Families / Operate

Heavy Equipment Operator

Runs excavators, cranes and graders on construction and resource sites. Precision at scale, learned in the seat.

Pay band (est.)
$58k–$105k
Time to competence
3 years
Licence
Required
Setting
site
Leverage
low
Place constraint
low
Physical demand
68/100
Hours burden
65/100

Factor percentiles

Percentile against the whole curated set. Higher is better on that factor only.

  • Play33th

    Absorbing rather than merely paid.

  • Specific knowledge8th

    A combination of skills that is hard to copy.

  • Leverage14th

    Output that scales through code, media, capital or crew.

  • Demand57th

    Durability and shortage, scored conservatively.

  • Pay49th

    Mid-career floor and the range above it.

  • Body26th

    Inverse of physical demand and hours.

  • Autonomy3th

    Control of methods and time.

  • People fit36th

    Distance from your preferred people level.

  • Place flexibility47th

    Remote fit and freedom from specific metros.

  • Time to skill91th

    Inverse of years to competence.

  • Meaning load19th

    Care, craft and stewardship weight. Not a moral score.

  • Downside tolerance11th

    Inverse of named risk to body, market or platform.

Downside

Weather and layoffs between projects; vibration and noise.

Examine this against your weights

The percentiles above use the default weights. Set your own on the ranking and this vocation moves with them.

Source note: BLS-style patterns; estimate. All figures are estimates for comparison.