How much do heavy equipment operators make an hour in Tucson, AZ?

The median hourly wage is $27.93. The middle half earn between $22.71 and $29.59 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)

What do apprentice heavy equipment operators make in Tucson, AZ?

BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $21.71 an hour ($45,160 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $22.71.

Do heavy equipment operators make more in Tucson or Phoenix?

Phoenix pays more: the median is $58,100 in Tucson and $62,540 in Phoenix, a 7% difference.

How does Tucson pay compare with the rest of Arizona?

The Tucson median of $58,100 is 4% less than the Arizona median of $60,620.

Heavy equipment operator salary in Tucson, AZ

Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025

Heavy equipment operators in the Tucson, AZ area earn a median of $58,100 a year, or $27.93 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $75,250. That's 4% less than the Arizona median of $60,620.

Median yearly pay$58,100

Bottom 10% under$45,160Top 10% over$75,250

Apprentice starting pay (estimate): $21.71/hr
Jobs in this area: 1,130
After cost of living: $59,960
Median hourly pay: $27.93/hr
vs U.S. median: −3%
vs Arizona median: −4%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (area 46060, Tucson, AZ). Excludes self-employed heavy equipment operators. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. *Starting pay is estimated from the 10th percentile; BLS does not report pay by license level.

Entry-level to top heavy equipment operator pay

Stage	Yearly pay	Hourly pay
Apprentice / entry level	$45,160–$47,230$21.71–$22.71/hr
Experienced operator	$58,100$27.93/hr
Top earners	$61,560–$75,250$29.59–$36.18/hr

Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.

How Tucson, AZ compares

Tucson ranks 4th of 7 Arizona metro areas for heavy equipment operator pay.
Heavy equipment operators hold about the same share of jobs in the Tucson area as nationally: 2.9 of every 1,000 jobs.
The 90th-percentile wage, $75,250, is 1.7 times the 10th-percentile wage, $45,160: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.

Other Arizona metro areas

Other trades in Tucson, AZ

Electrician HVAC technician Welder Lineman Plumber Diesel mechanic Carpenter Auto mechanic Roofer Ironworker

Questions

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Tucson, AZ?: Heavy equipment operators in the Tucson, AZ area earn a median of $58,100 a year, or $27.93 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $75,250.
How much do heavy equipment operators make an hour in Tucson, AZ?: The median hourly wage is $27.93. The middle half earn between $22.71 and $29.59 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
What do apprentice heavy equipment operators make in Tucson, AZ?: BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $21.71 an hour ($45,160 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $22.71.
Do heavy equipment operators make more in Tucson or Phoenix?: Phoenix pays more: the median is $58,100 in Tucson and $62,540 in Phoenix, a 7% difference.
How does Tucson pay compare with the rest of Arizona?: The Tucson median of $58,100 is 4% less than the Arizona median of $60,620.

About this data

Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 47-2073 (Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators), area code 46060 (Tucson, AZ). BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed heavy equipment operators and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (96.9, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures