Chief Operating Engineer Salary in the United States
How much does a Chief Operating Engineer make in the United States?
As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Chief Operating Engineer in the United States is $81,752 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $39.
However, a Chief Operating Engineer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $104,736
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $73,764 to $93,783
Key Factors That Influence Chief Operating Engineer Salaries
A Chief Operating Engineer'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
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Chief Operating Engineer Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Chief Operating Engineer'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:
How Do Chief Operating Engineer Salaries Vary from State to State?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Chief Operating Engineers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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: $103,114
San Francisco: $101,985
Oakland: $99,836
San Jose, CA$103,114
San Francisco, CA$101,985
Oakland, CA$99,836
New York, NY$94,129
Paramus, NJ$92,984
Queens Village, NY$92,980
Passaic, NJ$92,903
Bergenfield, NJ$92,895
Stamford, CT$92,715
Huntington, NY$92,682
Newark, NJ$92,078
Bridgeport, CT$91,905
Vallejo, CA$91,743
New Brunswick, NJ$91,710
Petaluma, CA$91,661
Middlesex, NJ$91,505
Somerset, NJ$91,448
Santa Cruz, CA$91,342
Boston, MA$90,843
Monterey, CA$90,556
Seattle, WA$90,369
Santa Rosa, CA$90,353
Los Angeles, CA$90,328
Juneau, AK$90,116
Washington, DC$90,026
Orange, CA$89,735
Santa Ana, CA$89,519
Long Beach, CA$89,437
Anaheim, CA$89,421
Anchorage, AK$89,380
Santa Maria, CA$89,135
Everett, WA$89,118
Danbury, CT$88,831
Bremerton, WA$88,718
Tacoma, WA$88,423
New Suffolk, NY$88,422
Sacramento, CA$88,399
Santa Barbara, CA$88,309
Trenton, NJ$88,219
San Diego, CA$88,219
Brockton, MA$88,129
Fairbanks, AK$87,929
Lompoc, CA$87,720
Lowell, MA$87,654
Ventura, CA$87,639
Nashua, NH$87,622
Stockton, CA$87,614
Modesto, CA$87,017
Poughkeepsie, NY$86,837
Olympia, WA$86,682
Kennewick, WA$86,682
New Haven, CT$86,649
Lawrence, MA$86,355
Hartford, CT$86,273
Riverside, CA$86,257
New Bedford, MA$86,175
Richland, WA$86,175
Bakersfield, CA$86,061
San Bernardino, CA$86,028
New Britain, CT$86,020
Atlantic City, NJ$86,020
New London, CT$85,987
Norwich, CT$85,963
Portsmouth, NH$85,946
Boulder, CO$85,773
Portland, OR$85,660
Worcester, MA$85,652
Minneapolis, MN$85,399
Philadelphia, PA$85,284
Honolulu, HI$85,014
Saint Paul, MN$84,975
Vineland, NJ$84,957
Providence, RI$84,720
Chicago, IL$84,483
Bellingham, WA$84,385
Springfield, MA$84,319
Baltimore, MD$84,295
Chico, CA$84,091
Pittsfield, MA$83,870
Manchester, NH$83,714
Spokane, WA$83,355
Denver, CO$83,347
Albany, NY$82,962
Troy, NY$82,930
Nassau, NY$82,842
Schenectady, NY$82,758
Wilmington, DE$82,693
Burlington, VT$82,578
Salem, OR$82,545
Portland, ME$82,292
Yakima, WA$82,210
Rochester, MN$81,957
Reno, NV$81,916
Fresno, CA$81,916
Milwaukee, WI$81,842
Detroit, MI$81,761
Ann Arbor, MI$81,747
Allentown, PA$81,736
Colorado Springs, CO$81,597
Syracuse, NY$81,556
Carson City, NV$81,556
Houston, TX$81,442
Eugene, OR$81,401
Gary, IN$81,303
Springfield, OR$81,237
Bismarck, ND$81,221
Galveston, TX$81,164
Medford, OR$81,041
Fort Collins, CO$81,008
Concord, NH$80,968
Austin, TX$80,943
Mesa, AZ$80,771
Reading, PA$80,763
Phoenix, AZ$80,755
Dallas, TX$80,730
Saint Cloud, MN$80,652
Madison, WI$80,542
Utica, NY$80,322
Rochester, NY$80,191
Des Moines, IA$80,183
Raleigh, NC$80,175
Atlanta, GA$80,052
Battle Creek, MI$80,027
Salt Lake City, UT$80,003
