Construction Laborers vs Construction Equipment Operators
Median pay is about $13k higher for Construction Equipment Operators. The usual entry education is no formal credential for Construction Laborers and high school for Construction Equipment Operators.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Construction Laborers | Construction Equipment Operators |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $47,120 | $59,850, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $38,620 | $48,680, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $59,740 | $77,170, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +7.3% Growing fast, higher | +4.6% Growing fast |
| Openings a year | 120,000 | 39,200 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | No formal credential | High school |
| Difficulty modeled | 1.8 / 5 | 2.4 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 12th pct | 12th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Construction Laborers
- Writing
Only Construction Equipment Operators
- Active Learning
Both lean on speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, critical thinking, monitoring.
More comparisons
Compare Construction Laborers with
Compare Construction Equipment Operators with
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.