--- title: "Operating Engineer Programs in South Carolina: Pay & Tuition" canonical: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/south-carolina/ description: "Operating Engineer pay in South Carolina: BLS average $51,640 (all experience levels), median $48,940, bottom 10% $38,720. 0 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. South Carolina South Carolina # Operating Engineer programs in *South Carolina* No heavy equipment operator programs are listed in South Carolina in the federal files we use yet, plus BLS pay data for the state and 10 metro areas. - **$51,640** Average pay (state, all experience levels) - **$38,720** Entry-level / bottom 10% - **$48,940** Median pay (state) - **$64,330** Top 10% earn over 8,160 jobs in South Carolina · 0 listed programs. Average = BLS mean across all experience levels, not starting pay. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. BLS wage data ## Operating Engineer pay in South Carolina 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | South Carolina | $38,720 | $44,960 | $48,940 | $57,780 | $64,330 | $51,640 | 8,160 | | 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $41,970 | $47,710 | $50,870 | $59,230 | $70,400 | $55,090 | 4,440 | | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $41,660 | $48,310 | $50,740 | $59,490 | $69,050 | $54,360 | 320 | | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $40,540 | $48,660 | $50,640 | $61,750 | $72,090 | $54,890 | 1,470 | | Sumter, SC | $40,440 | $44,770 | $50,340 | $54,920 | $57,790 | $50,110 | 220 | | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $38,790 | $45,970 | $48,980 | $56,810 | $63,560 | $51,530 | 1,130 | | Spartanburg, SC | $38,760 | $42,200 | $48,940 | $59,740 | $62,810 | $51,840 | 650 | | Columbia, SC | $38,150 | $43,310 | $48,410 | $56,270 | $62,230 | $50,580 | 1,120 | | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $38,710 | $43,570 | $48,190 | $57,870 | $67,040 | $51,440 | 670 | | Florence, SC | $39,040 | $45,920 | $48,000 | $56,570 | $72,160 | $50,940 | 250 | | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $38,480 | $41,450 | $47,000 | $49,570 | $58,460 | $48,590 | 980 | Metropolitan area estimates, BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. Only areas BLS published are shown. Programs ## No listed programs yet We found no school or registered sponsor for this trade in South Carolina in the IPEDS 2023-24 completions file or the DOL partner file. Programs in neighboring states may enroll out-of-state students; see the [national list](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/). 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 South Carolina** The full DOL sponsor list for the state. · RegisteredTradeSchools.com](https://registeredtradeschools.com/apprenticeships/sc/) ## 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/south-carolina/ 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.