Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in Virginia

$27/hr

Read Virginia earthmoving wage bands alongside national sector figures, then compare machine duties, weekly hours and benefits in offers.

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What Heavy Equipment Operators Earn in Virginia

Virginia employee wages span $19.65–$37.62/hr across the lower and upper ranges shown here, or $40,870–$78,250 a year. These figures cover operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, including heavy equipment operators. They combine machines and employers across the state. For an excavator, dozer or grader offer, compare the assigned work, paid hours and benefits with that broader occupation. Record the machine and work location beside each offer.

Hourly rates by level in Virginia

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

Apprentice · 0–2 yrs
$19.65–$23.10/hr
▲ 9.44% from last year
Journeyman · 4–8 yrs
$23.10–$30.45/hr
▲ 9.44% from last year
Master · 8+ yrs
$30.45–$37.62/hr
▲ 9.44% 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
Virginia · Day Shift
Base rate$26.78
+ IUOE Local 77 Operating Engineer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)$4.38
+ OSHA 30-Hour Construction$0.91
+ Excavation & Trenching Competent Person$0.24
Effective hourly$32.31
Straight · 40 hrs$1,292
Overtime · 8 hrs @ 1.5×$388
Weekly gross$1,680
Annualised · 50 weeks
$83,993
8 OT hrs/week · Virginia

Who pays the most in Virginia

Highway earthworks, underground utilities and commercial sites offer different machine assignments. These national employee figures help compare sectors represented in Virginia construction.

01 / 03$34.26/hr

Highway and Bridge Construction

Road grading puts dozer and grader operators alongside haul trucks and traffic controls. Ask how shift changes and weather stoppages affect paid hours. Separate the roadwork schedule from the hourly rate when comparing offers.

+ Large earthworks
+ Grading practice
– Traffic exposure
– Weather delays
02 / 03$29.68/hr

Utility System Construction

Trench excavation needs careful bucket positioning around marked services and ground crews. Compare digging responsibilities, backfill work and travel between utility sites. Ask which machine you will operate and who directs excavation near services.

+ Excavation practice
+ Crew coordination
– Buried services
– Tight access
03 / 03$30.94/hr

Nonresidential Building Construction

Commercial building crews use loaders and excavators for foundations and site development. Discuss whether the job combines operating with ground duties between excavations. Include those duties when discussing the offered range and expected working week.

+ Foundation experience
+ Varied assignments
– Shared access
– Changing tasks

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. 01California$41.90/hr
  2. 02Virginiathis page$27.48/hr

What each certification is worth

Sorted by payback speed.

CertificationRate bumpExtra / yearCostPayback
IUOE Local 77 Operating Engineer Apprenticeship (journeyperson)+$4.38$9,110$00 weeks
OSHA 30-Hour Construction+$0.91$1,893$1595 weeks
OSHA 10-Hour Construction+$0.30$624$595 weeks
Excavation & Trenching Competent Person+$0.24$499$19521 weeks
NCCCO Signalperson+$0.24$499$22524 weeks
OSHA Silica in Construction (29 CFR 1926.1153) Training+$0.03$62$3025 weeks

What overtime actually adds

Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $27.48/hr.

40 hr week
$1,099
No OT
50 hr week
$1,511
+$20,610/yr
60 hr week
$1,924
+$41,220/yr
70 hr week
$2,336
+$61,830/yr

Questions workers ask

Does workers' compensation replace pay after a machine injury?▾
Yes. Under the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act, total incapacity benefits generally pay 66 2/3 percent of your average weekly wage, within limits set by the VWC Commission. The first seven days are unpaid unless incapacity lasts more than three weeks.
Can I claim unemployment during a winter layoff?▾
Yes, if your base-period wages qualify and you remain able and available for work. The VEC requires at least two employer contacts each week and reporting of any gross earnings. Gross weekly earnings above $100 reduce the benefit.
Does receiving a salary remove overtime rights?▾
No. Manual construction work keeps its overtime protections under Virginia's overtime law, which applies the federal standard, and DOLI handles wage complaints. A salary or experienced-operator title does not create a white-collar exemption. Keep daily hours and ask how overtime after forty weekly hours is calculated.

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Current BLS Virginia employee wages for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, SOC 47-2073; includes heavy equipment operators, excludes premium pay and benefits.

Last updated October 27, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.