--- title: "Operating Engineer Programs in Tennessee: Pay & Tuition" canonical: https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/tennessee/ description: "Operating Engineer pay in Tennessee: BLS average $55,050 (all experience levels), median $52,000, bottom 10% $41,600. 3 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. Tennessee Tennessee # Operating Engineer programs in *Tennessee* 3 listed heavy equipment operator programs in Tennessee, plus BLS pay data for the state and 10 metro areas. - **$55,050** Average pay (state, all experience levels) - **$41,600** Entry-level / bottom 10% - **$52,000** Median pay (state) - **$75,430** Top 10% earn over 10,660 jobs in Tennessee · 3 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 - [Cordova 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/tennessee/cordova/) - [Knoxville 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/tennessee/knoxville/) - [Niota 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/tennessee/niota/) BLS wage data ## Operating Engineer pay in Tennessee 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Tennessee | $41,600 | $46,490 | $52,000 | $59,360 | $75,430 | $55,050 | 10,660 | | 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 | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $46,630 | $49,470 | $56,030 | $60,560 | $73,900 | $57,270 | 3,820 | | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $41,010 | $44,700 | $55,960 | $75,430 | $76,390 | $57,900 | 770 | | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $40,560 | $45,510 | $53,870 | $62,150 | $72,790 | $55,080 | 1,140 | | Clarksville, TN-KY | $40,600 | $45,290 | $50,910 | $58,870 | $68,740 | $53,750 | 420 | | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $40,370 | $45,250 | $50,320 | $59,840 | $77,320 | $54,870 | 750 | | Knoxville, TN | $41,790 | $44,130 | $48,690 | $57,700 | $78,520 | $53,450 | 1,210 | | Cleveland, TN | $38,600 | $45,540 | $48,210 | $56,160 | $64,600 | $51,350 | 160 | | Morristown, TN | $38,400 | $43,120 | $48,170 | $56,880 | $58,650 | $49,950 | 220 | | Johnson City, TN | $38,400 | $44,440 | $47,560 | $55,660 | $63,750 | $50,120 | 200 | | Jackson, TN | $37,990 | $40,870 | $47,240 | $55,570 | $64,270 | $50,290 | 270 | Metropolitan area estimates, BLS OEWS May 2025 estimates, released 2026-05-15. Only areas BLS published are shown. Programs ## Listed programs in Tennessee Every heavy equipment operator program we matched in Tennessee. Schools with published tuition are listed first. | Program / provider | Location | Type | Graduates 2023-24 | Tuition | Source | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | International Union of Operating Engineers Local #917 | Niota, TN | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship | | IUOE Local 369 Training Fund | Cordova, TN | Registered apprenticeship sponsor | n/a | Contact program | DOL Office of Apprenticeship | | Operating Engineers Local No. 917 Apprenticeship & Training Fund | Knoxville, TN | 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 - [Cordova 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/tennessee/cordova/) - [Knoxville 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/tennessee/knoxville/) - [Niota 1](https://highpayingtrades.com/trades/operating-engineer/tennessee/niota/) 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 Tennessee** The full DOL sponsor list for the state. · RegisteredTradeSchools.com](https://registeredtradeschools.com/apprenticeships/tn/) ## 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/tennessee/ 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.