Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary
in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
- Middle 50%
- $79,470–$130,150
- vs U.S. median
- +108%
- Metro rank
- #3 of 433
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA metro earn a median of $124,340 a year, based on BLS estimates for 1,360 jobs (May 2025). That is 108% above the U.S. median of $59,850 and 43% above the CA statewide median of $87,160. It ranks #3 of 433 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE1,360 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay in other CA metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $124,750 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $105,080 |
| Vallejo, CA | $95,100 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $92,890 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $91,650 |
| Modesto, CA | $90,560 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $83,670 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $83,290 |
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Questions
What is the average Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary in San Jose?
The BLS median is $124,340 a year (May 2025). Half of the 1,360 jobs pay between $79,470 and $130,150. The 10th percentile is $60,680 and the 90th is $152,760.
Is San Jose a high-paying metro for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators?
That is 108% above the U.S. median of $59,850 and 43% above the CA statewide median of $87,160. It ranks #3 of 433 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators make an hour in San Jose?
About $59.78 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $124,340 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $38.21–$62.57 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.