Statewide pay Government data
Heavy equipment operators in Rhode Island earn a statewide median of $63,610 a year, 7% above the typical U.S. metro, ranking #17 of 50 states and DC. About 970 people work in the trade statewide.
Statewide pay range
States ranked near Rhode Island
See all states on the heavy equipment operators nationwide.
Pay by city Government data
BLS publishes heavy equipment operator pay for 1 Rhode Island metro: Providence.
| Metro | Median pay | Real pay | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| ProvidenceRHODE ISLAND · RI | $69,900 | $68,682 | 1,570 |
Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (metro-level). Real pay: BEA price parities, 2024. How we calculate
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.
Registered apprenticeships Government data
Of heavy equipment operator apprentices in Rhode Island who finished or left a registered program in fiscal years 2020–2024, 84% completed (U.S.: 65%), about 8 graduates a year. The typical program runs 6,000 hours, about 3 years of full-time work. Search open registered programs near you on the official Apprenticeship Finder.
U.S. Department of Labor, RAPIDS apprentice records (Completion Rate Analysis), FY2020–2024 exits.
Licensing in Rhode Island Official source
The main state licensing office in Rhode Island is the Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board. It can point you to the right license for heavy equipment operators.
Official Rhode Island licensing site ↗
Requirements for heavy equipment operators vary by state and sometimes by city; always confirm with the official agency.
Union membership
In 2025, 16.1% of wage and salary workers in Rhode Island were union members, above the U.S. rate of about 10% (#5 of 51 states and D.C.), and 17.5% were covered by a union contract. These figures cover all jobs in the state, not only heavy equipment operators.
BLS Union Members, 2025 (Current Population Survey), table 5.
Cities in Rhode Island
All trades in Rhode Island.