Last Updated on December 28, 2022
The cost of becoming a heavy equipment operator will vary depending on whether you have your own equipment or if you need to buy it. Do expect the cost to be higher if you are training on a brand new type of equipment. However, keep in mine that you can save money by being an apprentice. Learn all about career training, read blog posts and chat with other aspiring heavy equipment operators.
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How Much Does It Cost To Become A Heavy Equipment Operator
| $ Heavy Equipment Certification: $75-$200 | $ $ Heavy Equipment Apprenticeship: Up to $5,000 | $ $ $ Heavy Equipment Training: $4,000-$20,000 |
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the heavy equipment operators are trained on how to drive and work with excavators and bulldozers, with cranes and street sweepers, with rollers and backhoes.
Their most common forms of training are in-person training programs and apprenticeships.
Typical Costs
The cost of heavy equipment training is approx. $4,000-$15,000 and lasts three to eight weeks.
West Coast Training in Woodland, WA, provides a heavy equipment training course for eight-weeks for $17,500.
This course allows students to practice in operating backhoes and track hoes, dozers and scrapers, graders and loaders.
The company also provides a four-week advanced training course for $5,900 for graduates who want additional hands-on training.
For example, the Tri-County Driving Academy in Lebanon, VA, presents a five-week beginner’s heavy equipment training course that costs $4,250.
The apprenticeships price goes up to $5,000 and lasts three or four years.
There are heavy equipment apprenticeships through community colleges, industry associations, technical schools, and trade unions.
For instance, the Operating Engineers Local 701 in Oregon City, OR, have a free-charge apprenticeship program, while the Alaska Operating Engineers have apprenticeships for a $30 application fee.
At the same time, The Western Apprenticeships Coordinators Association in Reno, NV, estimates apprentices will pay $100-$150 for books and $474 (plus $420 annually) for membership in the Operating Engineers Union.
Summit Academy in Minneapolis, has a pre-apprentice training course for $5,400, which prepares students to enter a paid apprenticeship.
Apprentices get the chance to earn 50%-90% of the normal worker’s wages while learning on the job, and the pay will increase as they gain experience.
Heavy equipment certification usually varies by state and costs $75-$200.
The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators has a list of 18 states and six cities that license crane operators.
California issues permit to crane operators for $100 annually, while West Virginia certifies crane operators for $75 every five years.
In Arkansas, the heavy equipment operators should apply for a commercial contractor’s license, which costs $100 for one year, plus $75 for initial testing costs.
The states that do not require a heavy equipment or crane operator’s license, workers may need to apply for a commercial driving license, for the cost of $50-$200.
What Is Included
- The heavy equipment training program needs to cover the safe operation of vehicles, this means hands-on training as well as classroom topics such as equipment maintenance and safety.
- According to the Education Portal, the additional construction topics covered are road building, land clearing and pipe laying, grading, and compaction.
- The heavy equipment operators need to be trained in a program that meets Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.
- The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators and from the National Center for Construction Education and Research provides an additional accreditation to the heavy equipment training program.
do you need a driver’s license to operate heavy equipment
Licensing Requirements
Crane Operators
In late 2010, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandated that all crane operators must complete an approved training or certification program (www.osha.gov). Many states also regulate crane operators by requiring them to obtain a license or certificate of competence.
In most cases, a state will grant you the necessary credential if you’ve completed a nationally recognized certification program, such as those offered through the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (www.nccco.org). This certification is for applicants who can pass a written and practical skills exam. Other states may require you to complete an apprenticeship program and pass a series of state-issued exams.
All Others
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that you may need a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to operate and transport pavers, bulldozers or other heavy equipment to a construction site (www.bls.gov). The CDL is a special license for drivers who operate vehicles that carry hazardous materials or weigh over 26,001 pounds on public roads, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (www.fmcsa.dot.gov). Applicants are required to pass a written exam and road test. Some employers may require you to earn additional endorsements for tank vehicles or double trailers.
Training Options
Many equipment operators learn this trade on the job. However, you may need a high school diploma or GED to get hired, according to the BLS.
You can also complete heavy equipment operator training through a formal apprenticeship program. These 3-4-year programs are available through community colleges, vocational schools and trade unions, such as the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE). You’ll spend part of your time in the classroom studying topics, such as job safety and equipment maintenance procedures. The remaining time is spent at job sites. You may learn how to work with light machinery at the beginning of your training and progress to operating heavier, more technologically advanced machines. Depending on the program, you may receive payment for your work.
how much does heavy equipment operator make
| State | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $49,109 | $4,092 | $944 | $23.61 |
| Washington | $44,961 | $3,747 | $865 | $21.62 |
| Maryland | $43,786 | $3,649 | $842 | $21.05 |
| New York | $43,553 | $3,629 | $838 | $20.94 |
| Nebraska | $42,933 | $3,578 | $826 | $20.64 |
| Virginia | $42,369 | $3,531 | $815 | $20.37 |
| New Hampshire | $42,096 | $3,508 | $810 | $20.24 |
| Colorado | $41,519 | $3,460 | $798 | $19.96 |
| South Carolina | $41,459 | $3,455 | $797 | $19.93 |
| Delaware | $40,971 | $3,414 | $788 | $19.70 |
| Missouri | $40,948 | $3,412 | $787 | $19.69 |
| California | $40,426 | $3,369 | $777 | $19.44 |
| Kentucky | $40,170 | $3,348 | $773 | $19.31 |
| Oklahoma | $39,903 | $3,325 | $767 | $19.18 |
| Hawaii | $39,688 | $3,307 | $763 | $19.08 |
| Vermont | $39,653 | $3,304 | $763 | $19.06 |
| Arkansas | $39,172 | $3,264 | $753 | $18.83 |
| Wyoming | $38,999 | $3,250 | $750 | $18.75 |
| Illinois | $38,961 | $3,247 | $749 | $18.73 |
| Michigan | $38,916 | $3,243 | $748 | $18.71 |
| Connecticut | $38,509 | $3,209 | $741 | $18.51 |
| Rhode Island | $38,023 | $3,169 | $731 | $18.28 |
| Idaho | $37,947 | $3,162 | $730 | $18.24 |
| West Virginia | $37,854 | $3,154 | $728 | $18.20 |
| Alaska | $37,846 | $3,154 | $728 | $18.20 |
| Maine | $37,565 | $3,130 | $722 | $18.06 |
| Nevada | $37,548 | $3,129 | $722 | $18.05 |
| North Dakota | $37,501 | $3,125 | $721 | $18.03 |
| New Jersey | $37,236 | $3,103 | $716 | $17.90 |
| Pennsylvania | $37,213 | $3,101 | $716 | $17.89 |
| Montana | $37,039 | $3,087 | $712 | $17.81 |
| Texas | $36,717 | $3,060 | $706 | $17.65 |
| Arizona | $36,658 | $3,055 | $705 | $17.62 |
| Indiana | $36,423 | $3,035 | $700 | $17.51 |
| Minnesota | $36,412 | $3,034 | $700 | $17.51 |
