Occupation overview

Dredge Operators Salary in the United States

The median annual wage for dredge operators is $49,640, or $23.86 per hour. About 1,040 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $65,580 in Texas to $45,290 in Nebraska.

Median annual
$49,640
Median hourly
$23.86
Entry level (P10)
$41,080
Top 10% (P90)
$74,140
Employment
1,040
States covered
9

Wage distribution nationwide

Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.

10th percentile90th percentile
$41,080
$46,430
$49,640
$62,070
$41,080$49,640$74,140
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $49,640.

Salary by state

All 9 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmployment Location quotient
1Texas$65,580$31.53——
2New Jersey$63,810$30.68301.10
3Iowa$57,990$27.88606.25
4Wisconsin$54,310$26.11——
5Ohio$53,310$25.63401.08
6Florida$52,800$25.39400.54
7Alabama$50,030$24.05503.28
8Louisiana$48,590$23.36——
9Nebraska$45,290$21.78304.75

Related occupations

Same job family, ranked by national employment.

Frequently asked questions

How much do dredge operators make?

The median annual wage for dredge operators in the United States is $49,640, or $23.86 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $41,080, and the top 10% earn $74,140.

How many dredge operators are employed in the U.S.?

About 1,040 people work as dredge operators nationwide.

Which state pays dredge operators the most?

Texas pays the most at a median of $65,580, followed by New Jersey ($63,810) and Iowa ($57,990).

Which state pays dredge operators the least?

Nebraska has the lowest median at $45,290.

Where are dredge operators jobs most concentrated?

The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Iowa at 6.25×.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Retrieved 2026-10-26. bls.gov/oes