The median annual wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN is $101,200 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $94,260.
Pay spans roughly $55,900 at the 10th percentile to $121,410 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $48.66 per hour. An estimated 7,760 people work as operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
| Median (annual) | $101,200 |
| Mean (annual) | $94,260 |
| Median (hourly) | $48.66 |
| 10th percentile | $55,900 |
| 90th percentile | $121,410 |
| Employment | 7,760 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.