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Pile driver operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$73,300median pay per year, or $35.24 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $48,790lowest 10% earn less
  2. $58,51025th percentile
  3. $73,300median
  4. $106,43075th percentile
  5. $124,600top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Pile driver operators earned a median of $73,300 a year, which is above the median for all occupations[1][2]. BLS expects the number of jobs to shrink by 5.7% from 2025 to 2035[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-5.7%[3]
Openings per year
200[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do pile driver operators make?

The median pay for Pile Driver Operators was $73,300 a year, or $35.24 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of the workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average (mean) was $80,710 a year, or $38.81 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980 a year[2].

The range is wide. A percentile wage is a boundary in the pay list, and BLS publishes these boundaries instead of a starting salary[8]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $48,790 a year[4].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[4][9] $48,790 $23.46
25th[4][9] $58,510 $28.13
Median[1] $73,300 $35.24
75th[4][9] $106,430 $51.17
90th[4][9] $124,600 $59.91

These figures cover people paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed and owners of unincorporated firms, and they do not include nonproduction bonuses or the cost of benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 2,310 people held these wage and salary jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

BLS published a median for 11 states[12]. Massachusetts came first at $120,980, followed by Washington at $111,080 and California at $110,340[12]. Georgia was last on the list at $47,930[12]. Several of these medians rest on small job counts. Washington had 50 jobs and Georgia 50[12].

California had the most jobs at 480, then Texas at 280 and Florida at 270[13].

The BLS list of metro areas with at least 100 jobs[14] shows one area, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA. Its median was $106,660[14]. It also had the most jobs of any metro area, at 130[15].

Show median pay in 11 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Massachusetts[12]$120,980130
Washington$111,08050
California$110,340480
Pennsylvania$93,55090
Alaska$78,080190
Texas$66,140280
Louisiana$61,150180
Virginia$59,910150
Tennessee$54,83030
Florida$51,830270
Georgia$47,93050

How to become a pile driver operator

BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education. Related work experience is not needed, and the typical training is moderate-term on-the-job training[6]. The details below come from a BLS profile of construction equipment operators, a wider group that includes pile driver operators[16].

Licenses depend on where you work. Construction equipment operators often need a commercial driver's license to haul equipment to jobsites[22]. Some states and cities require pile driver operators to hold a crane license, and the rules vary by state[23].

In an O*NET survey of 24 workers in this occupation, 53% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required, 21% said a post-secondary certificate and 19% said less than a high school diploma[24]. That is a small survey, so read it as a snapshot.

What pile driver operators do

Pile driver operators run machines that drive pilings into the ground. The pilings support retaining walls, bulkheads and the foundations of buildings, bridges and piers. The machine may sit on a skid, a barge, crawler treads or a locomotive crane[25]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report the job titles pile driver, pile driver operator and pile driving operator[27].

Where they work

The BLS work environment text covers construction equipment operators as a group. They work in unpleasant weather, although rain or extreme cold can halt some types of construction. They often get dirty, greasy, muddy or dusty, and some work in remote places on large projects such as highways and dams[28]. Heavy and civil engineering construction employs 30% of the group[29].

BLS says injury and illness rates for pile driver operators are among the highest of all occupations. Following safety procedures and wearing protective gear such as a hardhat and steel-toed shoes lowers the risk[30].

Schedules can be irregular, and work can run around the clock or late into the night. Full-time work is the usual pattern for the group, and some work more than 40 hours a week[31]. The work may be seasonal where winters are extreme[31].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of Pile Driver Operators to decline 5.7% from 2025 to 2035[3]. That is from about 2,300 to 2,200 jobs, a loss of 100[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[32]. The projection counts include self-employed workers, and 2.7% of pile driver operators were self-employed in 2025[3][33].

BLS lists productivity change as a factor. Better equipment and technology let operators drive piles more quickly, so the share of jobs falls[34].

Even so, BLS expects about 200 openings a year on average[5]. Openings count jobs left by people who retire or switch occupations, as well as new jobs[5]. Each year, 3% of workers leave the labor force and 4.4% move to a different occupation[35].

Is it a good fit?

The median pay is above the all-occupations median[1][2], and the entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent with on-the-job training[6]. The trade-offs are a small and shrinking job market[3] and injury rates that BLS puts among the highest of all occupations[30]. Pay differs a lot by state, from $120,980 in Massachusetts to $47,930 in Georgia[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[36].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a pile driver operator make an hour?
The median was $35.24 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $38.81 an hour[1][7]. The 10th percentile was $23.46 and the 90th was $59.91 an hour[9].
What education do you need to be a pile driver operator?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry education, with moderate-term on-the-job training[6].
How long is an apprenticeship for a pile driver operator?
In the BLS profile of construction equipment operators, apprenticeship programs last 3 or 4 years[20]. Workers can also learn on the job or at vocational schools[18].
Is pile driving in demand?
BLS projects a 5.7% decline from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[3][32]. It still expects about 200 openings a year[5].
What is the highest paying state for pile driver operators?
Massachusetts, at a median of $120,980, followed by Washington at $111,080 and California at $110,340[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Pile Driver Operators in the US was $73,300 per year and $35.24 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 Pile Driver Operators is projected to decline 5.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 2,300 to 2,200 jobs (a change of -100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Pile Driver Operators: 10th percentile $48,790, 25th percentile $58,510, 75th percentile $106,430, 90th percentile $124,600. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 200 openings for Pile Driver 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
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Pile Driver 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
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Pile Driver Operators was $80,710 per year and $38.81 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  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, hourly wage percentiles for Pile Driver Operators: 10th percentile $23.46, 25th percentile $28.13, 75th percentile $51.17, 90th percentile $59.91. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. 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
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,310 people were employed as Pile Driver Operators in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Pile Driver Operators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Pile Driver Operators jobs: California 480; Texas 280; Florida 270; Alaska 190; Louisiana 180. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Pile Driver Operators (areas with at least 100 jobs): Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $106,660. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Pile Driver Operators jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 130 (median $106,660); Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 90 (median $66,140); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 90 (median $121,900); Anchorage, AK 80 (median $89,880); Baton Rouge, LA 80 (median $60,630); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 80 (median $70,030). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Construction Equipment Operators" covers Pile Driver Operators together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. 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: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. O*NET 47-2072.00 survey of workers (24 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 53%, Post-Secondary Certificate 21%, Less than a High School Diploma 19%, Some College Courses 8% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET description of Pile Driver Operators. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET task list for Pile Driver Operators. O*NET OnLine
  27. O*NET 47-2072.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Pile Driver, Pile Driver Operator, Pile Driving Operator. O*NET OnLine
  28. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of construction equipment operators in 2025: Heavy and civil engineering construction 30%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Injuries and Illnesses. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  33. BLS Employment Projections: 2.7% of Pile Driver Operators were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  34. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Pile Driver Operators: Productivity change - share decreases as improved equipment and technology allow operators to drive piles more quickly. BLS Employment Projections
  35. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Pile Driver Operators: 3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.4% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  36. 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.