WAGE DATA · SOC 47-2073
OPERATING ENGINEER PAY
IN KENTUCKY.
Kentucky operating engineers earn a median of $27.43/hr (BLS 2024). 7,020 workers employed statewide. Compare market wages, federal prevailing rates, and per-diem baselines below.
// BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS · STATEWIDEOEWS · MAY 2024
HOURLY MEDIAN
$27.43/hr
MEAN HOURLY
$28.47/hr
ANNUAL MEDIAN
$57K
EMPLOYED
7,020
10th · $20.00MEDIAN · $27.4390th · $38.97
// DAVIS-BACON · FEDERAL PREVAILING WAGEDATA SOON
Federal Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates for operating engineers in Kentucky 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 DIEMDATA SOON
GSA per-diem rates for Kentucky will be available in the next data refresh.
// 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.
SHARE YOUR PAYOTHER TRADES IN KENTUCKY
OPERATING ENGINEER PAY IN OTHER STATES
FAQ
How much does a operating engineer earn in Kentucky?+
According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2024), operating engineers in Kentucky earn a median of $27.43/hr. That's roughly $57K/year for a full-time schedule at straight time.
What's the top pay for operating engineers in Kentucky?+
The top 10% of operating engineers in Kentucky earn more than $38.97/hr (BLS 2024). That represents experienced workers, supervisors, or those on high-per-diem travel contracts.
How many operating engineers work in Kentucky?+
BLS reports 7,020 operating engineers employed in Kentucky 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 Kentucky get per diem?+
Per diem is standard on travel contracts. The federal GSA baseline for Kentucky 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.