Construction and Extraction
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.
Also called: Back Hoe Operator, Engineering Equipment Operator, Equipment Operator (EO), Forklift Operator, Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO), Hot Mix Asphalt Operator
- Median pay in Greater Boston
- $76,940
- $36.99/hr
- Jobs in Greater Boston
- 6,370
- Massachusetts 2024–2034
- +6.3%
- 930 openings a year
- Typical U.S. entry requirement
- High school diploma or equivalent
- plus Moderate-term on-the-job training
Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.
Pay range in Greater Boston
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $54,010 | $62,620 | $76,940 | $114,410 | $125,860 |
10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.
What you’d do
- Learn and follow safety regulations.
- Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
- Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
- Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
- Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.
- Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.
AI and this job
AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.
Lower exposure18 of 100
The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:
- AIOE 21
- Language-model AIOE 12
- GPTs-are-GPTs 21
Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)
This job has lower AI exposure, and observed AI use is little or none. Software and machine guidance tools may help with lining up equipment and planning work. Running heavy machines, watching for hazards, and responding to crew signals on a busy site still depend on people.
Likely to change
- Aligning machines with grade and stakes
- Planning and tracking equipment work
Still relies on people
- Spotting hazards, utility lines, and workers
- Responding to crew hand signals safely
Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.
Next steps from here
Related jobs that build on what you already do.
Crane and Tower Operators
Working levers and pedals and following crew signals carry over directly to crane work, which offers higher median pay and faster projected growth.
- Pay difference
- +$21,200 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +16.1%
- To get started
- High school diploma or equivalent
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters
Your experience with excavation and underground work carries over to installing underground piping, with apprenticeship training and strong Boston median pay.
- Pay difference
- +$19,820 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +6.5%
- To get started
- High school diploma or equivalent
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
Safety habits and awareness of utility lines carry over to power-line work, which offers higher median pay and faster projected growth.
- Pay difference
- +$34,550 median
- AI exposure
- Lower
- MA growth
- +13.3%
- To get started
- High school diploma or equivalent
Training near Boston
College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).
No college programs near Boston map to this job. Many people enter through on-the-job training or apprenticeship.
Talk to a career coach at the Office of Workforce Development about apprenticeships and City partner programs.
Who employs operating engineers and other construction equipment operators on Boston construction projects
Hours worked on projects covered by the Boston Residents Jobs Policy over the last 24 months. This shows who has employed operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, not who has openings.
517,181 worker hours from Oct 20, 2024 to Oct 19, 2026 (trades: Equipment Operator, Hoisting Engineer).
- 13.4%
- of hours by boston residents
- 18.7%
- of hours by people of color
- 5.1%
- of hours by women
| Employer | Worker hours | Boston resident share | Projects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brandsafway Services, Llc | 63,464 | 22.8% | 10 |
| Marr Crane & Rigging | 51,407 | 24.7% | 6 |
| Liberty Construction Services | 35,985 | 20.9% | 3 |
| A. A. Will Corporation | 33,676 | 9.6% | 7 |
| J. Derenzo Company | 32,148 | 1.5% | 14 |
| W.L. French Excavating | 30,182 | 11.3% | 10 |
| The Welch Corporation | 21,948 | 17.1% | 11 |
| G&C Concrete | 19,540 | 4.3% | 17 |
Related occupations
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
- Hoist and Winch Operators
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
- Crane and Tower Operators
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
- Pile Driver Operators
- Construction Laborers
- Millwrights
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
Talk to a career coach
A coach at the Office of Workforce Development can help you plan your next step, and connect you with training, apprenticeships and City partner programs that are not listed here.
Talk to a career coach