What are the main factors that influence a Heavy Machine Operator's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Heavy Machine Operator's salary?

A Heavy Machine Operator's salary grows with experience: a Machine Operator I (0-1 years)earns $42,395, a Heavy Machine Operator (1-3 years)earns $47,113, a Machine Operator III (3-5 years)earns $53,450, a Machine Operator IV (5-7 years)earns $57,455, a Machine Operator Supervisor (7+ years)earns $83,430,

What are the highest paying cities for a Heavy Machine Operator?

Heavy Machine Operator salary varies significantly by city. The top 3 highest paying cities in Illinois for Heavy Machine Operator roles are San Jose $58,197, San Francisco $57,560, Oakland $56,347.

How much do different types of Heavy Machine Operator roles make?

Salaries for Heavy Machine Operator level roles vary by specialization: Heavy Machinery Operator: $79,013; Heavy Wrecker Operator: $78,232; Heavy Equip Operator: $77,471; Heavy Equipment Operator IV: $77,448; Machine Operator: $45,115.

What specialized skills increase a Heavy Machine Operator's salary?

Skills with high demand and low supply, such as Analysis (up to 8% premium), Dedication (up to 7% premium), Collaboration (up to 4% premium), directly translate to higher compensation. Employers pay more for these capabilities to gain a competitive edge.

Heavy Machine Operator Salary in Wheeling, IL

How much does a Heavy Machine Operator make in Wheeling, IL?

As of June 01, 2026, the average salary for a Heavy Machine Operator in Wheeling, IL is $46,767 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $22.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $55,630
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $41,773 to $51,406
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $37,227

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Heavy Machine Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$51,406	$4,284	$989	$25
Average	$46,767	$3,897	$899	$22
25th Percentile	$41,773	$3,481	$803	$20

You may get higher pay by adjusting the following factors:

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Key Factors That Influence Heavy Machine Operator Salaries

A Heavy Machine 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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Heavy Machine Operator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Heavy Machine 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): $42,395
Early Career (1-2 years): $47,113
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $53,450
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $57,455
Expert (over 8 years): $83,430

Levels	Salary
Machine O... Level Heavy Machine Operator	$42,395
Heavy Mac... Level Heavy Machine Operator	$47,113
Machine O... Level Heavy Machine Operator	$53,450
Machine O... Level Heavy Machine Operator	$57,455
Machine O... Level Heavy Machine Operator	$83,430

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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Heavy Machine 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: $58,197
San Francisco: $57,560
Oakland: $56,347

