Operating Engineer Prevailing Wage Rates in Washington (2026)
Operating Engineers on prevailing wage projects in Washington are paid $33.45 to $79.52 per hour, with a median total of $68.46 across the 50 determination records listed below. That total is base rate plus fringe benefits; the median base rate is $51.31, and among the 48 records listing a fringe separately the median fringe is $17.15. Rates differ by county, construction type and funding source, so use the row that matches your project.
Lowest listed$33.45per hour, total
Median listed$68.46 median base $51.31 · median fringe $17.15
Highest listed$79.52per hour, total
Records shown50 across 6 counties
Figures above are computed over the 50 hourly records in the table below, which is the first page of a larger set. They are not a statewide average of all operating engineers in Washington. Most recent determination in this set: May 20, 2026.
How much do operating engineers earn on prevailing wage jobs in Washington?
Every row below is one wage determination line: a operating engineer classification, in one county, for one construction type, under one funding source. The rate that applies to your project is the row whose county, construction type and funding source all match it — a Highway rate does not apply to a Building project in the same county, and a state determination does not substitute for a federal one.
| Classification | County | Construction type | Funding | Base | Fringe | Total |
|---|
| Operator: Backhoe | Klickitat | Heavy | #federal | $27.03 | $8.20 | $35.23 |
| Operator: Bulldozer | Klickitat | Heavy | #federal | $27.22 | $6.80 | $34.02 |
| Operator: Loader | Klickitat | Heavy | #federal | $26.31 | $8.20 | $34.51 |
| Operator: Mechanic | Klickitat | Heavy | #federal | $25.25 | $8.20 | $33.45 |
| Operator: Roller | Klickitat | Heavy | #federal | $25.25 | $8.20 | $33.45 |
| Operator: Crane | Columbia | Heavy | #federal | $54.41 | $25.11 | $79.52 |
| Operator: Forklift | Columbia | Heavy | #federal | $45.93 | $19.20 | $65.13 |
| Operator: Crane | Franklin | Heavy | #federal | $54.41 | $25.11 | $79.52 |
| Operator: Forklift | Franklin | Heavy | #federal | $45.93 | $19.20 | $65.13 |
| Operator: Backhoe/Excavator/Trackhoe (Backhoe, Robotic, Track and Wheel Type Up to and Including Twenty Thousand (20,000)Lbs. With Any Attachments; Excavator Operator Over Twenty Thousand (20,000)Lbs. Through Eighty-five Thousand (85,000)Lbs) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Bobcat/Skid Steer/Skid Loader | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $43.60 | — | $43.60 |
| Operator: Bulldozer (Over 70,000 Lbs. Up to and Including 120,000 Lbs.) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $55.88 | $17.15 | $73.03 |
| Operator: Concrete Pump | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $51.31 | $17.15 | $68.46 |
| Operator: Crane (Under Fifty (50)Tons) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Drill (Directional Drill Less Than 20,000 Lbs.) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $51.31 | $17.15 | $68.46 |
| Operator: Drill (Directional Drill Locator) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $48.09 | $17.15 | $65.24 |
| Operator: Drill (Drilling Machine; Directional Drill Ove 20,000 Lbs.) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Forklift | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $45.93 | $19.20 | $65.13 |
| Operator: Grader/Blade | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $40.28 | $16.17 | $56.45 |
| Operator: Loader (Loader Operator, Front End and Overhead, Twenty-five Thousand (25,000)Lbs. and Less Than Sixty Thousand (60,000)Lbs.) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Loader (Loaders, Rubber-tired Type, Less Than Twenty-five Thousand (25,000)Lbs.) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $51.31 | $17.15 | $68.46 |
| Operator: Mechanic | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Oiler (Drill Oilers: Auger Type; Truck or Crane Mount; Truck Crane Oiler/Driver: Under 100 Tons) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $48.09 | $17.15 | $65.24 |
| Operator: Oiler (Truck Crane Oiler/Driver: 100 Tons and Over) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $51.31 | $17.15 | $68.46 |
| Operator: Paver (Asphalt, Aggregate, and Concrete) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Roller | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $51.31 | $17.15 | $68.46 |
| Operator: Scraper (Self-propelled Under 45 Yards) | Clark | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Backhoe/Excavator/Trackhoe (Backhoe, Robotic, Track and Wheel Type Up to and Including Twenty Thousand (20,000)Lbs. With Any Attachments; Excavator Operator Over Twenty Thousand (20,000)Lbs. Through Eighty-five Thousand (85,000)Lbs) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Bobcat/Skid Steer/Skid Loader | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $43.60 | — | $43.60 |
| Operator: Bulldozer (Over 70,000 Lbs. Up to and Including 120,000 Lbs.) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $55.88 | $17.15 | $73.03 |
