Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY is $73,650. BLS estimates approximately 950 people work in this occupation in Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY is 23.1% above the national median ($59,850).
Salary Distribution
Not everyone earns the median. Percentile wages show the range of pay within this occupation.
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,170 | $23.64 |
| 25th percentile | $57,450 | $27.62 |
| Median (50th) | $73,650 | $35.41 |
| 75th percentile | $92,600 | $44.52 |
| 90th percentile | $114,540 | $55.07 |
Data Reliability
BLS OEWS is a survey, not a full census — every estimate carries a margin of error. The relative standard error (RSE) below is BLS’s own measure of how much an estimate could vary; lower is more precise.
- Wage estimate
- RSE 2.7% — Very reliable
- Employment estimate
- RSE 8.7% — Reliable
Where Does Your Salary Fall?
Enter an annual salary to see roughly where it falls among reported wages for this occupation, based on the percentile points above.
Concentration
- Jobs per 1,000
- 1.774
- Location quotient
- 0.58
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY’s regional price level is below the national average (index 95.844, where 100 = U.S. average). Adjusted for that, the median salary has the purchasing power of $76,844 at the national price level.
This is a Career Atlas USA calculation based on BLS wage data and BEA Regional Price Parities. It is not a separate BLS wage estimate. Wage data: May 2025. Cost-of-living data: 2024.
Sources
Wage data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — May 2025 (release 25).
Figures shown as “Not available” reflect wages the source does not publish (e.g. suppressed for reliability), not zero.