Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay range in Fargo
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,350 a year or less, while the top 10% make $81,570 or more. The middle half of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Fargo earn between $54,830 and $72,420.
- $48K10th
- $55K25th
- $62KMedian
- $72K75th
- $82K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $64,150 | $5,346 | $30.84 |
| Median | $61,690 | $5,141 | $29.66 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $54,830 | $4,569 | $26.36 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $72,420 | $6,035 | $34.82 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary after taxes in Fargo
On the average salary of $64,150, a single filer in Fargo takes home about $53,725 a year, or $4,477 a month and $2,066 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
The Fargo, ND-MN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in ND | $53,725 | $4,477 |
| Working in MN | $50,886 | $4,240 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Fargo a good place for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Fargo area are 9% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 90.9), so the average $64,150 buys what about $70,595 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Fargo ($51,050). A typical home costs $327,854, or 5.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary in other North Dakota cities
Fargo ranks 4th of 4 North Dakota metro areas for this job; Minot pays the most ($67,900).
- Minot$67,900
- Grand Forks$66,150
- Bismarck$66,120
- Fargo$64,150
All Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salaries in North Dakota
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 Fargo: questions
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make an hour in Fargo?
$30.84 an hour on average, and $29.66 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary in Fargo?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,350 a year and the 25th percentile is $54,830, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the operating engineers and other construction equipment operators take-home pay in Fargo?
About $53,725 a year ($4,477 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $64,150.
Do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn more in Fargo than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% less 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 Fargo, ND-MN (22020). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.6%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.10, this job is 2.1 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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