| Operator: Concrete Pump | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $51.31 | $17.15 | $68.46 |
| Operator: Crane (Under Fifty (50)Tons) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Drill (Directional Drill Less Than 20,000 Lbs.) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $51.31 | $17.15 | $68.46 |
| Operator: Drill (Directional Drill Locator) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $48.09 | $17.15 | $65.24 |
| Operator: Drill (Drilling Machine; Directional Drill Ove 20,000 Lbs.) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Forklift | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $45.93 | $19.20 | $65.13 |
| Operator: Grader/Blade | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $40.28 | $16.17 | $56.45 |
| Operator: Loader (Loader Operator, Front End and Overhead, Twenty-five Thousand (25,000)Lbs. and Less Than Sixty Thousand (60,000)Lbs.) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Loader (Loaders, Rubber-tired Type, Less Than Twenty-five Thousand (25,000)Lbs.) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $51.31 | $17.15 | $68.46 |
| Operator: Mechanic | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Oiler (Drill Oilers: Auger Type; Truck or Crane Mount; Truck Crane Oiler/Driver: Under 100 Tons) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $48.09 | $17.15 | $65.24 |
| Operator: Oiler (Truck Crane Oiler/Driver: 100 Tons and Over) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $51.31 | $17.15 | $68.46 |
| Operator: Paver (Asphalt, Aggregate, and Concrete) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Roller | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $51.31 | $17.15 | $68.46 |
| Operator: Scraper (Self-propelled Under 45 Yards) | Skamania | Heavy | #federal | $52.55 | $17.15 | $69.70 |
| Operator: Backhoe/Excavator/Trackhoe | Asotin | Heavy | #federal | $33.72 | $13.15 | $46.87 |
| Operator: Crane | Asotin | Heavy | #federal | $31.97 | $15.15 | $47.12 |
| Operator: Forklift | Asotin | Heavy | #federal | $45.93 | $19.20 | $65.13 |
| Operator: Loader | Asotin | Heavy | #federal | $33.61 | $13.62 | $47.23 |
| Operator: Mechanic | Asotin | Heavy | #federal | $34.97 | $15.31 | $50.28 |
WageFinder holds more operating engineer records for Washington than fit on this page. Open a county below, or search all Washington operating engineers.
What does the operating engineer classification cover?
Operating engineers run the powered equipment on a project — excavators, dozers, cranes, loaders, graders, rollers and forklifts. This is the classification most likely to be broken into a long list of equipment-specific rates and grouped into skill tiers, so the applicable rate depends on the exact machine, not on the job title.
Work typically covered
- Excavators and backhoes
- Cranes and lifting equipment
- Dozers, loaders and graders
- Rollers and compactors
- Forklifts and material handlers
Also listed as
- Power Equipment Operator
- Operator: Bulldozer
- Operator: Crane
- Heavy Equipment Operator
In this Washington result set the work appears under 23 distinct classification names.
Operating Engineer rates by county in Washington
Prevailing wage is set county by county. These are the Washington counties with operating engineer records in the set above — open one to see every classification on that county's determination, not just this trade.
See all Washington counties →
Other trades in Washington
Operating Engineer prevailing wage questions
What is the prevailing wage for a operating engineer in Washington?
Across the 50 federal-funded determination records WageFinder lists for operating engineers in Washington, total prevailing wage runs from $33.45 to $79.52 per hour, median $68.46. There is no single statewide figure: each county's determination sets its own rate, and the same county can carry different rates for Building, Highway, Heavy and Residential work.
Does the operating engineer rate include benefits?
The total prevailing wage shown is the base hourly rate plus the fringe benefit rate. Of the 50 Washington records on this page, 48 list a fringe amount separately, with a median of $17.15 per hour — roughly 25% of the median total. The rest list no separate fringe, meaning the base rate is the whole obligation. Fringe can be paid as bona fide benefit plan contributions, as cash added to the paycheck, or as a mix of both.
Which Washington counties have operating engineer rates?
This page lists operating engineer records for 6 counties in Washington: Asotin, Clark, Columbia, Franklin, Klickitat, Skamania. Determinations that apply statewide appear under a statewide entry rather than a named county.
How current are these Washington operating engineer rates?
The most recent determination in this set is dated May 20, 2026. WageFinder re-reads the official sources weekly, but the date that matters for compliance is the determination date on the document itself, which is shown on every wage detail page and links back to the government source.
