Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) Salary: United States
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The median annual wage for Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in the United States was $59,850 in May 2025 (BLS). The middle half of workers earned between $48,680 and $77,170.
Broader occupation Our title "Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade)" is reported by BLS as SOC 47-2073 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators. BLS groups Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) within Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately.
Annual wages
Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade), the United States, annual wages: 10% earned less than $42,190, half earned less than the median of $59,850, 90% earned less than $101,090 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Annual wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $42,190 | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $48,680 | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $59,850 | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $77,170 | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $101,090 | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $66,290 | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Hourly wages
Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade), the United States, hourly wages: 10% earned less than $20.28, half earned less than the median of $28.78, 90% earned less than $48.60 (BLS, May 2025).
| Measure | Hourly wage | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $20.28 per hour | 10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than this. |
| 25th percentile | $23.40 per hour | 25% earned less than this. |
| Median (50th) | $28.78 per hour | Half earned less, half earned more. |
| 75th percentile | $37.10 per hour | 75% earned less than this. |
| 90th percentile | $48.60 per hour | 90% earned less than this. |
| Mean | $31.87 per hour | Arithmetic average of reported wages. |
Employment: BLS estimates 478,090 workers in this occupation nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 47-2073 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, National.
What BLS wages include. Base pay plus any guaranteed or production-based incentive pay. They leave out overtime, discretionary bonus, benefits, per diem and relocation.
BLS definitions, verbatim
wages
Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
hours
Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly wages by 2,080 hours; for occupations where hourly wages are not published, annual wages were taken directly from the reported survey data.
Target metros
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th percentile | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $51,800 | $47,700 to $60,160 | 5,850 | 0.68 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $50,300 | $47,200 to $58,810 | 3,980 | 0.89 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $51,020 | $47,030 to $57,130 | 4,330 | 1 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $51,110 | $47,950 to $59,690 | 3,080 | 1.35 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $95,050 | $71,170 to $129,600 | 11,430 | 0.39 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $95,050 | $71,170 to $129,600 | 11,430 | 0.39 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $51,370 | $47,730 to $60,400 | 11,510 | 0.92 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $51,040 | $46,810 to $61,900 | 14,000 | 1.38 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $103,100 | $78,580 to $117,350 | 7,930 | 0.57 |
How does Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) pay differ by industry?
These are national industry estimates for SOC 47-2073, not local offers or separate estimates for the niche title. Industry names are exactly as BLS publishes them.
| Industry | NAICS | Median | Basis | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 22 | $90,340 | Annual | 4,420 |
| Utilities | 221000 | $90,340 | Annual | 4,420 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 221100 | $95,500 | Annual | 2,220 |
| Natural Gas Distribution | 221200 | $94,860 | Annual | 1,430 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | 221300 | $52,710 | Annual | 770 |
| Construction | 23 | $61,800 | Annual | 302,290 |
| Construction of Buildings | 236000 | $63,160 | Annual | 22,460 |
| Residential Building Construction | 236100 | $60,840 | Annual | 7,350 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 236200 | $64,350 | Annual | 15,110 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237000 | $62,770 | Annual | 142,080 |
| Utility System Construction | 237100 | $61,740 | Annual | 62,660 |
| Land Subdivision | 237200 | $50,550 | Annual | 1,780 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | 237300 | $71,260 | Annual | 58,950 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 237900 | $60,730 | Annual | 18,690 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 238000 | $60,760 | Annual | 137,760 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | 238100 | $69,360 | Annual | 10,050 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | 238200 | $68,620 | Annual | 7,960 |
