Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay range in Dubuque
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,660 a year or less, while the top 10% make $91,490 or more. The middle half of operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Dubuque earn between $56,000 and $73,880.
- $49K10th
- $56K25th
- $62KMedian
- $74K75th
- $91K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $64,840 | $5,403 | $31.17 |
| Median | $62,250 | $5,188 | $29.93 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $56,000 | $4,667 | $26.92 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $73,880 | $6,157 | $35.52 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators pay in Dubuque vs. Iowa and the U.S.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Dubuque earn about the same as the Iowa average ($63,770) and about the same as the U.S. average ($66,290). At the median the gap is +4% against the U.S. median of $59,850.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque | $64,840 | $62,250 | $48,660 | $91,490 | 160 |
| Iowa | $63,770 | $60,330 | $46,690 | $87,460 | 5,530 |
| United States | $66,290 | $59,850 | $42,190 | $101,090 | 478,090 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary after taxes in Dubuque
On the average salary of $64,840, a single filer in Dubuque takes home about $52,427 a year, or $4,369 a month and $2,016 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Is Dubuque a good place for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Dubuque area are 13% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 87.3), so the average $64,840 buys what about $74,249 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Dubuque ($48,750). A typical home costs $279,463, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary in other Iowa cities
Dubuque ranks 5th of 8 Iowa metro areas for this job; Waterloo pays the most ($82,640).
- Waterloo$82,640
- Davenport$68,940
- Des Moines$66,340
- Cedar Rapids$65,400
- Dubuque$64,840
- Iowa City$63,080
- Ames$62,770
- Sioux City$59,840
All Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salaries in Iowa
Highest-paying cities for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($111,400).
- San Jose, CA$111,400
- San Francisco, CA$110,300
- Kahului, HI$106,970
- Honolulu, HI$104,010
- Santa Rosa, CA$101,710
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary by city
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Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators salary in Dubuque: questions
How much do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators make an hour in Dubuque?
$31.18 an hour on average, and $29.93 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary in Dubuque?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,660 a year and the 25th percentile is $56,000, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the operating engineers and other construction equipment operators take-home pay in Dubuque?
About $52,427 a year ($4,369 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $64,840. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Do operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn more in Dubuque than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($66,290).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 47-2073; area Dubuque, IA (20220). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.3%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.91, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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