Ohio
Operating Engineer programs in Ohio
11 listed heavy equipment operator programs in Ohio, plus BLS pay data for the state and 15 metro areas.
- $71,830Average pay (state, all experience levels)
- $46,850Entry-level / bottom 10%
- $64,940Median pay (state)
- $98,100Top 10% earn over
16,920 jobs in Ohio · 11 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 Ohio
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $46,850 | $54,430 | $64,940 | $92,930 | $98,100 | $71,830 | 16,920 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, OH | $50,610 | $62,050 | $78,950 | $95,780 | $99,390 | $78,470 | 3,290 |
| Cleveland, OH | $48,000 | $57,680 | $71,740 | $94,910 | $99,760 | $74,690 | 2,660 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $47,210 | $55,860 | $66,950 | $94,650 | $99,500 | $72,760 | 3,120 |
| Mansfield, OH | $45,700 | $49,340 | $66,100 | $84,110 | $92,520 | $67,950 | 190 |
| Toledo, OH | $45,950 | $55,880 | $64,380 | $93,530 | $97,580 | $72,190 | 780 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $47,270 | $54,000 | $64,050 | $85,200 | $97,770 | $70,020 | 710 |
| Akron, OH | $46,700 | $52,870 | $63,920 | $93,500 | $98,500 | $70,690 | 830 |
| Sandusky, OH | $46,900 | $54,090 | $60,380 | $93,380 | $94,560 | $70,870 | 240 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | $41,870 | $50,710 | $60,010 | $89,590 | $92,410 | $66,590 | 530 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | $45,210 | $51,040 | $59,210 | $83,560 | $97,160 | $67,790 | 420 |
| Lima, OH | $44,320 | $48,250 | $58,860 | $67,040 | $91,550 | $61,890 | 130 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $39,020 | $45,670 | $58,250 | $77,160 | $92,420 | $61,920 | 500 |
Programs
Listed programs in Ohio
Every heavy equipment operator program we matched in Ohio. Schools with published tuition are listed first.
| Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buckeye Hills Career Center Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Rio Grande, OH | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 22 | $15,202 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Buckeye Joint Vocational School Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | New Philadelphia, OH | Certificate (1-2 years) | 4 | $11,850 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Butler Technology and Career Development Schools Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Monroe, OH | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 5 | $10,150 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Cuyahoga Community College District Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Cleveland, OH | Certificate (1-2 years) | 14 | $3,249–$7,249 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Cuyahoga Community College District Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Cleveland, OH | Associate degree | 0 | $3,249–$7,249 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Great Oaks Career Campuses Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Cincinnati, OH | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 9 | $7,800 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Hocking College Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Nelsonville, OH | Associate degree | 18 | $5,690–$10,440 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Hocking College Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Nelsonville, OH | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 1 | $5,690–$10,440 Annual tuition & fees, in-state to out-of-state (institution-wide) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Mid-EastCTC-Adult Education Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Zanesville, OH | Certificate (12 weeks to 1 year) | 15 | $5,500 Tuition & fees, largest program (program-year school) | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Miami Valley Career Technology Center Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation | Englewood, OH | Certificate (1-2 years) | 6 | Contact program | IPEDS 2023-24 · CIP 49.0202 |
| Operating Engineers JATC, Ohio | Columbus, OH | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship |
Browse by city
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 OhioThe 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.