Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in California

$42/hr

Compare California equipment-operator wages with the machines, excavation duties, paid hours and benefits included in each written equipment operating offer.

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What Heavy Equipment Operators Earn in California

California employee wages span $25.37–$63.56/hr, with published annual earnings of $52,760–$132,210 a year. These figures cover operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, including heavy earthmoving work. Excavator, dozer and grader offers share this broad benchmark. Ask which machines you will run and how inspections, travel between jobs and overtime enter your pay. Benefits sit outside these wage figures. Request the employer's written equipment assignment.

Hourly rates by level in California

What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$25.37–$31.36/hr
▼ 2.22% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$31.36–$60.37/hr
▼ 2.22% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$60.37–$63.56/hr
▼ 2.22% from last year

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Where do you stand?

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$/ hr

Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.

You're right around the middle

$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.

10th
$18
25th
$23
Median
$29
75th
$36
90th
$45
YOU · $28.00
Your percentile
46th
Among this market
Your annual · 40 hrs
$58,240
Before overtime and per diem
Gap to median
−$2,080
Below the median

Calculate pay with extra credentials

Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.

1Your level

2Certifications you hold

3Shift & work type

4Overtime & per diem

Weekly overtime hours8 hrs
Per diem (per day away)$0

An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.

American RecruitsEstimate
Journeyman Heavy Equipment Operator
California · Day Shift
Base rate$45.86
+ IUOE Local 12 Operating Engineer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$6.73
+ 40-Hour HAZWOPER$2.00
+ OSHA 10-Hour Construction$0.46
Effective hourly$55.05
Straight · 40 hrs$2,202
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$661
Weekly gross$2,863
Annualised · 50 weeks
$143,143
8 OT hrs/week · California

Who pays the most in California

Road grading, utility trenches and building pads offer different equipment assignments. These national sector figures add work-setting context to California offers involving these construction settings.

01 / 03$34.26/hr

Highway and Bridge Construction

Road cuts and embankments put graders and dozers alongside haul trucks. Ask about traffic separation and paid preparation for closure windows. Include required machine inspections when discussing the hours in your offer.

+ Grading practice
+ Infrastructure experience
– Traffic exposure
– Closure schedules
02 / 03$29.68/hr

Utility System Construction

Trench excavation supports water, sewer and other utility systems. Discuss hand exposure of conflicting lines and coordination with crews installing pipe. Discuss who directs bucket movements when workers approach the excavation.

+ Underground experience
+ Crew coordination
– Buried services
– Restricted access
03 / 03$30.94/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Building pads require excavation and material placement around other trades. Ask how machine moves and changing access routes affect paid hours. Discuss who arranges equipment transfers when the next building site is ready.

+ Site development
+ Trade coordination
– Changing access
– Delivery congestion

Which states pay heavy equipment operators the most

Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.

  1. 01Californiathis page$41.90/hr
  2. 02Virginia$27.48/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
IUOE Local 12 Operating Engineer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$6.73$13,998$00 weeks
40-Hour HAZWOPER+$2$4,160$2403 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$1.38$2,870$1593 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.46$957$594 weeks
Excavation & Trenching Competent Person+$0.37$770$19514 weeks
Cal/OSHA Silica in Construction (8 CCR 1532.3) Training+$0.05$104$3015 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $41.90/hr.

40 hr week
$1,676
No OT
50 hr week
$2,305
+$31,425/yr
60 hr week
$2,933
+$62,850/yr
70 hr week
$3,562
+$94,275/yr

Questions workers ask

Is driving between job sites paid time?▾
Yes, when your employer requires it after your first required location. California's Wage Order 16 requires that travel to be paid at your regular rate, or at the overtime rate when it applies. Log each move between sites.
When does construction overtime start?▾
The Labor Commissioner's overtime rules generally require overtime after eight daily or 40 weekly hours for covered nonexempt construction employees. Alternative workweeks and qualifying collective agreements have special provisions. Record inspection, operating and cleanup time so the payroll calculation covers all assigned work.
Does public road work pay prevailing wage?▾
Yes, on covered California public works. DIR sets prevailing wages by work classification and county, so ask for the project's determination before starting. A national highway industry figure does not set your required project wage.

See Open Heavy Equipment Operator Jobs in California

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Current BLS California employee wages for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, SOC 47-2073; heavy earthmoving equipment operation is included, and employee wages exclude premium pay and benefits.

Last updated October 23, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.