WAGE DATA · SOC 47-2073
OPERATING ENGINEER PAY
IN VIRGINIA.
Virginia operating engineers earn a median of $25.11/hr (BLS 2024). 11,280 workers employed statewide. Compare market wages, federal prevailing rates, and per-diem baselines below.
// BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS · STATEWIDEOEWS · MAY 2024
HOURLY MEDIAN
$25.11/hr
MEAN HOURLY
$26.92/hr
ANNUAL MEDIAN
$52K
EMPLOYED
11,280
10th · $19.03MEDIAN · $25.1190th · $35.48
// DAVIS-BACON · FEDERAL PREVAILING WAGEDATA SOON
Federal Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates for operating engineers in Virginia 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 Virginia 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.
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FAQ
How much does a operating engineer earn in Virginia?+
According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2024), operating engineers in Virginia earn a median of $25.11/hr. That's roughly $52K/year for a full-time schedule at straight time.
What's the top pay for operating engineers in Virginia?+
The top 10% of operating engineers in Virginia earn more than $35.48/hr (BLS 2024). That represents experienced workers, supervisors, or those on high-per-diem travel contracts.
How many operating engineers work in Virginia?+
BLS reports 11,280 operating engineers employed in Virginia 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 Virginia get per diem?+
Per diem is standard on travel contracts. The federal GSA baseline for Virginia 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.