Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

At a Glance

Median Salary
$45,967

Local Jobs
1,407

Entry-Level Education
High School

Occupation Profile

Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.

By The Numbers

Median Annual Earnings

$45,967

Median Annual Earnings are the midpoint earned by 50 percent of workers who are the lowest paid and 50 percent of workers who are the highest paid in a particular occupation

Local Jobs

1,407

Jobs are any position in which a worker provides labor in exchange for monetary compensation (note: one individual may hold multiple jobs)

Entry-Level Education

High School

This is the most common education level requested in entry-level job listings.

Daily Tasks

Learn and follow safety regulations.
Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.
Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.
Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.
Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines.
Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.
Drive and maneuver equipment equipped with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, or rocks or to distribute and level earth or terrain.
Operate tractors or bulldozers to perform such tasks as clearing land, mixing sludge, trimming backfills, or building roadways or parking lots.
Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.
Connect hydraulic hoses, belts, mechanical linkages, or power takeoff shafts to tractors.
Select and fasten bulldozer blades or other attachments to tractors, using hitches.
Operate loaders to pull out stumps, rip asphalt or concrete, rough-grade properties, bury refuse, or perform general cleanup.
Adjust handwheels and depress pedals to control attachments, such as blades, buckets, scrapers, or swing booms.
Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered.
Operate equipment to demolish or remove debris or to remove snow from streets, roads, or parking lots.

Occupational Skills

What skills are necessary for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators?

Hard Skills

Backhoes
Construction
Dozer
Excavation
Front End Loaders
Grading (Landscape)
Heavy Equipment
Machinery
Power Tool Operation
Pre-Trip And Post-Trip Vehicle Inspections

Soft Skills

Cleanliness
Communications
Good Driving Record
Lifting Ability
Loading And Unloading
Management
Operations
Troubleshooting (Problem Solving)
Valid Driver's License
Visual Acuity

Hard skills are specific, learnable, measurable, often industry- or occupation-specific abilities related to a position.

Soft skills can be self-taught and usually do not necessitate a certain completed level of education. They are essential in many industries and occupations.

Education Programs

Del Mar College