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Best states for a heavy equipment operator
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Job opportunities vary from state to state, and construction and extraction careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to heavy equipment operator jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for heavy equipment operators.In fact, our research shows that New Jersey is the best state for heavy equipment operators in America. The best city in America for heavy equipment operators with the highest pay is Trenton, NJ.
We figured that the best places for heavy equipment operator jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.New Jersey is the best state, and Middletown is the city with the highest pay for heavy equipment operators.
10 best states for heavy equipment operators in 2026
1. New Jersey
Total heavy equipment operator jobs: 845 Average annual salary: $65,211 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 2.46
2. Alaska
Total heavy equipment operator jobs: 135 Average annual salary: $56,247 Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 3.73
3. Massachusetts
Total heavy equipment operator jobs: 1,222 Average annual salary: $54,329 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 3.07
4. North Dakota
Total heavy equipment operator jobs: 50 Average annual salary: $51,288 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
5. Montana
Total heavy equipment operator jobs: 160 Average annual salary: $45,922 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 3.2
6. Washington
Total heavy equipment operator jobs: 209 Average annual salary: $58,830 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $82,000 Location Quotient: 0.66
7. Nevada
Total heavy equipment operator jobs: 95 Average annual salary: $48,561 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
8. New Hampshire
Total heavy equipment operator jobs: 50 Average annual salary: $57,250 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 0.66
9. Vermont
Total heavy equipment operator jobs: 35 Average annual salary: $49,342 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.05
10. Mississippi
Total heavy equipment operator jobs: 114 Average annual salary: $46,520 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
Heavy equipment operator jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a heavy equipment operator
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a heavy equipment operator
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $65,211 | $43,000 | 9,005,644 | 845 |
| 2 | Alaska | $56,247 | $46,000 | 739,795 | 135 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $54,329 | $38,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,222 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $51,288 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 50 |
| 5 | Montana | $45,922 | $33,000 | 1,050,493 | 160 |
| 6 | Washington | $58,830 | $41,000 | 7,405,743 | 209 |
| 7 | Nevada | $48,561 | $33,000 | 2,998,039 | 95 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $57,250 | $40,000 | 1,342,795 | 50 |
| 9 | Vermont | $49,342 | $35,000 | 623,657 | 35 |
| 10 | Mississippi | $46,520 | $32,000 | 2,984,100 | 114 |
| 11 | California | $57,498 | $39,000 | 39,536,653 | 847 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $49,958 | $34,000 | 5,795,483 | 182 |
| 13 | Idaho | $45,143 | $31,000 | 1,716,943 | 119 |
| 14 | Oregon | $50,964 | $35,000 | 4,142,776 | 149 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $44,821 | $32,000 | 579,315 | 31 |
| 16 | Illinois | $52,233 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 214 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $50,104 | $35,000 | 5,576,606 | 169 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $46,137 | $30,000 | 12,805,537 | 389 |
| 19 | Utah | $41,165 | $29,000 | 3,101,833 | 191 |
| 20 | New York | $51,047 | $34,000 | 19,849,399 | 231 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $39,917 | $27,000 | 1,059,639 | 157 |
| 22 | Maryland | $40,748 | $27,000 | 6,052,177 | 962 |
| 23 | Colorado | $43,289 | $30,000 | 5,607,154 | 258 |
| 24 | Iowa | $38,681 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 201 |
| 25 | Indiana | $42,319 | $29,000 | 6,666,818 | 197 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $39,893 | $28,000 | 1,920,076 | 97 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $40,650 | $34,000 | 1,427,538 | 101 |
| 28 | Ohio | $42,093 | $28,000 | 11,658,609 | 272 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $40,681 | $29,000 | 869,666 | 34 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $44,984 | $30,000 | 3,588,184 | 56 |
| 31 | Delaware | $42,060 | $28,000 | 961,939 | 36 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $36,871 | $24,000 | 1,815,857 | 75 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $39,464 | $26,000 | 693,972 | 108 |
| 34 | Arizona | $39,291 | $27,000 | 7,016,270 | 221 |
| 35 | Michigan | $39,531 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 184 |
| 36 | Virginia | $40,694 | $27,000 | 8,470,020 | 270 |
| 37 | Kansas | $36,970 | $25,000 | 2,913,123 | 119 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $34,130 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 274 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $35,209 | $24,000 | 4,454,189 | 144 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $36,342 | $25,000 | 2,088,070 | 75 |
| 41 | Missouri | $39,218 | $27,000 | 6,113,532 | 145 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $34,314 | $23,000 | 3,930,864 | 124 |
| 43 | Maine | $31,345 | $23,000 | 1,335,907 | 69 |
| 44 | Texas | $34,692 | $23,000 | 28,304,596 | 789 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $30,687 | $21,000 | 5,024,369 | 293 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $32,707 | $22,000 | 4,684,333 | 142 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $33,252 | $23,000 | 10,273,419 | 365 |
| 48 | Alabama | $30,154 | $21,000 | 4,874,747 | 178 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $25,958 | $18,000 | 3,004,279 | 115 |
| 50 | Florida | $31,569 | $22,000 | 20,984,400 | 504 |
| 51 | Georgia | $30,208 | $21,000 | 10,429,379 | 363 |
Highest paying states for heavy equipment operators
| Rank | State | Avg. Heavy Equipment Operator Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $65,211 |
| 2 | Alaska | $56,247 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $54,329 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $51,288 |
| 5 | Montana | $45,922 |
| 6 | Washington | $58,830 |
| 7 | Nevada | $48,561 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $57,250 |
| 9 | Vermont | $49,342 |
| 10 | Mississippi | $46,520 |
| 11 | California | $57,498 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $49,958 |
| 13 | Idaho | $45,143 |
| 14 | Oregon | $50,964 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $44,821 |
| 16 | Illinois | $52,233 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $50,104 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $46,137 |
| 19 | Utah | $41,165 |
| 20 | New York | $51,047 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $39,917 |
| 22 | Maryland | $40,748 |
| 23 | Colorado | $43,289 |
| 24 | Iowa | $38,681 |
| 25 | Indiana | $42,319 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $39,893 |
| 27 | Hawaii | $40,650 |
| 28 | Ohio | $42,093 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $40,681 |
| 30 | Connecticut | $44,984 |
| 31 | Delaware | $42,060 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $36,871 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $39,464 |
| 34 | Arizona | $39,291 |
| 35 | Michigan | $39,531 |
| 36 | Virginia | $40,694 |
| 37 | Kansas | $36,970 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $34,130 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $35,209 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $36,342 |
| 41 | Missouri | $39,218 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $34,314 |
| 43 | Maine | $31,345 |
| 44 | Texas | $34,692 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $30,687 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $32,707 |
| 47 | North Carolina | $33,252 |
| 48 | Alabama | $30,154 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $25,958 |
| 50 | Florida | $31,569 |
| 51 | Georgia | $30,208 |
Heavy equipment operator best states FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common construction and extraction questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025