WAGE DATA · SOC 47-2073

OPERATING ENGINEER PAY
IN TEXAS.

Texas operating engineers earn a median of $23.87/hr (BLS 2024). 55,290 workers employed statewide. Compare market wages, federal prevailing rates, and per-diem baselines below.

// BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS · STATEWIDEOEWS · MAY 2024
HOURLY MEDIAN
$23.87/hr
MEAN HOURLY
$25.12/hr
ANNUAL MEDIAN
$50K
EMPLOYED
55,290
10th · $18.39MEDIAN · $23.8790th · $31.60
// DAVIS-BACON · FEDERAL PREVAILING WAGEDATA SOON

Federal Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates for operating engineers in Texas will be imported from SAM.gov in our next data refresh. These are the legally-required minimum wages on federally-funded construction projects — crucial for comparing offers against the federal floor.

// GSA PER DIEM · FY 2026GSA

Lodging + M&IE by City

The federal government's per-diem rate is the baseline most contractors use. If your job's per diem is below this, you're subsidizing the contractor.

Arlington / Fort Worth / Grapevine
Tarrant / City of Grapevine
$261
/day · meals $80
Austin
Travis
$257
/day · meals $80
Dallas
Dallas
$255
/day · meals $80
San Antonio
Bexar
$215
/day · meals $74
Houston
Montgomery / Fort Bend / Harris
$208
/day · meals $80
Plano
Collin
$203
/day · meals $80
Midland / Odessa
Midland / Andrews / Ector / Martin
$203
/day · meals $74
South Padre Island
Cameron
$201
/day · meals $74
Pecos
Reeves
$195
/day · meals $74
Galveston
Galveston
$191
/day · meals $74
Big Spring
Howard
$182
/day · meals $68
Standard Rate
Texas
$178
/day · meals $68
// ROADHAND COMMUNITY DATABE FIRST

What are workers actually earning?

Government data is a baseline. Real take-home pay — including per diem, OT rules, housing allowances — comes from workers on the ground. Submit your pay anonymously to help the next hand.

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OTHER TRADES IN TEXAS

ElectricianWelderPipefitterIronworkerMillwrightBoilermakerCarpenterPlumberInsulator

OPERATING ENGINEER PAY IN OTHER STATES

AlaskaCaliforniaColoradoLouisianaMontanaNew MexicoNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaWest VirginiaWyoming

FAQ

How much does a operating engineer earn in Texas?+
According to BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2024), operating engineers in Texas earn a median of $23.87/hr. That's roughly $50K/year for a full-time schedule at straight time.
What's the top pay for operating engineers in Texas?+
The top 10% of operating engineers in Texas earn more than $31.60/hr (BLS 2024). That represents experienced workers, supervisors, or those on high-per-diem travel contracts.
How many operating engineers work in Texas?+
BLS reports 55,290 operating engineers employed in Texas as of 2024. Numbers fluctuate with major construction cycles — when big projects like LNG terminals or data centers start, demand spikes.
Do operating engineers in Texas get per diem?+
Per diem is standard on travel contracts. The federal GSA baseline for Texas is typically $150-$260/day depending on the city. Contractors may set their per diem higher or lower — if it's below the GSA floor, you're subsidizing the contractor's housing budget out of pocket.
What's Davis-Bacon prevailing wage?+
Davis-Bacon rates are the legally-required minimum wages on federally-funded construction projects — base pay plus fringe benefits. Every contractor working a federal job must pay at least the Davis-Bacon rate for that county and trade. Private-sector jobs don't have to match, but many do as a competitive floor.