--- title: "Operating Engineer Programs in Kentucky: Pay & Tuition" canonical: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/kentucky/ description: "Operating Engineer pay in Kentucky: BLS average $59,320 (all experience levels), median $57,780, bottom 10% $44,620. 4 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. Kentucky Kentucky # Operating Engineer programs in *Kentucky* 4 listed heavy equipment operator programs in Kentucky, plus BLS pay data for the state and 9 metro areas. - **$59,320** Average pay (state, all experience levels) - **$44,620** Entry-level / bottom 10% - **$57,780** Median pay (state) - **$80,890** Top 10% earn over 7,050 jobs in Kentucky · 4 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 - [Hazard 2](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/kentucky/hazard/) - [Boston 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/kentucky/boston/) - [Lexington 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/kentucky/lexington/) BLS wage data ## Operating Engineer pay in Kentucky 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Kentucky | $44,620 | $49,040 | $57,780 | $65,720 | $80,890 | $59,320 | 7,050 | | 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $47,210 | $55,860 | $66,950 | $94,650 | $99,500 | $72,760 | 3,120 | | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $48,150 | $52,720 | $61,890 | $75,890 | $90,310 | $65,240 | 1,920 | | Bowling Green, KY | $45,900 | $50,880 | $60,180 | $63,130 | $82,400 | $61,110 | 300 | | Paducah, KY-IL | $47,610 | $49,880 | $59,000 | $64,670 | $83,810 | $60,380 | 460 | | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $44,320 | $49,380 | $58,560 | $66,000 | $77,760 | $59,260 | 760 | | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $37,770 | $46,110 | $57,320 | $76,970 | $93,900 | $60,800 | 1,040 | | Elizabethtown, KY | $43,080 | $47,300 | $50,960 | $59,220 | $79,870 | $55,500 | 110 | | Clarksville, TN-KY | $40,600 | $45,290 | $50,910 | $58,870 | $68,740 | $53,750 | 420 | | Owensboro, KY | $35,980 | $46,650 | $49,550 | $61,300 | $81,070 | $55,360 | 140 | Metropolitan area estimates, BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. Only areas BLS published are shown. Programs ## Listed programs in Kentucky Every heavy equipment operator program we matched in Kentucky. Schools with published tuition are listed first. | Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Bluegrass Community and Technical College](https://bluegrass.kctcs.edu/) Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Lexington, KY | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 0 | $4,952–$6,752 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 | | [Hazard Community and Technical College](https://hazard.kctcs.edu/) Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Hazard, KY | Certificate (1-2 years) | 1 | $4,872–$6,672 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 | | [Hazard Community and Technical College](https://hazard.kctcs.edu/) Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Hazard, KY | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 9 | $4,872–$6,672 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 | | Operating Engineers JAC | Boston, KY | 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 - [Hazard 2](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/kentucky/hazard/) - [Boston 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/kentucky/boston/) - [Lexington 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/kentucky/lexington/) 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 Kentucky** The full DOL sponsor list for the state. · RegisteredTradeSchools.com](https://registeredtradeschools.com/apprenticeships/ky/) ## 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/kentucky/ 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.