Heavy equipment operator salary in North Port, FL
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Heavy equipment operators in the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota, FL area earn a median of $49,460 a year, or $23.78 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $62,480. Statewide, heavy equipment operators earn a median of $49,400; North Port is right at that level.
- Apprentice starting pay (estimate)
- $19.08/hr
- Jobs in this area
- 1,090
- After cost of living
- $48,290
- Median hourly pay
- $23.78/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −17%
- vs Florida median
- 0%
Entry-level to top heavy equipment operator pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry level | $39,690–$47,630$19.08–$22.90/hr | |
| Experienced operator | $49,460$23.78/hr | |
| Top earners | $57,250–$62,480$27.52–$30.04/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How North Port, FL compares
- North Port ranks 6th of 22 Florida metro areas for heavy equipment operator pay.
- Heavy equipment operators hold about the same share of jobs in the North Port area as nationally: 3.2 of every 1,000 jobs.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $62,480, is 1.6 times the 10th-percentile wage, $39,690: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Other Florida metro areas
Other trades in North Port, FL
Questions
- How much do heavy equipment operators make in North Port, FL?
- Heavy equipment operators in the North Port–Bradenton–Sarasota, FL area earn a median of $49,460 a year, or $23.78 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $62,480.
- How much do heavy equipment operators make an hour in North Port, FL?
- The median hourly wage is $23.78. The middle half earn between $22.90 and $27.52 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do apprentice heavy equipment operators make in North Port, FL?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $19.08 an hour ($39,690 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $22.90.
- Do heavy equipment operators make more in North Port or Miami?
- Miami pays more: the median is $49,460 in North Port and $51,800 in Miami, a 5% difference.
- How does North Port pay compare with the rest of Florida?
- The North Port median of $49,460 is about the same as the Florida median of $49,400.
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 35840 (North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL). 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 (102.4, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures