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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

47-2071 Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways or for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials. Includes concrete and asphalt paving machine operators, form tampers, tamping machine operators, and stone spreader operators.


National estimates for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Industry profile for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Geographic profile for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

National estimates for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
41,470 2.8 % $ 25.35 $ 52,730 1.0 %

Percentile wage estimates for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 16.34 $ 18.63 $ 22.73 $ 29.23 $ 39.44
Annual Wage (2) $ 33,980 $ 38,760 $ 47,270 $ 60,790 $ 82,040


Industry profile for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 14,590 1.93 $ 24.30 $ 50,550
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 14,480 4.02 $ 25.94 $ 53,940
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 4,200 0.08 $ 26.40 $ 54,920
Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors 1,260 0.13 $ 27.17 $ 56,510
Employment Services 980 0.02 $ 19.39 $ 40,330

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction 14,480 4.02 $ 25.94 $ 53,940
Other Specialty Trade Contractors 14,590 1.93 $ 24.30 $ 50,550
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 970 0.94 $ 25.72 $ 53,490
Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction 420 0.33 $ 25.19 $ 52,390
Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing 560 0.14 $ 21.84 $ 45,440

Top paying industries for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nonresidential Building Construction 710 0.09 $ 36.74 $ 76,420
Rail Transportation 60 0.03 $ 35.00 $ 72,810
Natural Gas Distribution 40 0.03 $ 33.76 $ 70,220
Services to Buildings and Dwellings (8) (8) $ 28.45 $ 59,180
Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing 100 0.04 $ 27.59 $ 57,390


Geographic profile for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 4,000 0.31 1.10 $ 20.21 $ 42,040
New York 3,420 0.38 1.34 $ 31.74 $ 66,010
Florida 3,000 0.33 1.16 $ 19.43 $ 40,410
California 2,200 0.12 0.44 $ 33.49 $ 69,660
Illinois 2,120 0.36 1.28 $ 27.56 $ 57,320


Map of location quotient of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 260 0.84 2.99 $ 37.15 $ 77,270
Colorado 1,710 0.62 2.20 $ 23.43 $ 48,740
Maine 350 0.57 2.02 $ 22.25 $ 46,280
Hawaii 330 0.55 1.97 $ 41.45 $ 86,220
Tennessee 1,600 0.51 1.83 $ 20.70 $ 43,050


Map of annual mean wages of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 330 0.55 1.97 $ 41.45 $ 86,220
Washington 170 0.05 0.17 $ 37.87 $ 78,770
Minnesota 1,000 0.35 1.26 $ 37.50 $ 78,010
Alaska 260 0.84 2.99 $ 37.15 $ 77,270
California 2,200 0.12 0.44 $ 33.49 $ 69,660



Map of employment of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 3,040 0.33 1.18 $ 34.27 $ 71,270
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,730 0.39 1.40 $ 27.87 $ 57,970
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 920 0.34 1.20 $ 22.81 $ 47,450
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 910 0.59 2.10 $ 23.52 $ 48,920
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 870 0.29 1.02 $ 20.48 $ 42,610
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 830 0.27 0.98 $ 25.53 $ 53,100
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 780 0.21 0.74 $ 21.45 $ 44,610
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 730 0.27 0.97 $ 32.48 $ 67,550
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 710 0.38 1.36 $ 24.99 $ 51,980
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 710 0.12 0.41 $ 33.74 $ 70,180


Map of location quotient of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Greeley, CO 170 1.55 5.54 $ 23.55 $ 48,990
Jackson, TN 80 1.22 4.34 $ 20.24 $ 42,100
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 80 1.07 3.83 $ 44.50 $ 92,560
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 130 1.03 3.66 $ 23.22 $ 48,300
Rapid City, SD 70 1.00 3.57 $ 24.81 $ 51,600
Albany, GA 60 0.98 3.50 $ 16.95 $ 35,250
Odessa, TX 70 0.97 3.47 $ 20.96 $ 43,600
Victoria, TX 40 0.94 3.34 $ 20.42 $ 42,460
Billings, MT 80 0.89 3.16 $ 28.11 $ 58,460
Barnstable Town, MA 90 0.86 3.05 $ 26.94 $ 56,030


Map of annual mean wages of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI 80 1.07 3.83 $ 44.50 $ 92,560
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 520 0.27 0.98 $ 40.98 $ 85,240
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 170 0.17 0.60 $ 39.30 $ 81,740
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 70 0.03 0.12 $ 38.38 $ 79,840
Duluth, MN-WI 80 0.64 2.29 $ 37.09 $ 77,150
Champaign-Urbana, IL 50 0.44 1.58 $ 36.30 $ 75,500
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 260 0.11 0.39 $ 36.27 $ 75,450
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 40 0.14 0.51 $ 35.99 $ 74,850
Leominster-Gardner, MA 40 0.73 2.60 $ 35.82 $ 74,510
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 3,040 0.33 1.18 $ 34.27 $ 71,270

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 170 0.44 1.57 $ 17.88 $ 37,190
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 160 0.49 1.76 $ 34.12 $ 70,970
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 150 0.56 1.99 $ 23.99 $ 49,910
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 150 0.94 3.35 $ 17.63 $ 36,680
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 120 0.53 1.90 $ 18.49 $ 38,460

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Central East New York nonmetropolitan area 150 0.94 3.35 $ 17.63 $ 36,680
South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 100 0.90 3.21 $ 17.89 $ 37,210
Border Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 50 0.89 3.19 $ 16.67 $ 34,680
Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area 60 0.89 3.18 $ 22.24 $ 46,260
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 110 0.82 2.93 $ 30.75 $ 63,950

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 60 0.63 2.26 $ 44.94 $ 93,480
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 60 0.59 2.11 $ 37.01 $ 76,970
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 160 0.49 1.76 $ 34.12 $ 70,970
Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area 110 0.58 2.08 $ 32.70 $ 68,010
Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 60 0.37 1.31 $ 32.02 $ 66,590


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023