Illinois
Operating Engineer programs in Illinois
10 listed heavy equipment operator programs in Illinois, plus BLS pay data for the state and 12 metro areas.
- $90,500Average pay (state, all experience levels)
- $49,770Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $97,740Median pay (state)
- $123,330Top 10% earn over
12,290 jobs in Illinois · 10 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 Illinois
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois | $49,770 | $69,230 | $97,740 | $109,320 | $123,330 | $90,500 | 12,290 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $58,060 | $78,580 | $103,100 | $117,350 | $124,160 | $96,370 | 7,930 |
| Decatur, IL | $49,850 | $81,160 | $100,520 | $109,460 | $116,170 | $91,810 | 100 |
| Rockford, IL | $57,670 | $69,720 | $97,250 | $101,850 | $117,050 | $89,540 | 260 |
| Bloomington, IL | $59,150 | $83,200 | $96,250 | $100,120 | $100,120 | $88,190 | 180 |
| Springfield, IL | $45,150 | $61,770 | $95,310 | $102,570 | $102,570 | $83,790 | 210 |
| Kankakee, IL | $60,520 | $71,120 | $94,270 | $119,460 | $122,720 | $90,890 | 90 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $57,690 | $63,120 | $92,900 | $99,020 | $113,480 | $85,380 | 160 |
| Peoria, IL | $46,100 | $58,980 | $86,440 | $98,980 | $102,680 | $79,120 | 330 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $47,210 | $58,600 | $82,270 | $94,250 | $100,810 | $77,930 | 4,190 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $42,910 | $53,470 | $64,850 | $85,210 | $97,050 | $68,940 | 570 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $38,980 | $48,750 | $61,480 | $80,290 | $89,880 | $64,600 | 130 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $47,610 | $49,880 | $59,000 | $64,670 | $83,810 | $60,380 | 460 |
Programs
Listed programs in Illinois
Every heavy equipment operator program we matched in Illinois. Schools with published tuition are listed first.
| Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joliet Junior College Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Joliet, IL | Certificate (1-2 years) | 0 | $4,530–$13,800 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Joliet Junior College Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Joliet, IL | Associate degree | 0 | $4,530–$13,800 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Operating Engineers 318 Apprenticeship & Advanced Training | Marion, IL | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| Operating Engineers 965 Apprenticeship and Skills Improvement | Mechanicsburg, IL | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| Operating Engineers Local #520 | Saint Jacob, IL | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| Operating Engineers Local 649 JATC | Bartonville, IL | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| OPERATING ENGINEERS 150 Geothermal JATF | Wilmington, IL | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| OPERATING ENGINEERS 150 Heavy Equipment JATF | Wilmington, IL | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| OPERATING ENGINEERS 150 Inspector JATF | Wilmington, IL | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
| OPERATING ENGINEERS 150 Op Eng. JATF | Wilmington, IL | 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 IllinoisThe 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.