The median annual wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA is $74,430 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $88,040.
Pay spans roughly $59,730 at the 10th percentile to $125,630 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $35.78 per hour. An estimated 190 people work as operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA.
| Median (annual) | $74,430 |
| Mean (annual) | $88,040 |
| Median (hourly) | $35.78 |
| 10th percentile | $59,730 |
| 90th percentile | $125,630 |
| Employment | 190 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.