Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Salary in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
According to the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the median annual wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is $79,430. BLS estimates approximately 2,070 people work in this occupation in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI. Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI is 32.7% 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 | $61,390 | $29.52 |
| 25th percentile | $64,310 | $30.92 |
| Median (50th) | $79,430 | $38.19 |
| 75th percentile | $95,310 | $45.82 |
| 90th percentile | $100,860 | $48.49 |
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 1.1% — Very reliable
- Employment estimate
- RSE 3.5% — Very 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
- 2.522
- Location quotient
- 0.82
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI’s regional price level is below the national average (index 96.937, where 100 = U.S. average). Adjusted for that, the median salary has the purchasing power of $81,940 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.