Updated March 14, 2024
Average excavator operator salary
$46,102
$22.16 hourly rate
Entry-level excavator operator salary
$33,000 yearly salary
How much does an excavator operator make?
The average excavator operator salary in the United States is $46,102. Excavator operator salaries typically range between $33,000 and $62,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for excavator operators is $22.16 per hour.
Excavator operator salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Excavator operators earn the highest average salary in Massachusetts.
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Excavator operator salary by:
- State
- City
- Company
- Industry
- Trends
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
Average Salary:
Highest paying states for excavator operators
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $61,658 | $29.64 | 139 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $61,663 | $29.65 | 1,077 |
| 3 | Maryland | $56,878 | $27.35 | 839 |
| 4 | Delaware | $58,524 | $28.14 | 23 |
| 5 | Alaska | $52,022 | $25.01 | 94 |
| 6 | Montana | $49,345 | $23.72 | 104 |
| 7 | Nevada | $57,241 | $27.52 | 29 |
| 8 | Maine | $49,123 | $23.62 | 27 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $61,603 | $29.62 | 14 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $56,166 | $27.00 | 108 |
| 11 | Vermont | $60,772 | $29.22 | 5 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $61,048 | $29.35 | 10 |
| 13 | Idaho | $45,851 | $22.04 | 57 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $48,848 | $23.48 | 763 |
| 15 | North Dakota | $44,650 | $21.47 | 27 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | $47,233 | $22.71 | 169 |
| 17 | Ohio | $47,093 | $22.64 | 127 |
| 18 | Utah | $43,721 | $21.02 | 74 |
| 19 | Oregon | $48,015 | $23.08 | 46 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $48,667 | $23.40 | 82 |
| 21 | New York | $51,443 | $24.73 | 66 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $46,637 | $22.42 | 4 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $46,183 | $22.20 | 6 |
| 24 | Iowa | $42,046 | $20.21 | 77 |
| 25 | Washington | $47,987 | $23.07 | 69 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $42,421 | $20.39 | 11 |
| 27 | Colorado | $45,265 | $21.76 | 89 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $42,900 | $20.63 | 49 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $42,741 | $20.55 | 30 |
| 30 | Michigan | $43,399 | $20.86 | 80 |
| 31 | South Carolina | $41,011 | $19.72 | 130 |
| 32 | Wisconsin | $43,372 | $20.85 | 44 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $41,768 | $20.08 | 54 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $43,709 | $21.01 | 57 |
| 35 | California | $46,638 | $22.42 | 233 |
| 36 | Arizona | $42,890 | $20.62 | 70 |
| 37 | Kansas | $39,811 | $19.14 | 58 |
| 38 | Indiana | $41,152 | $19.78 | 65 |
| 39 | Virginia | $42,785 | $20.57 | 120 |
| 40 | Illinois | $42,685 | $20.52 | 78 |
| 41 | New Mexico | $40,288 | $19.37 | 24 |
| 42 | Alabama | $37,475 | $18.02 | 88 |
| 43 | Texas | $37,900 | $18.22 | 378 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $37,813 | $18.18 | 37 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $38,559 | $18.54 | 143 |
| 46 | Missouri | $41,083 | $19.75 | 50 |
| 47 | Georgia | $36,207 | $17.41 | 199 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $36,741 | $17.66 | 80 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $36,877 | $17.73 | 37 |
| 50 | Florida | $36,761 | $17.67 | 259 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $37,500 | $18.03 | 34 |
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Top excavator operator jobs near you
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 | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baltimore, MD | $57,289 | $27.54 | 1 |
| 2 | Schenectady, NY | $51,922 | $24.96 | 2 |
