SOC 47-2073 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators — La Crosse
La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN · 10 metro areas compared
The median wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in La Crosse, WI is $71,430 per year, 19.3% above the national median 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN.
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
The median wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in La Crosse, WI is $71,430 per year, 19.3% above the national median of $59,850. Pay ranges from under $48,660 at the tenth percentile to more than $100,140 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $59,070 to $93,120.
The area has 120 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 1.4 of every thousand jobs. Wausau leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $90,900. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 99th of 311 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $48,660 | −18.7% |
| 25th | $59,070 | −1.3% |
| Median (50th) | $71,430 | +19.3% |
| 75th | $93,120 | +55.6% |
| 90th | $100,140 | +67.3% |
| Mean | $72,830 | +21.7% |
Other metro areas in Wisconsin
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wausau | $90,900 | 200 | |
| 2 | Racine | $90,320 | 280 | |
| 3 | Madison | $83,060 | 680 | |
| 4 | Appleton | $83,010 | 480 | |
| 5 | Milwaukee | $79,430 | 2,070 | |
| 6 | Oshkosh | $77,020 | 150 | |
| 7 | Green Bay | $76,290 | 420 | |
| 8 | Eau Claire | $75,970 | 260 | |
| 9 | Kenosha | $73,190 | 120 | |
| 10 | Fond du Lac | $71,560 | 160 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in La Crosse run 8.2% below the national average, so the median of $71,430 goes as far as $77,810 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 30.0% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$71,430as reported by BLSLocal price level
91.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$77,810US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $71,430 a year, 19.3% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $48,660 to $100,140 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 120 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Wausau, at $90,900.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in La Crosse, WI?
The median annual wage is $71,430, or $34.34 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 La Crosse, WI is 19.3% 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 La Crosse, WI earns more than $100,140 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $48,660 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 Wausau, at $90,900 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 120 jobs in this occupation in La Crosse, WI. 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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