Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator Salary in St. Louis, MO
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn a median $82,270 a year — 37% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $63,778 take-home, or $5,315 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator salary in St. Louis, MO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,269
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,101
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,193
- Missouri income tax$2,929
- Take-home pay$63,778
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.70% state
Living in St. Louis? City residents also pay St. Louis’s Earnings Tax — about $823 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $62,955 ($5,246 a month). Choose “St. Louis” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The St. Louis, MO-IL metro spans Missouri, Illinois. 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 St. Louis, MO
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $47,210 | $22.70 | $38,832 | $3,236 |
| 25th percentile | $58,600 | $28.17 | $47,448 | $3,954 |
| Median (50th) | $82,270 | $39.55 | $63,778 | $5,315 |
| 75th percentile | $94,250 | $45.31 | $71,642 | $5,970 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $100,810 | $48.47 | $75,949 | $6,329 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Missouri resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $82,270 buys in St. Louis, MO
Prices in St. Louis, MO are 4.9% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 21% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator's $63,778 take-home pay has the buying power of $67,072 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 St. Louis, MO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.02).
Best-paying cities for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, adjusted for cost of living
St. Louis, MO ranks #5 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 Missouri
- Kansas City, MO — $64,060
Frequently asked questions
How much does a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator make in St. Louis, MO?
The median operating engineer and other construction equipment operator salary in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area is $82,270 a year, or about $39.55 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $58,600 and $94,250.
What is a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator’s take-home pay in St. Louis, MO?
On the median $82,270 salary, a single filer living in Missouri takes home about $63,778 a year ($5,315 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,929 in Missouri taxes in 2026.
Is St. Louis, MO a good place to work as a operating engineer and other construction equipment operator?
Pay here is 37% above the national median of $59,850. Local prices are 4.9% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $67,072 would in a typical U.S. city. St. Louis, MO ranks #5 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 St. Louis, MO?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in St. Louis, MO is $989 a month ($1,211 for two bedrooms) — 19% 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 St. Louis, MO
- First-Line Supervisor of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers — $96,620
- Electrician — $77,170
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters — $77,000
- Carpenter — $70,990
- Cement Mason and Concrete Finisher — $64,670
- Construction Laborer — $64,500
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance — $59,810