San Jose, CA $58,197

San Francisco, CA $57,560

Oakland, CA $56,347

New York, NY $53,126

Paramus, NJ $52,480

Queens Village, NY $52,477

Passaic, NJ $52,433

Bergenfield, NJ $52,429

Stamford, CT $52,328

Huntington, NY $52,309

Newark, NJ $51,968

Bridgeport, CT $51,871

Vallejo, CA $51,779

New Brunswick, NJ $51,760

Petaluma, CA $51,733

Middlesex, NJ $51,645

Somerset, NJ $51,613

Santa Cruz, CA $51,553

Boston, MA $51,271

Monterey, CA $51,109

Seattle, WA $51,004

Santa Rosa, CA $50,994

Los Angeles, CA $50,981

Juneau, AK $50,861

Washington, DC $50,810

Orange, CA $50,646

Santa Ana, CA $50,524

Long Beach, CA $50,478

Anaheim, CA $50,468

Anchorage, AK $50,445

Santa Maria, CA $50,307

Everett, WA $50,298

Danbury, CT $50,135

Bremerton, WA $50,072

Tacoma, WA $49,905

New Suffolk, NY $49,905

Sacramento, CA $49,892

Santa Barbara, CA $49,841

Trenton, NJ $49,790

San Diego, CA $49,790

Brockton, MA $49,739

Fairbanks, AK $49,626

Lompoc, CA $49,509

Lowell, MA $49,471

Ventura, CA $49,463

Nashua, NH $49,453

Stockton, CA $49,449

Modesto, CA $49,112

Poughkeepsie, NY $49,010

Olympia, WA $48,923

Kennewick, WA $48,923

New Haven, CT $48,904

Lawrence, MA $48,738

Hartford, CT $48,692

Riverside, CA $48,683

New Bedford, MA $48,637

Richland, WA $48,637

Bakersfield, CA $48,572

San Bernardino, CA $48,554

New Britain, CT $48,549

Atlantic City, NJ $48,549

New London, CT $48,530

Norwich, CT $48,517

Portsmouth, NH $48,507

Boulder, CO $48,410

Portland, OR $48,346

Worcester, MA $48,341

Minneapolis, MN $48,198

Philadelphia, PA $48,134

Honolulu, HI $47,981

Saint Paul, MN $47,959

Vineland, NJ $47,949

Providence, RI $47,815

Chicago, IL $47,681

Bellingham, WA $47,626

Springfield, MA $47,589

Baltimore, MD $47,575

Chico, CA $47,460

Pittsfield, MA $47,335

Manchester, NH $47,248

Spokane, WA $47,045

Denver, CO $47,040

Albany, NY $46,823

Troy, NY $46,805

Nassau, NY $46,755

Schenectady, NY $46,708

Wilmington, DE $46,671

Burlington, VT $46,606

Salem, OR $46,588

Portland, ME $46,445

Yakima, WA $46,399

Rochester, MN $46,256

Reno, NV $46,233

Fresno, CA $46,233

Milwaukee, WI $46,191

Detroit, MI $46,145

Ann Arbor, MI $46,137

Allentown, PA $46,131

Colorado Springs, CO $46,053

Syracuse, NY $46,030

Carson City, NV $46,030

Houston, TX $45,965

Eugene, OR $45,942

Gary, IN $45,887

Springfield, OR $45,850

Bismarck, ND $45,840

Galveston, TX $45,808

Medford, OR $45,739

Fort Collins, CO $45,721

Concord, NH $45,697

Austin, TX $45,684

Mesa, AZ $45,587

Reading, PA $45,582

Phoenix, AZ $45,577

Dallas, TX $45,564

Saint Cloud, MN $45,519

Madison, WI $45,458

Utica, NY $45,333

Rochester, NY $45,259

Des Moines, IA $45,255

Raleigh, NC $45,250

Atlanta, GA $45,181

Battle Creek, MI $45,167

Salt Lake City, UT $45,153

Lancaster, PA $45,084

Harrisburg, PA $45,019

Kansas City, MO $44,973

Champaign, IL $44,964

Kansas City, KS $44,964

Fort Worth, TX $44,959

Columbus, OH $44,951

Boca Raton, FL $44,941

Pittsburgh, PA $44,922

Richmond, VA $44,904

Indianapolis, IN $44,895

Cleveland, OH $44,890

Las Vegas, NV $44,835

Cincinnati, OH $44,835

Petersburg, VA $44,765

Huntsville, AL $44,696

Lansing, MI $44,665

Lebanon, PA $44,659

Pueblo, CO $44,655

Appleton, WI $44,641

Buffalo, NY $44,622

Dayton, OH $44,609

Racine, WI $44,599

Charlotte, NC $44,595

Saint Louis, MO $44,581

York, PA $44,553

Elkhart, IN $44,553

Gastonia, NC $44,544

Billings, MT $44,533

Beaumont, TX $44,521

Lorain, OH $44,512

Benton Harbor, MI $44,502

Toledo, OH $44,493

Binghamton, NY $44,470

Rock Hill, SC $44,466

Rockford, IL $44,442

Springfield, IL $44,424

Elyria, OH $44,419

Fargo, ND $44,419

Flagstaff, AZ $44,387

Fort Lauderdale, FL $44,359

Duluth, MN $44,332

Miami, FL $44,332

Cheyenne, WY $44,299

Grand Forks, ND $44,299

Bangor, ME $44,198

Cedar Rapids, IA $44,147

Durham, NC $44,128

Louisville, KY $44,124

Grand Rapids, MI $44,115

Hialeah, FL $44,110

Casper, WY $44,046

Scranton, PA $43,990

New Orleans, LA $43,976

Virginia Beach, VA $43,972

Akron, OH $43,949

Peoria, IL $43,889

Sarasota, FL $43,880

Nashville, TN $43,847

Omaha, NE $43,847

Green Bay, WI $43,847

Baton Rouge, LA $43,824

Charleston, SC $43,815

Jamestown, NY $43,792

Davenport, IA $43,792

Tucson, AZ $43,769

Saint Petersburg, FL $43,741

Tampa, FL $43,732

Evansville, IN $43,704

Port Arthur, TX $43,704

Bradenton, FL $43,686

Santa Fe, NM $43,603

