Construction Equipment Operators vs Paving & Surfacing Operators
Median pay is about $7k higher for Construction Equipment Operators. Both usually start with the same education: high school.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Construction Equipment Operators | Paving & Surfacing Operators |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $59,850, higher | $53,340 |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $48,680, higher | $45,610 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $77,170, higher | $64,720 |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +4.6% Growing fast, higher | -0.9% Declining |
| Openings a year | 39,200 | 3,100 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | High school | High school |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.4 / 5 | 2 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 12th pct | 40th pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: monitoring, active listening, reading comprehension, speaking, critical thinking, active learning.
More comparisons
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.