How much do heavy equipment operators make an hour in Duluth, MN-WI?

The median hourly wage is $36.08. The middle half earn between $29.89 and $40.28 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)

What do apprentice heavy equipment operators make in Duluth, MN-WI?

BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $22.98 an hour ($47,790 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $29.89.

Do heavy equipment operators make more in Duluth or Minneapolis?

Minneapolis pays more: the median is $75,040 in Duluth and $83,340 in Minneapolis, a 10% difference.

How does Duluth pay compare with the rest of Minnesota?

The Duluth median of $75,040 is 5% less than the Minnesota median of $79,130.

Heavy equipment operator salary in Duluth, MN-WI

Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025

Heavy equipment operators in the Duluth, MN-WI area earn a median of $75,040 a year, or $36.08 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $95,140 a year. Statewide, heavy equipment operators earn a median of $79,130; Duluth is 5% below it.

Median yearly pay$75,040

Bottom 10% under$47,790Top 10% over$95,140

Apprentice starting pay (estimate): $22.98/hr
Jobs in this area: 770
After cost of living: $84,530
Median hourly pay: $36.08/hr
vs U.S. median: +25%
vs Minnesota median: −5%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (area 20260, Duluth, MN-WI). 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	$47,790–$62,170$22.98–$29.89/hr
Experienced operator	$75,040$36.08/hr
Top earners	$83,790–$95,140$40.28–$45.74/hr

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

How Duluth, MN-WI compares

Duluth ranks 5th of 9 Minnesota metro areas for heavy equipment operator pay.
Heavy equipment operators are more concentrated in the Duluth area than nationally: 6.2 of every 1,000 jobs, 2.0 times the U.S. share.
The 90th-percentile wage, $95,140, is 2.0 times the 10th-percentile wage, $47,790: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.

Other Minnesota metro areas

Other trades in Duluth, MN-WI

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

Questions

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Duluth, MN-WI?: Heavy equipment operators in the Duluth, MN-WI area earn a median of $75,040 a year, or $36.08 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $95,140 a year.
How much do heavy equipment operators make an hour in Duluth, MN-WI?: The median hourly wage is $36.08. The middle half earn between $29.89 and $40.28 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
What do apprentice heavy equipment operators make in Duluth, MN-WI?: BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $22.98 an hour ($47,790 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $29.89.
Do heavy equipment operators make more in Duluth or Minneapolis?: Minneapolis pays more: the median is $75,040 in Duluth and $83,340 in Minneapolis, a 10% difference.
How does Duluth pay compare with the rest of Minnesota?: The Duluth median of $75,040 is 5% less than the Minnesota median of $79,130.

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 20260 (Duluth, MN-WI). 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 (88.8, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures