 | Utilities | $44,422 | $21.36 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $44,000 | $21.15 |
| 5 | Government | $43,667 | $20.99 |
High paying excavator operator jobs
Excavator operator salary trends
The average excavator operator salary has risen by $9,900 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average excavator operator earned $36,202 annually, but today, they earn $46,102 a year. That works out to a 16% change in pay for excavator operators over the last decade.
Compare excavator operator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average excavator operator salary over time
Compare excavator operator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Excavator operator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $46,100 | $22.16 | +5.4% |
| 2024 | $43,600 | $20.97 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | $42,900 | $20.61 | +4.0% |
| 2022 | $41,200 | $19.79 | +3.5% |
| 2021 | $39,700 | $19.10 | +2.4% |
Recently added excavator operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerotek | Excavator Operator | Chesapeake, VA | 06/28/2025 | $52,175 |
| Roto-Rooter | Excavator Operator | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $60,000 |
| Pavlov Media Inc. | Vacuum Excavator Operator | Gainesville, FL | 06/24/2025 | $45,914 |
| ADB Companies | Mini Excavator Operator | Nampa, ID | 06/20/2025 | $50,088 |
| State Utility Contractors | Excavator Operator-Wilmington, NC Region | Wilmington, NC | 06/20/2025 | $55,000 |
| Heidelberg Materials Us, Inc. | Excavator Operator | Schoharie, NY | 06/18/2025 | $43,827 |
| Roto-Rooter | Excavator Operator | Denver, CO | 06/14/2025 | $85,000 |
| Phillips & Jordan, Inc. | Production Excavator Operator | Silverthorne, CO | 06/12/2025 | $52,175 |
| Allan Myers | Pipe Excavator Operator | Jessup, MD | 06/10/2025 | $56,349 |
| Roto-Rooter | Excavator Operator | Runnemede, NJ | 06/10/2025 | $50,000 |
Excavator operator salary FAQs
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