How much do heavy equipment operators make an hour in Winston, NC?

The median hourly wage is $22.88. The middle half earn between $21.65 and $24.80 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)

What do apprentice heavy equipment operators make in Winston, NC?

BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $18.28 an hour ($38,020 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $21.65.

Do heavy equipment operators make more in Winston or Virginia Beach?

Virginia Beach pays more: the median is $47,590 in Winston and $52,060 in Virginia Beach, a 9% difference.

How does Winston pay compare with the rest of North Carolina?

The Winston median of $47,590 is 3% less than the North Carolina median of $49,310.

Heavy equipment operator salary in Winston, NC

Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025

Heavy equipment operators in the Winston–Salem, NC area earn a median of $47,590 a year, or $22.88 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $60,760. That's 3% less than the North Carolina median of $49,310.

Median yearly pay$47,590

Bottom 10% under$38,020Top 10% over$60,760

Apprentice starting pay (estimate): $18.28/hr
Jobs in this area: 770
After cost of living: $51,700
Median hourly pay: $22.88/hr
vs U.S. median: −20%
vs North Carolina median: −3%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (area 49180, Winston-Salem, NC). 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	$38,020–$45,030$18.28–$21.65/hr
Experienced operator	$47,590$22.88/hr
Top earners	$51,590–$60,760$24.80–$29.21/hr

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

How Winston, NC compares

Winston ranks 13th of 16 North Carolina metro areas for heavy equipment operator pay.
Heavy equipment operators hold about the same share of jobs in the Winston area as nationally: 2.8 of every 1,000 jobs.
The 90th-percentile wage, $60,760, is 1.6 times the 10th-percentile wage, $38,020: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.

Other North Carolina metro areas

Other trades in Winston, NC

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

Questions

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Winston, NC?: Heavy equipment operators in the Winston–Salem, NC area earn a median of $47,590 a year, or $22.88 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $60,760.
How much do heavy equipment operators make an hour in Winston, NC?: The median hourly wage is $22.88. The middle half earn between $21.65 and $24.80 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
What do apprentice heavy equipment operators make in Winston, NC?: BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $18.28 an hour ($38,020 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $21.65.
Do heavy equipment operators make more in Winston or Virginia Beach?: Virginia Beach pays more: the median is $47,590 in Winston and $52,060 in Virginia Beach, a 9% difference.
How does Winston pay compare with the rest of North Carolina?: The Winston median of $47,590 is 3% less than the North Carolina median of $49,310.

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 49180 (Winston-Salem, NC). 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 (92.0, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures