Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
SOC Code: 47-2073
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators carries a 25% AI exposure score (Medium automation risk), with a median annual wage of $58,710 and +3.6% projected employment growth from 2024 to 2034 (BLS), affecting approximately 489,300 workers. Full task breakdown, skills, and employer data are below.
Proportion of tasks susceptible to AI automation (O*NET analysis)
At 25% AI exposure, Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators sits 12 points below the 37.2% average across 832 U.S. occupations - more exposed than 15% of them. Most of its core tasks still require human judgment.
Career outlook score
65/100
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, weighted across 3 of 3 tracked dimensions
A weighted composite of median wage, projected growth, and AI-automation security (inverted exposure), each benchmarked against every other tracked occupation. It describes this occupation's standing across those three dimensions, not a guarantee of future outcomes.
- Median wage C- $58,710
Annual median wage, percentile rank vs all tracked occupations
- Projected growth C+ +3.6%
Projected employment change, 2024-2034, BLS Employment Projections
- AI exposure (inverted) A 25% exposure
Lower O*NET task-automability scores lower risk; this dimension scores security, not exposure
Home health and personal care aides is #1 of 832 occupations by employment (4.3M, AI exposure rank #392 at 35%) vs. Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks #1 by AI task exposure (95%, employment rank #17 at 1.6M).
Automation-risk inventory
Exclusive cut of 832 occupations by PlainWorkforce automation-risk band. Orthogonal to the continuous AI-exposure distribution chart below and to this occupation's single risk badge, this is the corpus band mix, with Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in the Medium band.
Credential × growth standing
Open entry with non-declining BLS pace
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators keeps an HS / some college bar (333 of 832) and sits in Average (378 of 832). Lower formal gates with a non-shrinking employment line - skill and AI desks matter more than credentials here.
Where Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators sits among all occupations
AI-exposure score distribution across 832 U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis). This occupation is marked in rose.
Where Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators sits by AI exposure
AI-exposure score distribution across U.S. occupations (O*NET task analysis)
25% Among the lowest lower than 85% of 832 occupations
Occupations, banded by AI-exposure score
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor) · BLS 2024–2034
Source: O*NET task data (U.S. Department of Labor); AI-exposure scores are PlainWorkforce's analysis. As of BLS 2024–2034.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators vs. its occupational neighbors
AI exposure (horizontal) vs projected 2024–2034 growth (vertical) for occupations in the same SOC group. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators is marked in rose; the top-left corner is the most future-proof.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 (growth) and O*NET (AI-exposure analysis by PlainWorkforce).
Employment Projections
Where This Score Comes From
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators's Medium automation-risk tier is computed from O*NET Database 30.0 task-level analysis, where each documented task the occupation performs is evaluated against current generative AI, robotic process automation, and machine-learning capabilities. A score below 40% reflects tasks anchored in physical dexterity, unstructured environments, or high-touch human interaction that current AI cannot reliably replicate.
The employment, wage, and education figures above come from a second, separate federal source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034, matched to the O*NET task data by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC 47-2073) code, with the wage figure cross-validated against the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024 survey. BLS figures are presented exactly as published, with no adjustment on our part; the SOC-code match is what lets Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators be compared directly against every other tracked occupation on the same basis, not just roles that happen to share a job title.
For career planners, this profile should be read alongside the task, skill, and knowledge breakdowns below and the list of employers whose workforce composition includes Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators. Adjacent occupations shown further down offer lateral moves that preserve industry knowledge while potentially reducing exposure.
Education & Entry Requirements
Registered Apprenticeship Pathway Available
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators is a recognized registered apprenticeship occupation under the DOL RAPIDS system. Earn while you train, apprentices typically start at ~$16/hr and reach $28–$46/hr upon completion, depending on the specific trade and region.
Top Tasks (O*NET)
- 1. Learn and follow safety regulations.
- 2. Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
- 3. Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.
- 4. Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
- 5. Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
- 6. Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.
- 7. Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.
- 8. Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines.
- 9. Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.
- 10. Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.
Key Skills Required
- Operation and Control
- Operations Monitoring
- Equipment Maintenance
- Monitoring
- Active Listening
- Troubleshooting
- Time Management
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge Areas
- Mechanical
- English Language
- Public Safety and Security
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
- Customer and Personal Service
- Education and Training
- Transportation
- Building and Construction
- Engineering and Technology
Frequently Asked Questions
Will AI replace Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators has an AI exposure score of 25%, indicating a medium level of automation risk. The majority of tasks in this role require human judgment, creativity, or physical presence that AI cannot easily replicate.
What is the job outlook for Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
According to BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034, Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators is projected to grow by 3.6% over the decade. Current employment stands at approximately 489,300 workers.
What skills are needed for Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Key skills for Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators include Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Equipment Maintenance, and others. Typical entry-level education is High school diploma or equivalent.
How much do Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn?
The median annual wage for Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators is $58,710, according to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2024). Actual earnings vary by location, experience, industry, and employer. The BLS publishes detailed wage percentiles by region in its Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program.
What education is required for Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
The typical entry-level education for Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators is High school diploma or equivalent. Employers generally expect None of related work experience. On-the-job training typically involves Moderate-term on-the-job training. Requirements can vary by employer and specialization.
Which companies employ Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators roles exist across many industries and employers. Workforce composition is estimated from BLS industry-occupation employment distributions matched to SEC-registered public companies.
AI Exposure Rating
Medium automation risk based on 10 analyzed tasks. Most tasks require human judgment and are resistant to automation.
Nationwide occupations with similar workforce profiles
Two data-derived peer sets for Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators: AI-exposure neighbors and BLS 2034 growth neighbors (distinct comparison neighborhoods, cross-occupation).
Similar AI exposure score
Nearest O*NET task-automability scores nationwide (25% here).
- Dermatologists · AI exposure 25%
- Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors · AI exposure 25%
- Firefighters · AI exposure 25%
- Funeral attendants · AI exposure 25%
Similar projected growth (2024–2034)
Nearest BLS employment change rates nationwide (+3.6% here).
- Automotive glass installers and repairers · growth +3.6%
- Cleaning, washing, and metal pickling equipment operators and tenders · growth +3.6%
- Crossing guards and flaggers · growth +3.6%
- Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other · growth +3.6%
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on published BLS + O*NET metrics among occupations with ≥10,000 workers in 2024; corpus ranks above sort the full tracked set.
Related Occupations
Showing 6 of 43 occupations with a comparable automation-risk profile.
What to do with this
Use Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators' numbers above to compare, not just read in isolation.
- Compare Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators side by side against another occupation on wage, growth, and AI exposure. Workforce comparison tool
- Understand how the AI exposure score above is actually calculated before treating it as a verdict. Reading AI exposure scores
- See the full ranked list of occupations with the lowest automation exposure nationwide. Safest occupations from AI
AI exposure scores estimate task automatability from O*NET data; they are not a certainty of job loss, and BLS growth projections are estimates, not guarantees.
Data sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2024–2034 and O*NET Database 30.0. Employment figures are rounded. Wage data from BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES).