Dredge Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Dredge Operator make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Dredge Operator in the United States is $44,415 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $21.

However, a Dredge Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $52,752
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $39,682 to $48,779
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $35,373
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View as table View as graph 25% $39,682 10% $35,373 90% $52,752 75% $48,779 $44,415 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Dredge Operator Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $48,779 $4,065 $938 $23
Average $44,415 $3,701 $854 $21
25th Percentile $39,682 $3,307 $763 $19
Check out Dredge Operator Job Openings in the United States
Remedial Daywork Operator

Nine Energy Service - CHARLEROI, PA

OTR Class Owner Operator

Clean Harbors - REIDSVILLE, NC

Regional Class Owner Operator

Clean Harbors - DES MOINES, IA

OTR Owner Operator

Clean Harbors - KIMBALL, NE

Search More Dredge Operator Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Dredge Operator Salaries

A Dredge Operator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Dredge Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Dredge Operator's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $43,297
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $43,429
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $45,091
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $47,040
  • Expert (over 8 years): $47,179
Levels Salary
Entry Level Dredge Operator$43,297
Intermediate Level Dredge Operator$43,429
Senior Level Dredge Operator$45,091
Specialist Level Dredge Operator$47,040
Expert Level Dredge Operator$47,179
$43,297 0 yr
$43,429 < 2 yrs
$45,091 2-4 yrs
$47,040 5-8 yrs
$47,179 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Dredge Operators

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $56,021
  • San Francisco: $55,470
  • Oakland: $54,239

What Skills Can Increase a Dredge Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Problem Solving (Mentioned in 5.1% Job Postings): Analyzing and identifying the root cause of problems and applying critical thinking skills to solve problems.
  • Preventative Maintenance (Mentioned in 2.95% Job Postings): Developing and implementing maintenance strategies to increase equipment life expectancy and avoid unplanned downtime.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 2.03% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Problem Solving 5.1%
Preventative Maintenance 2.95%
Continuous Improvement 2.03%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Dredge Operator's salary.
  • Creativity: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
  • Time Management: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
  • Manufacturing Operations: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Creativity
$46,636
5%
Time Management
$46,191
4%
Manufacturing Operations
$45,747
3%
Programming
$45,747
3%
Troubleshooting
$45,303
2%
Customer Service
$45,303
2%
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How Education impacts a Dredge Operator's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Dredge Operators enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Dredge Operator with a No Diploma is between $39,190 and $42,732).

Dredge Operator Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Dredge Operator
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 5.7%
High School 65.7%
Associates 14.3%
Bachelors 11.4%
Masters 2.9%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Dredge Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Dredge Operator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Dredge Operator

Salaries for a Dredge Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $41,179 in 2023 to around $41,216 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Dredge Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Dredge Operator Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$41,179
2024
$41,328
2025
$41,216
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $41,179
2024 $41,328
2025 $41,216
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Dredge Operator

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Dredge Operator

Here are companies hiring for Dredge Operator and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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