| Building Finishing Contractors | 238300 | $94,270 | Annual | 410 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 238900 | $60,160 | Annual | 119,340 |
| Food Manufacturing | 311000 | $45,590 | Annual | 90 |
| Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 311300 | $45,590 | Annual | 50 |
| Manufacturing | 31-33 | $57,600 | Annual | 9,540 |
| Wood Product Manufacturing | 321000 | $47,020 | Annual | 460 |
| Sawmills and Wood Preservation | 321100 | $44,550 | Annual | 320 |
| Veneer, Plywood, and Engineered Wood Product Manufacturing | 321200 | $50,270 | Annual | 70 |
| Other Wood Product Manufacturing | 321900 | $50,550 | Annual | 70 |
| Paper Manufacturing | 322000 | $60,150 | Annual | 80 |
| Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 322100 | $60,150 | Annual | 80 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324000 | $70,480 | Annual | 1,510 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 324100 | $70,480 | Annual | 1,510 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | 325000 | $58,350 | Annual | 190 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 3250A1 | $58,350 | Annual | 190 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 326000 | $52,320 | Annual | 40 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | 326100 | $52,320 | Annual | 40 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 327000 | $57,050 | Annual | 6,260 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | 331000 | $46,230 | Annual | 280 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | 331100 | $40,160 | Annual | 210 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 332000 | $52,940 | Annual | 240 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 3320A2 | $52,810 | Annual | 220 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | 333000 | $59,240 | Annual | 80 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 3330A1 | $59,240 | Annual | 80 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 334000 | $50,280 | Annual | 90 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 336000 | $56,410 | Annual | 170 |
| Ship and Boat Building | 336600 | $56,730 | Annual | 160 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339000 | $63,580 | Annual | 50 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 339900 | $63,580 | Annual | 50 |
| Rail Transportation | 482000 | $78,550 | Annual | 990 |
| Rail Transportation | 482100 | $78,550 | Annual | 990 |
| Truck Transportation | 484000 | $52,760 | Annual | 3,210 |
| Pipeline Transportation | 486000 | $85,450 | Annual | 280 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas | 486200 | $87,010 | Annual | 260 |
| Support Activities for Transportation | 488000 | $57,640 | Annual | 2,760 |
| Support Activities for Rail Transportation | 488200 | $46,070 | Annual | 460 |
| Support Activities for Water Transportation | 488300 | $64,490 | Annual | 1,640 |
| Support Activities for Road Transportation | 488400 | $43,680 | Annual | 610 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | 53 | $57,510 | Annual | 2,120 |
| Real Estate | 531000 | $63,310 | Annual | 730 |
| Rental and Leasing Services | 532000 | $53,980 | Annual | 1,400 |
| Rental and Leasing Services (5322, 5323, and 5324 only) | 5320A1 | $53,980 | Annual | 1,400 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 54 | $59,020 | Annual | 2,730 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 541000 | $59,020 | Annual | 2,730 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | 541200 | $45,610 | Annual | 160 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 541300 | $61,420 | Annual | 1,610 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 541600 | $53,520 | Annual | 830 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 541700 | $92,600 | Annual | 110 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | 561700 | $51,990 | Annual | 6,220 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | 562000 | $54,530 | Annual | 16,970 |
| Waste Collection | 562100 | $50,480 | Annual | 4,900 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | 562200 | $51,480 | Annual | 7,600 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | 562900 | $60,990 | Annual | 4,470 |
| Repair and Maintenance | 811000 | $50,840 | Annual | 530 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | 811300 | $50,840 | Annual | 510 |
Industry estimates are national. Do not combine an industry median with a local percentile to invent an industry-specific local rate.
Which related roles have a different BLS occupation?
A supervisory occupation is not an experience percentile for the craft. Compare the actual responsibilities and the published SOC.
Shop Foreman (49-1011)Which metros publish the highest and lowest medians?
This ranking uses the May 2025 annual median for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators. It is not adjusted for living costs. A metro is a BLS statistical area, not just the city limits. Top-coded or suppressed medians are not ranked.
