Statewide pay Government data
Heavy equipment operators in New York earn a statewide median of $80,980 a year, 36% above the typical U.S. metro, ranking #6 of 50 states and DC. About 14,490 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near New York
See all states on the heavy equipment operator overview.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes heavy equipment operator pay for 13 New York metros: Albany, Binghamton, Buffalo, Elmira, Glens Falls, Ithaca, Kingston, Kiryas Joel, New York, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica and Watertown.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New YorkNEW YORK · NY | $95,050 | $84,442 | 11,430 |
| AlbanyNEW YORK · NY | $82,540 | $82,900 | 1,000 |
| BuffaloNEW YORK · NY | $73,650 | $76,844 | 950 |
| Kiryas JoelNEW YORK · NY | $72,240 | $66,020 | 590 |
| KingstonNEW YORK · NY | $70,370 | $69,875 | 150 |
| ElmiraNEW YORK · NY | $65,760 | $69,662 | 70 |
| RochesterNEW YORK · NY | $65,720 | $67,728 | 910 |
| SyracuseNEW YORK · NY | $63,810 | $66,648 | 700 |
| WatertownNEW YORK · NY | $62,340 | $71,091 | 190 |
| UticaNEW YORK · NY | $62,270 | $67,190 | 200 |
| BinghamtonNEW YORK · NY | $61,000 | $65,688 | 330 |
| Glens FallsNEW YORK · NY | $60,030 | $63,279 | 170 |
| IthacaNEW YORK · NY | $54,820 | $53,060 | 50 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
Pay outside the cities Government data
BLS also reports pay for New York's rural (nonmetropolitan) regions.
BLS OEWS nonmetropolitan areas, May 2025.
The job (national)
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.
Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 4.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 39,200 openings a year. Typical training: moderate-term on-the-job training.
Nationally, heavy equipment operators have 78 injuries or illnesses serious enough to miss work per 10,000 full-time workers, about the same as all jobs (87). The most common cause is being struck by or caught in objects and equipment.
What the work is like Government data
How often heavy equipment operators deal with each condition, from surveys of workers in the job.
Getting started usually takes some preparation (high school plus months of training).
O*NET 31.0 Work Context and Job Zones (U.S. Department of Labor), national.
Licensing in New York Official source
New York licenses most trades at the city or county level (e.g. New York City). Check with the building or licensing office where you plan to work.
Requirements for heavy equipment operators vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Cities in New York
All trades in New York.