Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators in the U.S. is $53,340 ($25.64 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $53,340
- Mean annual wage
- $59,000
- Median hourly wage
- $25.64
- Employment
- 41,820
41,820 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,230 | $18.38 |
| 25th percentile | $45,610 | $21.93 |
| Median (50th) | $53,340 | $25.64 |
| 75th percentile | $64,720 | $31.12 |
| 90th percentile | $92,230 | $44.34 |
Highest-paying states for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $111,360 | — |
| District of Columbia | $91,280 | 70 |
| Washington | $90,530 | 530 |
| Alaska | $83,520 | 80 |
| California | $83,130 | 1,400 |
| Connecticut | $77,480 | — |
| Idaho | $73,210 | 130 |
| Illinois | $73,060 | 950 |
| Missouri | $69,400 | 1,560 |
| Wisconsin | $69,020 | 960 |
Lowest-paying states
- Mississippi: $37,030 median annual wage
- Alabama: $41,880 median annual wage
- Tennessee: $42,510 median annual wage
- Arkansas: $44,010 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $45,660 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Typical tasks
- Set up forms and lay out guidelines for curbs, according to written specifications, using string, spray paint, and concrete or water mixes.
- Operate machines to spread, smooth, level, or steel-reinforce stone, concrete, or asphalt on road beds.
- Fill tanks, hoppers, or machines with paving materials.
- Operate tamping machines or manually roll surfaces to compact earth fills, foundation forms, and finished road materials, according to grade specifications.
- Place strips of material, such as cork, asphalt, or steel into joints, or place rolls of expansion-joint material on machines that automatically insert material.
- Observe distribution of paving material to adjust machine settings or material flow, and indicate low spots for workers to add material.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 18.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 53.1% |
| Some college, no degree | 18.8% |
| Associate's degree | 6.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 3.1% |
| Master's degree | 0.4% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.2% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Related occupations
- Construction Laborers$47,120
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$79,920
- Electricians$63,190
- Carpenters$60,580
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850
- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$63,800
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance$49,400
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$57,020
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.