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Salary Guides / Virginia
Heavy Equipment Operator Salary in Virginia
Read Virginia earthmoving wage bands alongside national sector figures, then compare machine duties, weekly hours and benefits in offers.
What Heavy Equipment Operators Earn in Virginia
Virginia employee wages span $19.65–$37.62/hr across the lower and upper ranges shown here, or $40,870–$78,250 a year. These figures cover operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, including heavy equipment operators. They combine machines and employers across the state. For an excavator, dozer or grader offer, compare the assigned work, paid hours and benefits with that broader occupation. Record the machine and work location beside each offer.
Hourly rates by level in Virginia
What each rung of the trade is paid, before overtime and per diem.
Where do you stand?
Enter your hourly rate to see how it compares to other heavy equipment operators in Virginia.
What are you making?
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Use your base rate, not what you take home after overtime.
You're right around the middle
$28.00 is above roughly 46% of this market. The top quarter starts at $36.00, and the median sits at $29.00.
Calculate pay with extra credentials
Pick your level, add certifications, select shift — the estimate updates live.
1Your level
2Certifications you hold
3Shift & work type
4Overtime & per diem
An estimate, not an offer. Overtime is paid at time and a half past forty hours.
Who pays the most in Virginia
Highway earthworks, underground utilities and commercial sites offer different machine assignments. These national employee figures help compare sectors represented in Virginia construction.
Highway and Bridge Construction
Road grading puts dozer and grader operators alongside haul trucks and traffic controls. Ask how shift changes and weather stoppages affect paid hours. Separate the roadwork schedule from the hourly rate when comparing offers.
Utility System Construction
Trench excavation needs careful bucket positioning around marked services and ground crews. Compare digging responsibilities, backfill work and travel between utility sites. Ask which machine you will operate and who directs excavation near services.
Nonresidential Building Construction
Commercial building crews use loaders and excavators for foundations and site development. Discuss whether the job combines operating with ground duties between excavations. Include those duties when discussing the offered range and expected working week.
Which states pay heavy equipment operators the most
Median hourly across every state with a published guide for this trade. Cost of living is not netted out — compare take-home, not just the rate.
What each certification is worth
Sorted by payback speed.
| Certification | Rate bump | Extra / year | Cost | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IUOE Local 77 Operating Engineer Apprenticeship (journeyperson) | +$4.38 | $9,110 | $0 | 0 weeks |
| OSHA 30-Hour Construction | +$0.91 | $1,893 | $159 | 5 weeks |
| OSHA 10-Hour Construction | +$0.30 | $624 | $59 | 5 weeks |
| Excavation & Trenching Competent Person | +$0.24 | $499 | $195 | 21 weeks |
| NCCCO Signalperson | +$0.24 | $499 | $225 | 24 weeks |
| OSHA Silica in Construction (29 CFR 1926.1153) Training | +$0.03 | $62 | $30 | 25 weeks |
What overtime actually adds
Past forty hours the rate is time and a half. Built from the rate above. At $27.48/hr.
Questions workers ask
Does workers' compensation replace pay after a machine injury?▾
Can I claim unemployment during a winter layoff?▾
Does receiving a salary remove overtime rights?▾
See Open Heavy Equipment Operator Jobs in Virginia
Verified positions matching this trade and location.
Current BLS Virginia employee wages for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, SOC 47-2073; includes heavy equipment operators, excludes premium pay and benefits.
Last updated October 27, 2026. Rates are market estimates, not guarantees.