Understanding the Operating Engineer Prevailing Wage
May 20, 2026
The Operating Engineer is one of the most important — and highly compensated — trades under Davis-Bacon. Operating engineers operate heavy construction equipment including cranes, excavators, bulldozers, and graders.
Operating Engineer Rate Tiers
Unlike some trades with a single rate, operating engineer WD rates are often tiered by equipment type and complexity. A crane operator typically earns more than a forklift operator, and rates for specialized equipment (tower cranes, high-capacity mobile cranes) may be higher still.
Typical Rate Ranges
Operating engineer total packages range from approximately $45/hr in lower-wage markets to over $85/hr in high-wage areas like California and New York. Heavy and highway WDs often have slightly higher operating engineer rates than building WDs.