| Metro | Median | Employment | Location quotient | Trade median / all-occupations median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $124,990 | 400 | 1.78 | 2.17 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $124,750 | 4,080 | 0.56 | 1.68 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $124,340 | 1,360 | 0.39 | 1.48 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $117,630 | 1,430 | 1.04 | 2.06 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $105,080 | 710 | 1.12 | 1.85 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $103,100 | 7,930 | 0.57 | 1.88 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $103,060 | 260 | 0.65 | 1.66 |
| Decatur, IL | $100,520 | 100 | 0.74 | 1.96 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $98,120 | 170 | 1.39 | 2.15 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $97,770 | 420 | 1.64 | 2.06 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $40,190 | 330 | 0.69 | 1.10 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $39,200 | 1,010 | 1.11 | 1.09 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $37,760 | 250 | 2.09 | 1.03 |
| Gadsden, AL | $36,910 | 100 | 1.01 | 1.01 |
| Rome, GA | $36,400 | 150 | 1.07 | 0.85 |
| Arecibo, PR | $31,360 | 90 | 0.82 | 1.20 |
| Mayaguez, PR | $30,970 | 90 | 0.55 | 1.23 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $29,810 | 1,730 | 0.81 | 1.01 |
| Aguadilla, PR | $28,440 | 130 | 0.89 | 1.07 |
| Ponce, PR | $27,770 | 200 | 1.01 | 1.03 |
The wage ratio is simple arithmetic: this occupation's median divided by the all-occupations median in the same area and unit. It is not a cost-of-living measure. Location quotient describes the concentration of employment, not relative pay. Neither predicts what a particular candidate will accept.
What do these published wages mean for an offer?
Skilled Trades Headhunters reads the May 2025 figures for Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National as an offer reference, not a quote for a particular candidate. For Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National, the published median for SOC 47-2073, Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, is $59,850 per year. The middle half of the Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National wage distribution runs from $48,680 to $77,170, a width of $28,490 per year; that spread shows how much published pay varies within the occupation and area, without assigning experience levels.
For the national Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) comparison, Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX reports $51,040 per year while Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX reports $51,370 per year; these are the largest-employment metros with published medians for the occupation, rather than neighboring places to a national estimate. The United States Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) figure pools markets with different work scopes and schedules, so use the area table before setting a local offer.
The highest published medians among the selected national industry rows for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, read alongside Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National, are Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution at $95,500 per year (NAICS 221100); Natural Gas Distribution at $94,860 per year (NAICS 221200); Building Finishing Contractors at $94,270 per year (NAICS 238300). Those Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National industry comparisons are national cross-sections, not local industry estimates; BLS does not give us a metro-by-industry wage cut here, and overlapping industry groups should not be added together.
The Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National median was $58,710 per year in May 2024, compared with $59,850 in May 2025, a published difference of $1,140. That Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National comparison is between separate BLS releases, not the raise paid to the same workers or a projection of next year's offer. Read the $58,710 and $59,850 Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National estimates with both dates visible, because the employers and workers represented by the survey can change.
Before offering $59,850 per year for Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National, separate overtime, per diem, lodging and mobilization separately; prevailing wage obligations and union scale depend on the assignment and agreement, not a special BLS traveling-worker percentile. The Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National BLS comparison includes ordinary wages and qualifying incentive pay, but leaves overtime, discretionary bonuses, benefits and relocation outside this wage figure. A candidate's take-home pay and the employer's total cost for Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National can therefore differ from the median without either number being an error.
The mapping for Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National is broader: BLS groups Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) within Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators; it does not publish this niche title or credential level separately. For a Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National opening, establish the equipment, license requirements and responsibility before deciding which people the pay range should attract. A broader occupation can combine jobs that a Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National buyer would screen separately, which is why the badge and SOC remain beside the figures.
Questions about this occupation and area
What does the middle-half band tell a Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National buyer?
Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National has a published middle-half band of $48,680 to $77,170, a width of $28,490 per year, with median $59,850. An offer inside that Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National band is not automatically competitive for every scope; match the required work and the separate pay terms first.
Which areas should I compare before hiring Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National?
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX are the largest-employment comparison markets used for Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National. Comparing those Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators tables with the $59,850 Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National median does not measure commuting costs or predict what a particular applicant will accept.
Are the industry figures local to Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National?
Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National uses national industry rows for SOC 47-2073, not local sector-specific wages. Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution leads the selected sortable rows at $95,500 per year, but that national industry figure is not a quoted offer for Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National.
What changed between the releases for Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National?
Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National moved from $58,710 in May 2024 to $59,850 in May 2025. These Motor Grader Operator (Finish Grade) in National published medians do not describe an individual raise or establish a future wage trend.
What changed since May 2024
SOC 47-2073. Published annual median: $58,710 (May 2024) and $59,850 (May 2025). These are two BLS releases, not a projection.