SOC 47-2073 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators — Columbus
Columbus, IN · 10 metro areas compared
In Columbus, IN the median wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators is $64,970 a year, which is 8.6% higher than the national figure of $59,850.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +3.6%
- Openings per year
- 41,900
- Typical entry-level education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Columbus, IN.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Columbus, IN the median wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators is $64,970 a year, which is 8.6% higher than the national figure of $59,850. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $56,790 and $90,070. The lowest tenth earn under $45,890, while the highest tenth earn more than $90,930.
The area has 110 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 2.2 of every thousand jobs. Within the state, Michigan City records the highest median at $98,120. Of the 187 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 64th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $45,890 | −23.3% |
| 25th | $56,790 | −5.1% |
| Median (50th) | $64,970 | +8.6% |
| 75th | $90,070 | +50.5% |
| 90th | $90,930 | +51.9% |
| Mean | $71,010 | +18.6% |
Other metro areas in Indiana
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan City | $98,120 | 170 | |
| 2 | Evansville | $84,500 | 510 | |
| 3 | Lafayette | $83,460 | 340 | |
| 4 | Kokomo | $82,270 | 100 | |
| 5 | Indianapolis | $82,190 | 3,700 | |
| 6 | South Bend | $80,460 | 360 | |
| 7 | Fort Wayne | $77,450 | 650 | |
| 8 | Bloomington | $62,120 | 230 | |
| 9 | Elkhart | $61,710 | 290 | |
| 10 | Terre Haute | $61,630 | 230 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Columbus run 7.0% below the national average, so the median of $64,970 goes as far as $69,860 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 16.7% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$64,970as reported by BLSLocal price level
93.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$69,860US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $64,970 a year, 8.6% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $45,890 to $90,930 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 110 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Michigan City, at $98,120.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Columbus, IN?
The median annual wage is $64,970, or $31.24 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $59,850, so pay in Columbus, IN is 8.6% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Columbus, IN earns more than $90,930 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $45,890 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Michigan City, at $98,120 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 110 jobs in this occupation in Columbus, IN. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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