Orlando, FL $43,520

Clearwater, FL $43,506

Canton, OH $43,409

La Crosse, WI $43,409

Albuquerque, NM $43,381

Newport News, VA $43,377

High Point, NC $43,363

Ogden, UT $43,344

Corpus Christi, TX $43,307

Norfolk, VA $43,280

Laramie, WY $43,280

Rock Island, IL $43,252

Saginaw, MI $43,243

Jacksonville, FL $43,238

Salisbury, NC $43,229

Boise, ID $43,220

Moline, IL $43,197

Fort Myers, FL $43,183

Memphis, TN $43,174

Tulsa, OK $43,151

Waterloo, IA $43,123

Spartanburg, SC $43,077

Lincoln, NE $43,054

Fort Wayne, IN $43,044

Provo, UT $43,040

Cedar Falls, IA $42,984

San Antonio, TX $42,966

Greensboro, NC $42,947

South Bend, IN $42,943

Savannah, GA $42,892

Muskegon, MI $42,874

Birmingham, AL $42,869

Winston Salem, NC $42,846

Lake Charles, LA $42,735

Anderson, IN $42,726

Lexington, KY $42,712

Augusta, GA $42,698

Greenville, SC $42,698

Lima, OH $42,661

Wichita, KS $42,657

Tuscaloosa, AL $42,657

Columbia, SC $42,615

Springfield, OH $42,606

Asheville, NC $42,532

Bloomington, IN $42,500

Knoxville, TN $42,334

Shreveport, LA $42,329

Wilmington, NC $42,269

Roanoke, VA $42,269

Topeka, KS $42,186

Frankfort, KY $42,181

Oklahoma City, OK $42,149

Chillicothe, OH $42,131

Longview, TX $42,126

Melbourne, FL $42,122

Sioux Falls, SD $42,048

Mobile, AL $42,043

Terre Haute, IN $42,025

Altoona, PA $41,997

Amarillo, TX $41,965

Killeen, TX $41,951

Fayetteville, AR $41,914

Chattanooga, TN $41,900

Sioux City, IA $41,859

Idaho Falls, ID $41,849

Lynchburg, VA $41,812

Gainesville, FL $41,752

Portsmouth, OH $41,729

Little Rock, AR $41,720

Lafayette, LA $41,702

Youngstown, OH $41,702

Daytona Beach, FL $41,674

Clarksville, TN $41,669

Pensacola, FL $41,665

Temple, TX $41,662

Hopkinsville, KY $41,526

Erie, PA $41,517

Florence, SC $41,499

Charleston, WV $41,425

Great Falls, MT $41,402

Macon, GA $41,337

Tallahassee, FL $41,333

Fayetteville, NC $41,323

Waco, TX $41,314

Helena, MT $41,282

Pine Bluff, AR $41,264

Vincennes, IN $41,208

Lubbock, TX $41,190

Alamogordo, NM $41,162

Twin Falls, ID $41,120

Rapid City, SD $41,106

Jackson, MS $41,023

Huntington, WV $41,020

Greenville, MS $41,019

Parkersburg, WV $40,972

Montgomery, AL $40,963

Wichita Falls, TX $40,917

Springfield, MO $40,917

Biloxi, MS $40,894

Monroe, LA $40,848

Johnstown, PA $40,816

Sumter, SC $40,797

Columbus, GA $40,793

Pascagoula, MS $40,705

Abilene, TX $40,705

Kingsport, TN $40,585

Albany, GA $40,585

Gulfport, MS $40,571

Alexandria, LA $40,419

Fort Smith, AR $40,304

El Paso, TX $40,179

Las Cruces, NM $39,971

Harlingen, TX $39,854

Pocatello, ID $39,847

Florence, AL $39,787

Brownsville, TX $39,778

Mcallen, TX $39,681

Dothan, AL $39,616

Columbus, MS $39,342

Altus, OK $39,127

Lawton, OK $39,039

Pierre, SD $38,873

What Skills Can Increase a Heavy Machine Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Commitment (Mentioned in 3.99% Job Postings): An agreement or pledge to do something in the future a commitment to improve conditions at the prison especially : an engagement to assume a financial obligation at a future date.
Machine Operation (Mentioned in 3.23% Job Postings): Applying methods and techniques to implement, maintain, repair, design, and update various machines following specific rules to ensure safety.
Container (Mentioned in 2.39% Job Postings): Container is an object used for or capable of holding, esp for transport or storage, such as a carton, box, etc.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Commitment	3.99%
Machine Operation	3.23%
Container	2.39%

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 Heavy Machine Operator's salary.

Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Dedication: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Analysis	$50,508	8%
Dedication	$50,040	7%
Collaboration	$48,637	4%
Leadership	$48,170	3%
Initiative	$48,170	3%
SOP	$47,702	2%

Get Latest Data

Heavy Machine Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Heavy Machine 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 June 01, 2026

$41,773

Average $46,767/year

$51,406

$3,481

Average $3,897/month

$4,284

$803

Average $899/week

$989

$20

Average $22/hour

$25

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$51,406	$4,284	$989	$25
Average	$46,767	$3,897	$899	$22
25th Percentile	$41,773	$3,481	$803	$20

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