Job Outlook through 2026

Employment Current: 21,110
Employment Projected: 23,300
Percentage Change: 10.4%

Education/Training

High School Diploma

Sample Job Titles

• Back Hoe Operator
• Engineering Equipment Operator
• Equipment Operator
• Heavy Equipment Operator
• Loader Operator
• Machine Operator
• Motor Grader Operator
• Operating Engineer
• Operator
• Track Hoe Operator

Duties

• Learn and follow safety regulations.
• Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
• Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.
• Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.
• Adjust handwheels and depress pedals to control attachments, such as blades, buckets, scrapers, or swing booms.

Skills

• Operation and Control — Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
• Operation Monitoring — Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
• Monitoring — Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Coordination — Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
• Equipment Maintenance — Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

Average Wages in PA

Entry Level: $34,270
Average: $50,340
Experienced: $58,370

Learn More at O*NET Online: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/47-2073.00