Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay range in Nashville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,630 a year or less, while the top 10% make $73,900 or more. The middle half of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Nashville earn between $49,470 and $60,560.
- $47K10th
- $49K25th
- $56KMedian
- $61K75th
- $74K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $57,270 | $4,772 | $27.53 |
| Median | $56,030 | $4,669 | $26.94 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $49,470 | $4,122 | $23.78 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $60,560 | $5,047 | $29.12 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay in Nashville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Nashville earn 4% more than the Tennessee average ($55,050) and 14% less than the U.S. average ($66,290). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $59,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | $57,270 | $56,030 | $46,630 | $73,900 | 3,820 |
| Tennessee | $55,050 | $52,000 | $41,600 | $75,430 | 10,660 |
| United States | $66,290 | $59,850 | $42,190 | $101,090 | 478,090 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary after taxes in Nashville
On the average salary of $57,270, a single filer in Nashville takes home about $48,196 a year, or $4,016 a month and $1,854 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Nashville a good place for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.3), so the average $57,270 buys what about $59,447 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Nashville ($50,390). A typical home costs $455,958, or 8.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary in other Tennessee cities
Nashville ranks 2nd of 10 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Kingsport pays the most ($57,900).
- Kingsport$57,900
- Nashville$57,270
- Memphis$55,080
- Chattanooga$54,870
- Clarksville$53,750
- Knoxville$53,450
- Cleveland$51,350
- Jackson$50,290
- Johnson City$50,120
- Morristown$49,950
All Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salaries in Tennessee
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 Nashville: questions
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make an hour in Nashville?
$27.54 an hour on average, and $26.94 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary in Nashville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $46,630 a year and the 25th percentile is $49,470, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the operating engineers and other construction equipment operators take-home pay in Nashville?
About $48,196 a year ($4,016 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $57,270. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn more in Nashville than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% less than the U.S. average for this job ($66,290).
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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (34980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.13, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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