Operating Engineer
Operate cranes, excavators, bulldozers and other heavy equipment used to move materials and earth.
Operating engineers and equipment operators in the New York metro area earned an average of $100,710 a year in 2025 (median $95,050), according to BLS — 17% above the $86,310 average for all occupations. On New York City public-work contracts, the Comptroller's schedule sets the Operating Engineer (Road & Heavy Construction I) rate at $93.74 an hour plus $38.90 in benefit supplements for 7/1/2025 – 6/30/2026 — a window that has since ended; the rate in force now comes from a later step or a newer Comptroller schedule, not shown here.
Two Different Pay Figures
The BLS average describes what operating engineers and equipment operators across the metro area earned. The prevailing wage is a legal floor for one kind of work — New York City public-work contracts — paid as an hourly wage plus a separate supplement for benefits. Neither is a quote for any particular job. Rates below are the first step recorded from the Comptroller's 2025–26 schedule; where that window has ended, the rate in force now is a later step or a newer schedule — check the Comptroller's site before relying on a figure.
| Classification | Wage | Supplements | Total /hr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Engineer (Road & Heavy Construction I)Operating Engineer Local #14 · 7/1/2025 – 6/30/2026 · window ended | $93.74 | $38.90 | $132.64 |
Getting In
Heavy equipment / crane operating engineers · Locals 15, 15A, 15C, 15D combined
Operating engineers running cranes, hoists, and heavy equipment on NYC construction sites.
(718) 835-0400 · 44-40 11th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101
Open City Postings
City of New York civil-service postings whose titles match this trade — related roles such as inspectors included.
None open right now. See every open construction posting →
Busiest Crane & Hoisting Firms in NYC
By DOB permits on file. A measure of how much work a firm files, not whether it is hiring or employs union members.
- 1Crane Mechanical Corp625 permits
- 2Ace High Cranes Inc521 permits
- 3Ace Sign & Rigging Corp.328 permits
- 4Ace High Crane Inc132 permits
- 5Long Shot Crane Llc85 permits
- 6Cc Sign & Rigging81 permits
- 7Barter Signs & Rigging70 permits
- 8Metropolitan Sign & Rigging Corp48 permits
Common Questions
- How much do operating engineers and equipment operators make in NYC?
- Operating engineers and equipment operators in the New York metro area earned an average of $100,710 a year in 2025 (median $95,050), according to BLS — 17% above the $86,310 average for all occupations. On New York City public-work contracts, the Comptroller's schedule sets the Operating Engineer (Road & Heavy Construction I) rate at $93.74 an hour plus $38.90 in benefit supplements for 7/1/2025 – 6/30/2026 — a window that has since ended; the rate in force now comes from a later step or a newer Comptroller schedule, not shown here.
- What is the prevailing wage for operating engineers and equipment operators on NYC public work?
- Operating Engineer (Road & Heavy Construction I) (Operating Engineer Local #14): $93.74 an hour plus $38.90 in supplements, a total of $132.64, for 7/1/2025 – 6/30/2026 (that window has ended). Source: NYC Comptroller's schedule published Jan 19, 2026; some rates step up later in the schedule period.
- Which union represents operating engineers and equipment operators in New York City?
- IUOE Local 15 (Heavy equipment / crane operating engineers; Locals 15, 15A, 15C, 15D combined). Unions generally train new members through registered apprenticeships — see the union's own site for how and when it takes applications.
- Are there City of New York jobs for operating engineers and equipment operators?
- None matching this trade's titles are open with City agencies right now; the City's postings change daily.
Other Construction Careers
Pay: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA Metro Area, 2025, SOC 47-2073 (bls.gov). Public-work rates: NYC Comptroller construction prevailing wage schedule, published Jan 19, 2026 (PDF). Union details: the union's own site, verified Aug 7, 2026. Open postings: NYC Jobs, live. Firms: NYC DOB Permit Issuance, by permits on file.