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Paving equipment operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$53,340median pay per year, or $25.64 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $38,230lowest 10% earn less
  2. $45,61025th percentile
  3. $53,340median
  4. $64,72075th percentile
  5. $92,230top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

The median pay for paving, surfacing and tamping equipment operators was $53,340 a year, a little above the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. Employment is projected to shrink 0.9% over the decade, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
-0.9%[3]
Openings per year
3,100[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[7]

How much do paving equipment operators make?

The median pay in the BLS category Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators was $53,340 a year, or $25.64 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1][8]. The mean (average) was $59,000 a year, or $28.37 an hour[9]. The median for all US occupations was $50,980[2].

Percentile Annual Hourly
10th[5][10] $38,230 $18.38
25th[5][10] $45,610 $21.93
50th (median)[1] $53,340 $25.64
75th[5][10] $64,720 $31.12
90th[5][10] $92,230 $44.34

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,230 a year, and the top 10% earned more than $92,230[5]. A percentile is a boundary line. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8].

About 41,820 people held these wage and salary jobs in May 2025[11]. The figures leave out the self-employed, and they do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

Pay by state and city

Hawaii had the highest state median, $111,360[13]. The District of Columbia ($91,280), Washington ($90,530), Alaska ($83,520) and California ($83,130) followed[13]. Mississippi had the lowest published median, $37,030[13].

The most jobs were in New York (4,530), Texas (3,940), Florida (2,740), Ohio (2,370) and North Carolina (1,940)[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA had the highest median, $126,640[15]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($104,530) and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($96,590) came next[15]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area had the most jobs, 3,440, with a median of $62,780[16].

Show median pay in 49 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Hawaii[13]$111,360n/a
District of Columbia$91,28070
Washington$90,530530
Alaska$83,52080
California$83,1301,400
Connecticut$77,480n/a
Idaho$73,210130
Illinois$73,060950
Missouri$69,4001,560
Wisconsin$69,020960
Minnesota$68,180830
Oregon$63,310520
Rhode Island$63,060160
New York$62,7604,530
New Hampshire$62,080260
Iowa$61,110n/a
Massachusetts$60,950560
Maryland$60,530750
Ohio$60,2802,370
South Dakota$60,140130
Colorado$58,810920
Wyoming$58,080160
Maine$57,020250
Pennsylvania$56,010520
Montana$55,920260
Vermont$54,83070
Michigan$54,2201,720
Delaware$54,020150
Arizona$52,140170
Nevada$51,400n/a
West Virginia$51,230210
New Jersey$50,500840
Indiana$50,380910
Kansas$49,070540
Utah$48,860410
Louisiana$48,450350
Virginia$48,0601,660
North Carolina$47,8201,940
Texas$47,0603,940
South Carolina$46,950630
Florida$46,8402,740
Oklahoma$46,760550
Georgia$46,1001,270
New Mexico$45,880990
Nebraska$45,760390
Kentucky$45,660110
Arkansas$44,010490
Tennessee$42,5101,730
Alabama$41,880700
Mississippi$37,030470

How to become a paving equipment operator

BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education for entry, with no related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[7]. The BLS handbook profile used below covers a wider group of construction equipment operators, so its details describe that group[17].

Apprenticeships for the wider group last 3 or 4 years[21]. They mix paid on-the-job training with classroom lessons on safety, first aid and reading grading plans[21]. After finishing, apprentices become journey workers who need less guidance[22].

Workers in the wider group often need a commercial driver's license to haul equipment to job sites, and state rules differ[23].

In an O*NET survey of 15 workers, 41% said less than a high school diploma is required, 38% said a high school diploma or equivalent, and 21% said a post-secondary certificate[24]. That is a small survey.

What paving equipment operators do

These workers run machines that lay concrete, asphalt or other materials on roads, parking lots and runways, or that tamp down gravel and dirt[25]. Tasks listed by O*NET include:

Where they work

The following comes from the wider construction equipment operator profile[17]. Heavy and civil engineering construction employed 30% of these workers in 2025[27]. They work in unpleasant weather, though some construction can pause in heavy rain or very cold weather, and they often get dirty or dusty[28]. Some work in remote places on large projects such as highways[28].

Schedules can be irregular, including around-the-clock or late-night work. Most work full time and some work more than 40 hours a week[29]. The work may be seasonal where winters are extreme[29]. Workers lower injury risk by following safety procedures and wearing protective gear[30].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to fall 0.9% from 2025 to 2035, a loss of about 400 jobs[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[4]. BLS lists productivity change as a factor: new equipment and paving materials let operators lay more material, which lowers the share of operators[31]. These projection counts include self-employed workers, who were 2.4% of the total in 2025[3][32].

Even so, BLS expects about 3,100 openings a year[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, an average of 3% of workers leave the labor force and 4.4% move to a different occupation[33].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show pay near or above the all-occupation median, with a high school diploma as the typical entry level and training on the job[1][2][7]. Pay spreads widely, from $38,230 at the 10th percentile to $92,230 at the 90th[5]. Place matters too, with state medians from $37,030 in Mississippi to $111,360 in Hawaii[13]. Employment is projected to dip, though openings from retirements and job changes continue[3][6]. The work often means unpleasant weather, and schedules can be irregular[28][29].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[34].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a paving equipment operator make an hour?
The median was $25.64 an hour in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $18.38 and the top 10% earned more than $44.34[10].
What education do you need to be a paving equipment operator?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education for entry[7].
How long does it take to become a paving equipment operator?
BLS lists moderate-term on-the-job training[7]. Apprenticeships in the wider construction equipment operator group last 3 or 4 years[21][17].
Is paving equipment operator work in demand?
Employment is projected to decline 0.9% from 2025 to 2035[3]. About 3,100 openings a year are still expected[6].
Which state pays paving equipment operators the most?
Hawaii had the highest median, $111,360, in May 2025[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators in the US was $53,340 per year and $25.64 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators is projected to decline 0.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 42,300 to 41,900 jobs (a change of -400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators: 10th percentile $38,230, 25th percentile $45,610, 75th percentile $64,720, 90th percentile $92,230. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 3,100 openings for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators was $59,000 per year and $28.37 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators: 10th percentile $18.38, 25th percentile $21.93, 75th percentile $31.12, 90th percentile $44.34. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 41,820 people were employed as Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Median annual wage for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators jobs: New York 4,530; Texas 3,940; Florida 2,740; Ohio 2,370; North Carolina 1,940. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators (areas with at least 100 jobs): Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $126,640; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $104,530; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $96,590; Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $83,370; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $80,340; St. Louis, MO-IL $76,800; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $72,080; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $70,530. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 3,440 (median $62,780); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 980 (median $58,800); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 940 (median $49,740); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 870 (median $46,790); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 770 (median $46,120); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 740 (median $80,340). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Construction Equipment Operators" covers Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Training. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. O*NET 47-2071.00 survey of workers (15 respondents), education level they say is required: Less than a High School Diploma 41%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 38%, Post-Secondary Certificate 21% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET description of Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET task list for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators. O*NET OnLine
  27. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of construction equipment operators in 2025: Heavy and civil engineering construction 30%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators: Productivity change - share decreases as new equipment and paving materials allow operators to lay more road materials. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS Employment Projections: 2.4% of Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators: 3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  34. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.