How much do heavy equipment operators make an hour in Youngstown, OH?

The median hourly wage is $28.47. The middle half earn between $24.54 and $40.17 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)

What do apprentice heavy equipment operators make in Youngstown, OH?

BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $21.74 an hour ($45,210 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $24.54.

Do heavy equipment operators make more in Youngstown or Columbus?

Columbus pays more: the median is $59,210 in Youngstown and $78,950 in Columbus, a 25% difference.

How does Youngstown pay compare with the rest of Ohio?

The Youngstown median of $59,210 is 9% less than the Ohio median of $64,940.

Heavy equipment operator salary in Youngstown, OH

Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025

Heavy equipment operators in the Youngstown–Warren, OH area earn a median of $59,210 a year, or $28.47 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $97,160. Statewide, heavy equipment operators earn a median of $64,940; Youngstown is 9% below it.

Median yearly pay$59,210

Bottom 10% under$45,210Top 10% over$97,160

Apprentice starting pay (estimate): $21.74/hr
Jobs in this area: 420
After cost of living: $67,750
Median hourly pay: $28.47/hr
vs U.S. median: −1%
vs Ohio median: −9%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (area 49660, Youngstown-Warren, OH). 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	$45,210–$51,040$21.74–$24.54/hr
Experienced operator	$59,210$28.47/hr
Top earners	$83,560–$97,160$40.17–$46.71/hr

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

How Youngstown, OH compares

Youngstown ranks 10th of 15 Ohio metro areas for heavy equipment operator pay.
Heavy equipment operators are less concentrated in the Youngstown area than nationally: 2.6 of every 1,000 jobs, 0.86 times the U.S. share.
The 90th-percentile wage, $97,160, is 2.1 times the 10th-percentile wage, $45,210: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.

Other Ohio metro areas

Other trades in Youngstown, OH

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

Questions

How much do heavy equipment operators make in Youngstown, OH?: Heavy equipment operators in the Youngstown–Warren, OH area earn a median of $59,210 a year, or $28.47 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $97,160.
How much do heavy equipment operators make an hour in Youngstown, OH?: The median hourly wage is $28.47. The middle half earn between $24.54 and $40.17 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
What do apprentice heavy equipment operators make in Youngstown, OH?: BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $21.74 an hour ($45,210 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $24.54.
Do heavy equipment operators make more in Youngstown or Columbus?: Columbus pays more: the median is $59,210 in Youngstown and $78,950 in Columbus, a 25% difference.
How does Youngstown pay compare with the rest of Ohio?: The Youngstown median of $59,210 is 9% less than the Ohio median of $64,940.

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 49660 (Youngstown-Warren, OH). 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 (87.4, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures