Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $66,810 a year — 12% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $53,780 take-home, or $4,482 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$5,868
- Social Security (6.2%)$4,142
- Medicare (1.45%)$969
- Pennsylvania income tax$2,051
- Take-home pay$53,780
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $2,499 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $51,281 ($4,273 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
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 Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,780 | $23.45 | $39,877 | $3,323 |
| 25th percentile | $56,410 | $27.12 | $45,774 | $3,814 |
| Median (50th) | $66,810 | $32.12 | $53,780 | $4,482 |
| 75th percentile | $92,410 | $44.43 | $71,003 | $5,917 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $113,310 | $54.48 | $85,065 | $7,089 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $66,810 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator's $53,780 take-home pay has the buying power of $52,440 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 Philadelphia, PA than nationally (location quotient 0.63), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #21 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 |
| 21 | Philadelphia, PA | $66,810 | $53,780 | $52,440 |
*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 Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, PA — $62,320
Frequently asked questions
How much does a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $66,810 a year, or about $32.12 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $56,410 and $92,410.
What is a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $66,810 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $53,780 a year ($4,482 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,051 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator?
Pay here is 12% above the national median of $59,850. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $52,440 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #21 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 Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 34% 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 Philadelphia, PA
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $95,840
- Construction and Building Inspector — $75,710
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $74,860
- Electrician — $74,590
- Carpenter — $61,780
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance — $57,410
- Construction Laborer — $55,120
- Highway Maintenance Worker — $43,890