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Heavy equipment operators in Tennessee: what they earn
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Tennessee earned a median $52,000 a year in May 2025, $25.00 an hour. 10,660 people held the job, 3.3 for every 1,000 jobs in the state. That median is 13% below the national figure of $59,850, and Tennessee ranks 38 of 51 by pay for this trade.
The full wage spread in Tennessee
| Point | Hourly | Annual | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $20.00 | $41,600 | A tenth of the workforce earns less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $22.35 | $46,490 | A quarter earn less. |
| Median | $25.00 | $52,000 | Half earn less, half earn more. |
| 75th percentile | $28.54 | $59,360 | A quarter earn more. |
| 90th percentile | $36.27 | $75,430 | A tenth earn more than this. |
| Mean | $26.47 | $55,050 | The average. Pulled up by the top earners. |
Annual figures are the hourly rate times 2,080 hours, BLS's full-time year. Overtime is inside the survey's earnings but not separated out.
Pay by metro area in Tennessee
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN employs the most heavy equipment operators of the 10 metro areas based in Tennessee that BLS publishes, 3,820, at a median $56,030 a year.
| Metro | Employed | Median annual | 10th pct | 90th pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 3,820 | $56,030 | $46,630 | $73,900 |
| Knoxville, TN | 1,210 | $48,690 | $41,790 | $78,520 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 1,140 | $53,870 | $40,560 | $72,790 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | 770 | $55,960 | $41,010 | $76,390 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 750 | $50,320 | $40,370 | $77,320 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 420 | $50,910 | $40,600 | $68,740 |
| Jackson, TN | 270 | $47,240 | $37,990 | $64,270 |
| Morristown, TN | 220 | $48,170 | $38,400 | $58,650 |
| Johnson City, TN | 200 | $47,560 | $38,400 | $63,750 |
| Cleveland, TN | 160 | $48,210 | $38,600 | $64,600 |
Metropolitan statistical areas as BLS publishes them in the same May 2025 estimates. A metro that crosses a state line is listed only under its primary state, so part of a neighboring state's metro can sit outside this table. Areas outside any metro are not shown.
Tennessee against its neighbors on the pay ladder
| # | State | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | Virginia | $57,160 | 12,100 |
| 37 | Maine | $56,140 | 2,210 |
| 38 | New Mexico | $52,000 | 5,520 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $52,000 | 10,660 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $51,700 | 7,860 |
| 41 | Kansas | $51,620 | 7,070 |
| 42 | West Virginia | $51,300 | 7,830 |
The complete ranking is on the Heavy equipment operators page.
Against the national figure
| Figure | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $52,000 | $59,850 |
| Median hourly | $25.00 | $28.78 |
| 10th percentile, annual | $41,600 | $42,190 |
| 90th percentile, annual | $75,430 | $101,090 |
| Employed | 10,660 | 478,090 |
Apprenticeships in Tennessee
U.S. Department of Labor records list 14 registered apprentices active in Tennessee in fiscal year 2024 (October 2023 to September 2024) under the occupation titles DOL maps to operating engineers and other construction equipment operators (SOC 47-2073). The file's fiscal 2024 records largely stop after February 2024. In fiscal 2023, the latest year the file holds in full, 3 apprentices started; 3 have a starting wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs here. Of those who completed that year, 9 have an exit wage DOL counts, fewer than the 50 a median needs.
Find a registered program: DOL's Apprenticeship Finder → · Every state's count and wages for this trade →
Which wages DOL counts, which titles count and how the state is assigned are on the data page.
Other trades in Tennessee
Electricians ($61,090) · Plumbers and pipefitters ($58,600) · HVAC technicians ($55,490) · Welders ($48,040) · Truck drivers (CDL) ($58,620) · Lineworkers (power-line installers) ($83,660) · Elevator installers ($100,490) · Ironworkers ($56,750) · Sheet metal workers ($59,170) · Carpenters ($50,830) · Brickmasons and blockmasons ($63,850) · Auto service technicians ($50,290) · Diesel mechanics ($59,190) · Machinists ($49,600)
See all 15 ranked by pay in Tennessee.
No state licensing records are sourced here for heavy equipment operators. The steps into the trade are on the Heavy equipment operators page. Numbers on this page are the May 2025 BLS estimates, apart from the apprenticeship figures, which are DOL's; see how the numbers are built.