Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay range in Rochester
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,790 a year or less, while the top 10% make $97,610 or more. The middle half of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Rochester earn between $64,730 and $94,730.
- $62K10th
- $65K25th
- $80KMedian
- $95K75th
- $98K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $80,160 | $6,680 | $38.54 |
| Median | $79,580 | $6,632 | $38.26 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $64,730 | $5,394 | $31.12 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $94,730 | $7,894 | $45.54 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary after taxes in Rochester
On the average salary of $80,160, a single filer in Rochester takes home about $61,295 a year, or $5,108 a month and $2,358 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
Is Rochester a good place for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rochester area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.8), so the average $80,160 buys what about $88,262 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Rochester ($60,620). A typical home costs $343,121, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary in other Minnesota cities
Rochester ranks 2nd of 5 Minnesota metro areas for this job; Minneapolis pays the most ($84,200).
- Minneapolis$84,200
- Rochester$80,160
- St. Cloud$78,110
- Mankato$75,250
- Duluth$73,300
All Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salaries in Minnesota
Highest-paying cities for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($111,400).
- San Jose, CA$111,400
- San Francisco, CA$110,300
- Kahului, HI$106,970
- Honolulu, HI$104,010
- Santa Rosa, CA$101,710
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary by city
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Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary in Rochester: questions
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make an hour in Rochester?
$38.54 an hour on average, and $38.26 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary in Rochester?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,790 a year and the 25th percentile is $64,730, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the operating engineers and other construction equipment operators take-home pay in Rochester?
About $61,295 a year ($5,108 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $80,160. Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
Do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn more in Rochester than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($67,884).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 47-2073; area Rochester, MN (40340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.0%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Minnesota Paid Leave premiums are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.77, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.77).
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