The median annual wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Illinois is $96,980 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $90,370.
Pay spans roughly $50,840 at the 10th percentile to $120,210 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $46.62 per hour. An estimated 11,690 people work as operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Illinois.
| Median (annual) | $96,980 |
| Mean (annual) | $90,370 |
| Median (hourly) | $46.62 |
| 10th percentile | $50,840 |
| 90th percentile | $120,210 |
| Employment | 11,690 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.