Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators is $53,340, or $25.64 per hour. About 41,820 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $111,360 in Hawaii to $37,030 in Mississippi.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 50 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $111,360 | $53.54 | — | — |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $91,280 | $43.88 | 70 | 0.36 |
| 3 | Washington | $90,530 | $43.53 | 530 | 0.55 |
| 4 | Alaska | $83,520 | $40.15 | 80 | 0.88 |
| 5 | California | $83,130 | $39.97 | 1,400 | 0.29 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $77,480 | $37.25 | — | — |
| 7 | Idaho | $73,210 | $35.20 | 130 | 0.56 |
| 8 | Illinois | $73,060 | $35.13 | 950 | 0.58 |
| 9 | Missouri | $69,400 | $33.37 | 1,560 | 1.98 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $69,020 | $33.18 | 960 | 1.22 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $68,180 | $32.78 | 830 | 1.04 |
| 12 | Oregon | $63,310 | $30.44 | 520 | 0.98 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $63,060 | $30.32 | 160 | 1.16 |
| 14 | New York | $62,760 | $30.17 | 4,530 | 1.74 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $62,080 | $29.85 | 260 | 1.40 |
| 16 | Iowa | $61,110 | $29.38 | — | — |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $60,950 | $29.31 | 560 | 0.57 |
| 18 | Maryland | $60,530 | $29.10 | 750 | 1.01 |
| 19 | Ohio | $60,280 | $28.98 | 2,370 | 1.59 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $60,140 | $28.92 | 130 | 1.03 |
| 21 | Colorado | $58,810 | $28.28 | 920 | 1.19 |
| 22 | Wyoming | $58,080 | $27.92 | 160 | 2.08 |
| 23 | Maine | $57,020 | $27.42 | 250 | 1.43 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $56,010 | $26.93 | 520 | 0.32 |
| 25 | Montana | $55,920 | $26.89 | 260 | 1.87 |
| 26 | Vermont | $54,830 | $26.36 | 70 | 0.83 |
| 27 | Michigan | $54,220 | $26.07 | 1,720 | 1.45 |
| 28 | Delaware | $54,020 | $25.97 | 150 | 1.17 |
| 29 | Arizona | $52,140 | $25.07 | 170 | 0.19 |
| 30 | Nevada | $51,400 | $24.71 | — | — |
| 31 | West Virginia | $51,230 | $24.63 | 210 | 1.10 |
| 32 | New Jersey | $50,500 | $24.28 | 840 | 0.73 |
| 33 | Indiana | $50,380 | $24.22 | 910 | 1.05 |
| 34 | Kansas | $49,070 | $23.59 | 540 | 1.40 |
| 35 | Utah | $48,860 | $23.49 | 410 | 0.88 |
| 36 | Louisiana | $48,450 | $23.29 | 350 | 0.67 |
| 37 | Virginia | $48,060 | $23.10 | 1,660 | 1.50 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $47,820 | $22.99 | 1,940 | 1.46 |
| 39 | Texas | $47,060 | $22.63 | 3,940 | 1.04 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $46,950 | $22.57 | 630 | 1.01 |
| 41 | Florida | $46,840 | $22.52 | 2,740 | 1.03 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $46,760 | $22.48 | 550 | 1.19 |
| 43 | Georgia | $46,100 | $22.16 | 1,270 | 0.97 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $45,880 | $22.06 | 990 | 4.23 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $45,760 | $22.00 | 390 | 1.43 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $45,660 | $21.95 | 110 | 0.21 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $44,010 | $21.16 | 490 | 1.38 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $42,510 | $20.44 | 1,730 | 1.96 |
| 49 | Alabama | $41,880 | $20.14 | 700 | 1.23 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $37,030 | $17.80 | 470 | 1.51 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators make?
The median annual wage for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in the United States is $53,340, or $25.64 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $38,230, and the top 10% earn $92,230.
How many paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators are employed in the U.S.?
About 41,820 people work as paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators nationwide.
Which state pays paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators the most?
Hawaii pays the most at a median of $111,360, followed by District of Columbia ($91,280) and Washington ($90,530).
Which state pays paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators the least?
Mississippi has the lowest median at $37,030.
Where are paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is New Mexico at 4.23×.