WAGE DATA · SOC 47-2073

OPERATING ENGINEER PAY
IN CALIFORNIA.

California operating engineers earn a median of $42.85/hr (BLS 2024). 36,040 workers employed statewide. Compare market wages, federal prevailing rates, and per-diem baselines below.

// BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS · STATEWIDEOEWS · MAY 2024
HOURLY MEDIAN
$42.85/hr
MEAN HOURLY
$45.04/hr
ANNUAL MEDIAN
$89K
EMPLOYED
36,040
10th · $26.31MEDIAN · $42.8590th · $63.08
// DAVIS-BACON · FEDERAL PREVAILING WAGEDATA SOON

Federal Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates for operating engineers in California will be imported from SAM.gov in our next data refresh. These are the legally-required minimum wages on federally-funded construction projects — crucial for comparing offers against the federal floor.

// GSA PER DIEM · FY 2026GSA

Lodging + M&IE by City

The federal government's per-diem rate is the baseline most contractors use. If your job's per diem is below this, you're subsidizing the contractor.

Santa Monica
City limits of Santa Monica
$365
/day · meals $92
San Francisco
San Francisco
$355
/day · meals $92
Napa
Napa
$326
/day · meals $92
Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara
$307
/day · meals $92
Monterey
Monterey
$301
/day · meals $92
San Diego
San Diego
$291
/day · meals $86
Sunnyvale / Palo Alto / San Jose
Santa Clara
$284
/day · meals $92
Los Angeles
Los Angeles / Orange / Ventura / Edwards AFB less the city of Santa Monica
$277
/day · meals $86
Yosemite National Park
Mariposa
$274
/day · meals $86
South Lake Tahoe
El Dorado
$270
/day · meals $86
San Mateo / Foster City / Belmont
San Mateo
$269
/day · meals $86
San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo
$256
/day · meals $86
// ROADHAND COMMUNITY DATABE FIRST

What are workers actually earning?

Government data is a baseline. Real take-home pay — including per diem, OT rules, housing allowances — comes from workers on the ground. Submit your pay anonymously to help the next hand.

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OTHER TRADES IN CALIFORNIA

ElectricianWelderPipefitterIronworkerMillwrightBoilermakerCarpenterPlumberInsulator

OPERATING ENGINEER PAY IN OTHER STATES

AlaskaColoradoLouisianaMontanaNew MexicoNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaTexasWest VirginiaWyoming

FAQ

How much does a operating engineer earn in California?+
According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2024), operating engineers in California earn a median of $42.85/hr. That's roughly $89K/year for a full-time schedule at straight time.
What's the top pay for operating engineers in California?+
The top 10% of operating engineers in California earn more than $63.08/hr (BLS 2024). That represents experienced workers, supervisors, or those on high-per-diem travel contracts.
How many operating engineers work in California?+
BLS reports 36,040 operating engineers employed in California as of 2024. Numbers fluctuate with major construction cycles — when big projects like LNG terminals or data centers start, demand spikes.
Do operating engineers in California get per diem?+
Per diem is standard on travel contracts. The federal GSA baseline for California is typically $150-$260/day depending on the city. Contractors may set their per diem higher or lower — if it's below the GSA floor, you're subsidizing the contractor's housing budget out of pocket.
What's Davis-Bacon prevailing wage?+
Davis-Bacon rates are the legally-required minimum wages on federally-funded construction projects — base pay plus fringe benefits. Every contractor working a federal job must pay at least the Davis-Bacon rate for that county and trade. Private-sector jobs don't have to match, but many do as a competitive floor.