Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator Salary in Baltimore, MD
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area earn a median $60,740 a year — 1% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $48,463 take-home, or $4,039 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator salary in Baltimore, MD. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,109
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,766
- Medicare (1.45%)$881
- Maryland income tax$2,522
- Take-home pay$48,463
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.75% state
Living in Baltimore City? City residents also pay Baltimore City’s city income tax — about $1,734 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $46,729 ($3,894 a month). Choose “Baltimore City” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator pay by experience in Baltimore, MD
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,370 | $22.77 | $38,355 | $3,196 |
| 25th percentile | $49,220 | $23.66 | $39,754 | $3,313 |
| Median (50th) | $60,740 | $29.20 | $48,463 | $4,039 |
| 75th percentile | $67,600 | $32.50 | $53,539 | $4,462 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $77,770 | $37.39 | $60,211 | $5,018 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Maryland resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $60,740 buys in Baltimore, MD
Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.5% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.18× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator's $48,463 take-home pay has the buying power of $46,382 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator jobs are less concentrated in Baltimore, MD than nationally (location quotient 0.80), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, adjusted for cost of living
Baltimore, MD ranks #26 of 37 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $124,750 | $87,539 | $75,717 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $103,100 | $76,402 | $73,751 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $95,750 | $76,190 | $68,558 |
| 4 | Indianapolis, IN | $82,190 | $64,256 | $67,146 |
| 5 | St. Louis, MO | $82,270 | $63,778 | $67,072 |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $78,950 | $62,983 | $65,972 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $91,650 | $67,820 | $63,580 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $95,050 | $71,130 | $63,191 |
| 26 | Baltimore, MD | $60,740 | $48,463 | $46,382 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 37 metros →
Frequently asked questions
How much does a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator make in Baltimore, MD?
The median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator salary in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD metro area is $60,740 a year, or about $29.20 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $49,220 and $67,600.
What is a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator’s take-home pay in Baltimore, MD?
On the median $60,740 salary, a single filer living in Maryland takes home about $48,463 a year ($4,039 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,522 in Maryland taxes in 2026.
Is Baltimore, MD a good place to work as a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator?
Pay here is 1% above the national median of $59,850. Local prices are 4.5% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $46,382 would in a typical U.S. city. Baltimore, MD ranks #26 of 37 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator afford rent in Baltimore, MD?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Baltimore, MD is $1,511 a month ($1,857 for two bedrooms) — 37% of a median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Baltimore, MD
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $77,690
- Electrician — $65,590
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $63,200
- Carpenter — $62,380
- Construction Laborer — $46,460