California
Operating Engineer programs in California
9 listed heavy equipment operator programs in California, plus BLS pay data for the state and 25 metro areas.
- $94,000Average pay (state, all experience levels)
- $52,760Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $87,160Median pay (state)
- $132,210Top 10% earn over
36,020 jobs in California · 9 listed programs. Average = BLS mean across all experience levels, not starting pay. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.
Cities with listed programs
BLS wage data
Operating Engineer pay in California
Annual wages from the BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15.
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $52,760 | $65,230 | $87,160 | $125,560 | $132,210 | $94,000 | 36,020 |
| United States | $42,190 | $48,680 | $59,850 | $77,170 | $101,090 | $66,290 | 478,090 |
Metro areas
| Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,910 | $79,200 | $124,750 | $133,820 | $149,260 | $110,300 | 4,080 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,680 | $79,470 | $124,340 | $130,150 | $152,760 | $111,400 | 1,360 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $56,900 | $74,880 | $105,080 | $130,960 | $144,270 | $101,710 | 710 |
| Vallejo, CA | $59,880 | $71,640 | $95,100 | $124,480 | $135,570 | $97,740 | 630 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $52,460 | $65,310 | $92,890 | $125,860 | $130,720 | $94,200 | 8,780 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $57,910 | $71,650 | $91,650 | $124,500 | $131,260 | $95,640 | 2,920 |
| Modesto, CA | $52,020 | $67,740 | $90,560 | $129,270 | $131,850 | $95,910 | 430 |
| Napa, CA | $47,760 | $61,640 | $90,060 | $120,490 | $139,140 | $92,040 | 160 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $54,520 | $68,810 | $83,670 | $125,700 | $136,080 | $94,160 | 3,130 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $53,740 | $68,430 | $83,290 | $124,940 | $131,870 | $92,940 | 780 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $52,560 | $65,270 | $81,500 | $113,060 | $131,060 | $86,620 | 400 |
| Yuba City, CA | $56,130 | $64,930 | $80,620 | $126,100 | $136,330 | $91,900 | 230 |
Programs
Listed programs in California
Every heavy equipment operator program we matched in California. Schools with published tuition are listed first.
| Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield College Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Bakersfield, CA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 0 | $1,450–$11,530 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Butte College Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Oroville, CA | Certificate (1-2 years) | 53 | $1,374–$9,534 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Coalinga College Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Coalinga, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 17 | $1,384–$11,914 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Santiago Canyon College Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Orange, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 23 | $1,160–$11,384 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Shasta College Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Redding, CA | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 11 | $1,199–$8,927 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Joint Apprenticeship Committee for Operating Engineers for the 46 Northern Counties in California | Sloughhouse, CA | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| Operating Engineers JATC for 46 Northern Counties in CA | Sloughhouse, CA | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| SO CA Operating Engineers JAC | Whittier, CA | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| Southern California Operating Engineers Joint Apprenticeship Committee | Whittier, CA | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
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Related resources
Keep researching
GI Bill heavy equipment operator schoolsSchools approved for VA benefits. · VeteranTradeSchools.comVerified CDL training schoolsMany equipment jobs also involve hauling machines; compare CDL programs. · VerifiedCDLSchools.comRegistered apprenticeships in CaliforniaThe full DOL sponsor list for the state. · RegisteredTradeSchools.com
Sources
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (news release USDL-26-0725; data tables). Cross-checked against the BLS Public Data API on 2026-11-03.
- Occupation: O*NET OnLine, 47-2073.00 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, retrieved 2026-11-03 (CC BY 4.0).
- Apprenticeship sponsors: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship: partner sponsors file, retrieved 2026-10-29 (Partner Finder).
- Schools & graduates: U.S. Department of Education, NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24 (C2024_A) and Institutional Characteristics (HD2024), award year 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code (completions file; CIP-SOC crosswalk).
- Tuition: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (Most Recent Cohorts: Institution + Field of Study), data updated 2026-10-15, matched by IPEDS unit ID (source).
Program listings are matched from public files by occupation code or organization name; they are not endorsements and we have not visited or tested any program. Confirm schedules, entry requirements and costs with the program. Compiled by the HighPayingTrades team; last refreshed 2026-11-03.