--- title: "Operating Engineer Programs in Michigan: Pay & Tuition" canonical: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/michigan/ description: "Operating Engineer pay in Michigan: BLS average $66,920 (all experience levels), median $62,690, bottom 10% $46,370. 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. Michigan Michigan # Operating Engineer programs in *Michigan* 2 listed heavy equipment operator programs in Michigan, plus BLS pay data for the state and 16 metro areas. - **$66,920** Average pay (state, all experience levels) - **$46,370** Entry-level / bottom 10% - **$62,690** Median pay (state) - **$90,580** Top 10% earn over 9,500 jobs in Michigan · 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 - [Detroit 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/michigan/detroit/) - [Howell 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/michigan/howell/) BLS wage data ## Operating Engineer pay in Michigan 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Michigan | $46,370 | $54,710 | $62,690 | $78,410 | $90,580 | $66,920 | 9,500 | | 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $48,010 | $60,460 | $80,460 | $96,600 | $102,020 | $79,360 | 360 | | Battle Creek, MI | $56,870 | $70,680 | $78,020 | $78,020 | $78,020 | $72,800 | 150 | | Bay City, MI | $49,080 | $62,400 | $75,310 | $96,930 | $101,350 | $76,500 | 140 | | Flint, MI | $46,520 | $59,710 | $75,140 | $78,410 | $90,020 | $69,780 | 240 | | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $48,300 | $54,820 | $68,130 | $80,810 | $93,920 | $69,390 | 3,790 | | Midland, MI | $52,170 | $59,640 | $65,710 | $83,940 | $83,940 | $71,120 | 120 | | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $47,060 | $54,200 | $63,850 | $76,190 | $84,860 | $66,160 | 900 | | Ann Arbor, MI | $42,490 | $49,720 | $62,490 | $82,330 | $90,550 | $65,960 | 170 | | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $43,980 | $52,720 | $61,730 | $79,380 | $90,990 | $67,130 | 190 | | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $40,680 | $53,590 | $61,390 | $77,140 | $91,110 | $66,300 | 480 | | Traverse City, MI | $49,130 | $59,780 | $61,200 | $73,810 | $78,550 | $64,420 | 280 | | Monroe, MI | $36,510 | $52,000 | $60,910 | $76,520 | $85,880 | $64,300 | 140 | Metropolitan area estimates, BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. Only areas BLS published are shown. Programs ## Listed programs in Michigan Every heavy equipment operator program we matched in Michigan. Schools with published tuition are listed first. | Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Operating Engineers Local 324 (JATF Stationary Program) | Detroit, MI | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship | | Operating Engineers LU 324 JATF | Howell, MI | 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 - [Detroit 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/michigan/detroit/) - [Howell 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/michigan/howell/) 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 Michigan** The full DOL sponsor list for the state. · RegisteredTradeSchools.com](https://registeredtradeschools.com/apprenticeships/mi/) ## 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/michigan/ 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.