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Heavy equipment operators in Vermont: what they earn
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Vermont earned a median $58,870 a year in May 2025, $28.30 an hour. 1,280 people held the job, 4.2 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 2% below the national figure of $59,850, and Vermont ranks 32 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Vermont
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $24.17 | $50,270 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $25.37 | $52,760 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $28.30 | $58,870 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $30.62 | $63,680 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $35.51 | $73,860 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $29.00 | $60,310 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Pay by metro area in Vermont
One metro area based in Vermont has a BLS estimate for heavy equipment operators: Burlington-South Burlington, VT, with 330 employed and a median $60,000 a year.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 330 | $60,000 | $51,780 | $76,090 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown.
Vermont against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Pennsylvania | $60,530 | 22,120 |
| 30 | Iowa | $60,330 | 5,530 |
| 31 | South Dakota | $59,500 | 2,050 |
| 32 | Vermont | $58,870 | 1,280 |
| 33 | Nebraska | $58,360 | 3,180 |
| 34 | Delaware | $58,020 | 1,230 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $57,780 | 7,050 |
The complete ranking is on the Heavy equipment operators page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Vermont | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $58,870 | $59,850 |
| Median hourly | $28.30 | $28.78 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $50,270 | $42,190 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $73,860 | $101,090 |
| Employed | 1,280 | 478,090 |
Other trades in Vermont
Electricians ($63,430) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($62,170) · HVAC technicians ($62,150) · Welders ($60,890) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($60,830) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($108,520) · Ironworkers ($55,640) · Sheet metal workers ($58,250) · Carpenters ($62,400) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($59,590) · Auto service technicians ($51,630) · Diesel mechanics ($59,390) · Machinists ($62,680)
See all 14 ranked by pay in Vermont.
No state licensing records are sourced here for heavy equipment operators. The steps into the trade are on the Heavy equipment operators page. Numbers on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates; see how the numbers are built.