Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator Salary in Columbus, OH
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in the Columbus, OH metro area earn a median $78,950 a year — 32% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $62,983 take-home, or $5,249 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator salary in Columbus, OH. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$8,539
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,895
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,145
- Ohio income tax$1,389
- Take-home pay$62,983
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 2.75% state
Living in Columbus? City residents also pay Columbus’s city income tax — about $1,974 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $61,009 ($5,084 a month). Choose “Columbus” 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 Columbus, OH
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $50,610 | $24.33 | $42,236 | $3,520 |
| 25th percentile | $62,050 | $29.83 | $51,113 | $4,259 |
| Median (50th) | $78,950 | $37.96 | $62,983 | $5,249 |
| 75th percentile | $95,780 | $46.05 | $74,360 | $6,197 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $99,390 | $47.78 | $76,800 | $6,400 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Ohio resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $78,950 buys in Columbus, OH
Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 12% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator's $62,983 take-home pay has the buying power of $65,972 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 about as common in Columbus, OH as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.97).
Best-paying cities for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, adjusted for cost of living
Columbus, OH ranks #6 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 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 37 metros →
About the job: operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +4.6% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator salaries elsewhere in Ohio
- Cleveland, OH — $71,740
- Cincinnati, OH — $66,950
Frequently asked questions
How much does a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator make in Columbus, OH?
The median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator salary in the Columbus, OH metro area is $78,950 a year, or about $37.96 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $62,050 and $95,780.
What is a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator’s take-home pay in Columbus, OH?
On the median $78,950 salary, a single filer living in Ohio takes home about $62,983 a year ($5,249 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,389 in Ohio taxes in 2026.
Is Columbus, OH a good place to work as a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator?
Pay here is 32% above the national median of $59,850. Local prices are 4.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $65,972 would in a typical U.S. city. Columbus, OH ranks #6 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 Columbus, OH?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Columbus, OH is $1,179 a month ($1,416 for two bedrooms) — 22% 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 Columbus, OH
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $82,360
- Carpenter — $66,480
- Electrician — $64,700
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $63,260
- Construction Laborer — $60,540