--- title: "Operating Engineer Programs in Georgia: Pay & Tuition" canonical: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/georgia/ description: "Operating Engineer pay in Georgia: BLS average $49,660 (all experience levels), median $47,880, bottom 10% $37,810. 2 listed programs." updated: 2026-11-03 wage_source: "BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15" --- 1. [Home](https://highpayingtrades.com/) 2. [Trades](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/) 3. [Operating Engineer](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/) 4. Georgia Georgia # Operating Engineer programs in *Georgia* 2 listed heavy equipment operator programs in Georgia, plus BLS pay data for the state and 15 metro areas. - **$49,660** Average pay (state, all experience levels) - **$37,810** Entry-level / bottom 10% - **$47,880** Median pay (state) - **$62,840** Top 10% earn over 15,700 jobs in Georgia · 2 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 - [Cedartown 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/georgia/cedartown/) - [Pooler 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/georgia/pooler/) BLS wage data ## Operating Engineer pay in Georgia 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Georgia | $37,810 | $41,670 | $47,880 | $56,940 | $62,840 | $49,660 | 15,700 | | United States | $42,190 | $48,680 | $59,850 | $77,170 | $101,090 | $66,290 | 478,090 | Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. ### Metro areas | Area | 10th pct | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | 90th pct | Mean | Employed | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $40,370 | $45,250 | $50,320 | $59,840 | $77,320 | $54,870 | 750 | | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $39,610 | $46,240 | $49,430 | $59,220 | $64,680 | $52,100 | 8,360 | | Savannah, GA | $38,210 | $44,940 | $48,810 | $60,630 | $70,900 | $52,590 | 720 | | Gainesville, GA | $38,180 | $41,430 | $48,350 | $54,490 | $61,430 | $48,520 | 300 | | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $38,710 | $43,570 | $48,190 | $57,870 | $67,040 | $51,440 | 670 | | Warner Robins, GA | $39,130 | $40,300 | $48,110 | $57,540 | $63,110 | $49,860 | 240 | | Hinesville, GA | $36,680 | $43,130 | $47,510 | $64,130 | $74,300 | $52,550 | 60 | | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $35,520 | $39,050 | $46,600 | $57,500 | $63,110 | $48,950 | 190 | | Columbus, GA-AL | $37,130 | $38,870 | $46,430 | $47,880 | $56,550 | $45,710 | 490 | | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $38,500 | $43,530 | $46,300 | $50,980 | $58,200 | $48,790 | 310 | | Albany, GA | $36,980 | $38,440 | $45,460 | $46,800 | $55,240 | $44,270 | 260 | | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $33,830 | $38,830 | $44,300 | $46,400 | $55,690 | $44,060 | 230 | Metropolitan area estimates, BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. Only areas BLS published are shown. Programs ## Listed programs in Georgia Every heavy equipment operator program we matched in Georgia. Schools with published tuition are listed first. | Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | IUOE Local 926 JATP | Cedartown, GA | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship | | Savannah Operating Engineers | Pooler, GA | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship | Schools: NCES IPEDS Completions 2023-24, matched by 6-digit CIP code; “Graduates 2023-24” is the number of first-major certificates or associate degrees the school awarded in that program from July 2023 to June 2024 (IPEDS). Tuition: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (updated 2026-10-15), matched by IPEDS unit ID; it is the published figure, not a quote. Apprenticeship sponsors: DOL Office of Apprenticeship partner file (retrieved 2026-10-29); apprenticeships are typically paid, so no tuition is listed — contact the program. ### Browse by city - [Cedartown 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/georgia/cedartown/) - [Pooler 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/georgia/pooler/) Related resources ## Keep researching [**GI Bill heavy equipment operator schools** Schools approved for VA benefits. · VeteranTradeSchools.com](https://veterantradeschools.com/heavy-equipment-operator/) [**Verified CDL training schools** Many equipment jobs also involve hauling machines; compare CDL programs. · VerifiedCDLSchools.com](https://verifiedcdlschools.com/) [**Registered apprenticeships in Georgia** The full DOL sponsor list for the state. · RegisteredTradeSchools.com](https://registeredtradeschools.com/apprenticeships/ga/) ## 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](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm); [data tables](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm)). 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](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/47-2073.00), 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](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/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](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter/data/C2024_A.zip); [CIP-SOC crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/Files/CIP2020_SOC2018_Crosswalk.xlsx)). - **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](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/)). 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. --- Canonical HTML: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/georgia/ Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15 (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ocwage_05152026.htm). Programs: NCES IPEDS 2023-24 completions; DOL Office of Apprenticeship. Tuition: College Scorecard.