| 3 | Cleveland, OH | $49,028 | $23.57 | 1 |
| 4 | Grand Junction, CO | $46,460 | $22.34 | 1 |
| 5 | Alhambra, CA | $45,911 | $22.07 | 1 |
| 6 | Charleston, WV | $44,922 | $21.60 | |
| 7 | Bismarck, ND | $44,403 | $21.35 | 1 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $43,704 | $21.01 | |
| 9 | Salt Lake City, UT | $43,671 | $21.00 | 2 |
| 10 | Avondale, AZ | $43,041 | $20.69 | |
| 11 | Kearney, NE | $42,649 | $20.50 | 2 |
| 12 | Chesapeake, VA | $42,059 | $20.22 | |
| 13 | Des Moines, IA | $41,740 | $20.07 | 2 |
| 14 | Bloomington, IL | $41,453 | $19.93 | |
| 15 | Charleston, SC | $40,769 | $19.60 | |
| 16 | San Antonio, TX | $37,907 | $18.22 | 3 |
| 17 | Asheville, NC | $37,849 | $18.20 | |
| 18 | Jacksonville, FL | $37,164 | $17.87 | 6 |
| 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:
- Roto Jobs (9)
- Oldcastle Infrastructure Jobs (4)
- Skanska Jobs (3)
- Kiewit Jobs (4)
- Blattner Energy Jobs (4)
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 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $46,100 | $22.16 | +5.4% |
| 2023 | $43,600 | $20.97 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $42,900 | $20.61 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $41,200 | $19.79 | +3.5% |
| 2020 | $39,700 | $19.10 | +2.4% |
Show more
Recently added excavator operator salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reconn Utility Services | CDL Excavation Operator | Canastota, NY | 07/02/2023 | $43,827 |
| Underwater Mechanix UMX | Excavator Operator (Civil Construction | Jacksonville, FL | 07/01/2023 | $52,175 |
| Muller, Inc. | Hydro Excavation Operator-CDL | Manassas, VA | 06/30/2023 | $68,871 |
| Basaraba Excavating | Experienced Excavator Operator | Bismarck, ND | 06/29/2023 | $66,784 |
| TMD Staffing | Excavator Operator ( | Houston, TX | 06/28/2023 | $50,088 |
| Midlands Contracting | Excavator Operator | Kearney, NE | 06/28/2023 | $52,175 |
| Tradesmen International, Inc. | Travel Excavator Operator | Albuquerque, NM | 06/27/2023 | $56,349 |
| Tradesmen International, Inc. | Travel Excavator Operator | Mesa, AZ | 06/27/2023 | $56,349 |
| Maylor Foundation Contractors | Excavator Operator With Attachment Experience | Tampa, FL | 06/27/2023 | $37,566 |
| Garney | Excavator Operator | Longmont, CO | 06/26/2023 | $52,175 |
Show more
Excavator Operator salary FAQs
What state pays Excavator Operators the most?
How do I know if I'm being paid fairly as an Excavator Operator?
Have more questions?
See all answers to common transportation questions.Search for excavator operator jobs
Excavator Operator Related Salaries
- Equipment Operator Salary
- Equipment Operator/Labour Salary
- Heavy Equipment Operator Salary
- Labour Operator Salary
- Loader Operator Salary
- Operator Salary
Excavator Operator Related Careers
- Back Hoe Operator
- Coal Equipment Operator
- Dragline Operator
- Equipment Operator
- Equipment Operator/Labour
- Excavator
- Excavator Backhoe Operator
- Foreman/Operator
- Heavy Equipment Operator
- Heavy Machine Operator
- Labour Operator
- Laydown Machine Operator
- Loader Operator
- Operator
- Payloader Operator
Excavator Operator Related Jobs
- Back Hoe Operator
- Coal Equipment Operator
- Dragline Operator
- Excavator
- Excavator Backhoe Operator
- Foreman/Operator
- Heavy Machine Operator
- Laydown Machine Operator
- Payloader Operator
- Scoop Operator
- Septic Tank Installer
- Shovel Operator
- Speeder Machine Operator
- Track Hoe Operator
What Similar Roles Do
- What Does an Equipment Operator Do
- What Does an Equipment Operator/Labour Do
- What Does a Heavy Equipment Operator Do
- What Does a Labour Operator Do
- What Does a Loader Operator Do
- What Does an Operator Do
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- Transportation Industry
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- Excavator Operator Salary
Updated March 14, 2024
