Heavy machine operator demographics and statistics in the US
Heavy machine operator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates heavy machine operator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our heavy machine operator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about heavy machine operators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 334,206 heavy machine operators currently employed in the United States.
- 6.4% of all heavy machine operators are women, while 93.6% are men.
- The average heavy machine operator age is 42 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of heavy machine operators is White (67.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (16.0%), Black or African American (9.2%) and Unknown (3.7%).
- In 2022, women earned 99% of what men earned.
- 2% of all heavy machine operators are LGBT.
- Heavy machine operators are 71% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Heavy machine operator demographics by:
Heavy machine operator gender statistics
6.4% of heavy machine operators are women and 93.6% of heavy machine operators are men.
- Male, 93.6%
- Female, 6.4%
Heavy machine operator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 93.6% |
| Female | 6.4% |
Heavy machine operator gender pay gap
Women earn 99¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$37,578
Female income
$37,062
Heavy machine operator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in heavy machine operator positions over time. Currently, 6.4% of heavy machine operators are female.
Heavy machine operator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 97.88% | 2.12% |
| 2011 | 99.79% | 0.21% |
| 2012 | 99.29% | 0.71% |
| 2013 | 99.53% | 0.47% |
| 2014 | 99.75% | 0.25% |
| 2015 | 99.31% | 0.69% |
| 2016 | 99.02% | 0.98% |
| 2017 | 98.69% | 1.31% |
| 2018 | 95.59% | 4.41% |
| 2019 | 93.94% | 6.06% |
| 2020 | 96.88% | 3.12% |
| 2021 | 93.62% | 6.38% |
Heavy machine operator related jobs gender ratio
We compared heavy machine operators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, dredge operator and tower crane operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Gift Wrapper | 12% | 88% |
| Gift Packer | 18% | 82% |
| Pill Packer | 19% | 81% |
| Heavy Machine Operator | 94% | 6% |
| Green Chain Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Tower Crane Operator | 99% | 1% |
| Dredge Operator | 99% | 1% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Heavy machine operator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among heavy machine operators is White, which makes up 67.3% of all heavy machine operators. Comparatively, 16.0% of heavy machine operators are Hispanic or Latino and 9.2% of heavy machine operators are Black or African American.
- White, 67.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 16.0%
- Black or African American, 9.2%
- Unknown, 3.7%
- Asian, 2.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
Heavy machine operator race
| Heavy machine operator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 67.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 16.0% |
| Black or African American | 9.2% |
| Unknown | 3.7% |
| Asian | 2.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.3% |
Heavy machine operator race and ethnicity over time
See how heavy machine operator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Heavy machine operator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 84.48% | 3.57% | 1.08% | 8.07% |
| 2011 | 81.40% | 5.35% | 1.08% | 9.73% |
| 2012 | 82.04% | 4.16% | 0.76% | 9.83% |
| 2013 | 79.57% | 5.29% | 1.06% | 11.91% |
| 2014 | 81.78% | 4.34% | 0.22% | 10.41% |
| 2015 | 82.96% | 4.67% | 0.81% | 8.52% |
| 2016 | 82.71% | 4.38% | 0.42% | 9.58% |
| 2017 | 80.88% | 4.61% | 0.23% | 11.52% |
| 2018 | 70.99% | 11.14% | 1.32% | 13.33% |
| 2019 | 70.92% | 8.45% | 1.68% | 16.33% |
| 2020 | 68.52% | 11.36% | 1.77% | 13.22% |
| 2021 | 67.25% | 9.24% | 2.55% | 16.02% |
Heavy machine operator wage gap by race
According to our data, white heavy machine operators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american heavy machine operators have the lowest average salary at $36,593.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $37,811 |
| White | $39,257 |
| Black or African American | $36,593 |
| Asian | $37,407 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $36,879 |
Average heavy machine operator age
See how the average age of heavy machine operators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Heavy machine operator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 36 | |
| White | 43 | 39 |
| Black or African American | 43 | 47 |
| Asian | 29 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41 | 33 |
Heavy machine operator age breakdown
The average age of heavy machine operators is 40+ years years old, representing 56% of the heavy machine operator population.
Heavy machine operator age breakdown
| Heavy Machine Operator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 56% |
| 30-40 years | 23% |
| 20-30 years | 20% |
Heavy machine operator educational attainment
The most common degree for heavy machine operators is high school diploma, with 57% of heavy machine operators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 13% and associate degree degree at 12%.
- High School Diploma, 57%
- Associate, 13%
- Diploma, 12%
- Bachelor's, 11%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Heavy machine operators by degree level
| Heavy machine operator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 57% |
| Associate | 13% |
| Diploma | 12% |
| Bachelor's | 11% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Heavy machine operator jobs you might like
Heavy machine operator employment statistics
Most heavy machine operators work for a private in the construction industry.
Company size where heavy machine operators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where heavy machine operators work.
Heavy machine operator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 5% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 29% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 14% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 19% |
| > 10,000 employees | 21% |
Heavy machine operator jobs by company type
Employees with the heavy machine operator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most heavy machine operators prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Heavy machine operator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 23% |
| Private | 71% |
| Government | 5% |
Heavy machine operator jobs by industry
The most common industries for heavy machine operators are construction, manufacturing and professional.
Heavy machine operator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Construction | 18% |
| Manufacturing | 18% |
| Professional | 11% |
| Fortune 500 | 11% |
| Transportation | 7% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Media | 4% |
| Government | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Agriculture | 2% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Health Care | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Heavy machine operator turnover and employment statistics
Heavy machine operator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for heavy machine operators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Heavy machine operator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Heavy machine operator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 10.47% |
| 2011 | 12.79% |
| 2012 | 10.09% |
| 2013 | 10.82% |
| 2014 | 5.09% |
| 2015 | 5.65% |
| 2016 | 6.54% |
| 2017 | 4.51% |
| 2018 | 6.04% |
| 2019 | 4.23% |
| 2020 | 4.98% |
| 2021 | 4.87% |
Average heavy machine operator tenure
The average heavy machine operator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,426 heavy machine operators resumes in Zippia's database.
Heavy machine operator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 27% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 14% |
| 5-7 years | 13% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Heavy machine operator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of heavy machine operators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy Machine Operator | 1.88% | - |
| Yard Crane Operator | 1.94% | 33,817 |
| Fork Lift Mechanic | 3.85% | 43,630 |
| Refuse Collector | 4.13% | 3,298 |
| Mover | 4.67% | 4,222 |
| Sausage Linker | 6.68% | 4 |
| Press Breaker | 10.43% | 3,764 |
Similar heavy machine operator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Yard Crane Operator | 1.94% | 33,817 |
| Fork Lift Mechanic | 3.85% | 43,630 |
| Refuse Collector | 4.13% | 3,298 |
| Mover | 4.67% | 4,222 |
| Sausage Linker | 6.68% | 4 |
| Press Breaker | 10.43% | 3,764 |
Foreign languages spoken by heavy machine operators
The most common foreign language among heavy machine operators is Spanish at 75.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Portuguese at 3.1% and German is the third-most popular at 3.1%.
- Spanish, 75.0%
- Portuguese, 3.1%
- German, 3.1%
- Georgian, 3.1%
- Dutch, 3.1%
- Other, 12.6%
Heavy machine operator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 75.0% |
| Portuguese | 3.1% |
| German | 3.1% |
| Georgian | 3.1% |
| Dutch | 3.1% |
| Other | 12.6% |
