The median annual wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in California is $89,120 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $93,680.
Pay spans roughly $54,730 at the 10th percentile to $131,200 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $42.85 per hour. An estimated 36,040 people work as operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in California.
| Median (annual) | $89,120 |
| Mean (annual) | $93,680 |
| Median (hourly) | $42.85 |
| 10th percentile | $54,730 |
| 90th percentile | $131,200 |
| Employment | 36,040 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.