Lancaster, PA$79,880
Harrisburg, PA$79,766
Kansas City, MO$79,684
Champaign, IL$79,668
Kansas City, KS$79,668
Fort Worth, TX$79,660
Columbus, OH$79,646
Boca Raton, FL$79,627
Pittsburgh, PA$79,594
Richmond, VA$79,561
Indianapolis, IN$79,545
Cleveland, OH$79,537
Las Vegas, NV$79,439
Cincinnati, OH$79,439
Petersburg, VA$79,316
Huntsville, AL$79,194
Lansing, MI$79,139
Lebanon, PA$79,128
Pueblo, CO$79,120
Appleton, WI$79,095
Buffalo, NY$79,063
Dayton, OH$79,038
Racine, WI$79,022
Charlotte, NC$79,014
Saint Louis, MO$78,989
York, PA$78,940
Elkhart, IN$78,940
Gastonia, NC$78,925
Billings, MT$78,905
Beaumont, TX$78,883
Lorain, OH$78,867
Benton Harbor, MI$78,850
Toledo, OH$78,834
Binghamton, NY$78,793
Rock Hill, SC$78,785
Rockford, IL$78,744
Springfield, IL$78,711
Elyria, OH$78,703
Fargo, ND$78,703
Flagstaff, AZ$78,646
Fort Lauderdale, FL$78,597
Duluth, MN$78,548
Miami, FL$78,548
Cheyenne, WY$78,490
Grand Forks, ND$78,490
Bangor, ME$78,311
Cedar Rapids, IA$78,221
Durham, NC$78,186
Louisville, KY$78,180
Grand Rapids, MI$78,163
Hialeah, FL$78,155
Casper, WY$78,041
Scranton, PA$77,943
New Orleans, LA$77,918
Virginia Beach, VA$77,910
Akron, OH$77,869
Peoria, IL$77,763
Sarasota, FL$77,747
Nashville, TN$77,689
Omaha, NE$77,689
Green Bay, WI$77,689
Baton Rouge, LA$77,648
Charleston, SC$77,632
Jamestown, NY$77,591
Davenport, IA$77,591
Tucson, AZ$77,550
Saint Petersburg, FL$77,501
Tampa, FL$77,485
Evansville, IN$77,436
Port Arthur, TX$77,436
Bradenton, FL$77,403
Santa Fe, NM$77,256
Orlando, FL$77,109
Clearwater, FL$77,084
Canton, OH$76,913
La Crosse, WI$76,913
Albuquerque, NM$76,864
Newport News, VA$76,855
High Point, NC$76,831
Ogden, UT$76,798
Corpus Christi, TX$76,733
Norfolk, VA$76,684
Laramie, WY$76,684
Rock Island, IL$76,635
Saginaw, MI$76,618
Jacksonville, FL$76,610
Salisbury, NC$76,594
Boise, ID$76,577
Moline, IL$76,537
Fort Myers, FL$76,512
Memphis, TN$76,496
Tulsa, OK$76,455
Waterloo, IA$76,406
Spartanburg, SC$76,324
Lincoln, NE$76,283
Fort Wayne, IN$76,267
Provo, UT$76,259
Cedar Falls, IA$76,161
San Antonio, TX$76,128
Greensboro, NC$76,095
South Bend, IN$76,087
Savannah, GA$75,997
Muskegon, MI$75,964
Birmingham, AL$75,956
Winston Salem, NC$75,916
Lake Charles, LA$75,719
Anderson, IN$75,703
Lexington, KY$75,678
Augusta, GA$75,654
Greenville, SC$75,654
Lima, OH$75,588
Wichita, KS$75,580
Tuscaloosa, AL$75,580
Columbia, SC$75,507
Springfield, OH$75,490
Asheville, NC$75,359
Bloomington, IN$75,302
Knoxville, TN$75,008
Shreveport, LA$75,000
Wilmington, NC$74,893
Roanoke, VA$74,893
Topeka, KS$74,746
Frankfort, KY$74,737
Oklahoma City, OK$74,681
Chillicothe, OH$74,648
Longview, TX$74,640
Melbourne, FL$74,632
Sioux Falls, SD$74,501
Mobile, AL$74,493
Terre Haute, IN$74,460
Altoona, PA$74,411
Amarillo, TX$74,354
Killeen, TX$74,329
Fayetteville, AR$74,264
Chattanooga, TN$74,239
Sioux City, IA$74,166
Idaho Falls, ID$74,149
Lynchburg, VA$74,084
Gainesville, FL$73,978
Portsmouth, OH$73,937
Little Rock, AR$73,921
Lafayette, LA$73,888
Youngstown, OH$73,888
Daytona Beach, FL$73,839
Clarksville, TN$73,831
Pensacola, FL$73,822
Temple, TX$73,817
Hopkinsville, KY$73,577
Erie, PA$73,561
Florence, SC$73,528
Charleston, WV$73,397
Great Falls, MT$73,356
Macon, GA$73,242
Tallahassee, FL$73,234
Fayetteville, NC$73,217
Waco, TX$73,201
Helena, MT$73,144
Pine Bluff, AR$73,113
Vincennes, IN$73,013
Lubbock, TX$72,980
Alamogordo, NM$72,931
Twin Falls, ID$72,858
Rapid City, SD$72,833
Jackson, MS$72,686
Huntington, WV$72,680
Greenville, MS$72,678
Parkersburg, WV$72,594
Montgomery, AL$72,580
Wichita Falls, TX$72,498
Springfield, MO$72,498
Biloxi, MS$72,457
Monroe, LA$72,375
Johnstown, PA$72,318
Sumter, SC$72,285
Columbus, GA$72,277
Pascagoula, MS$72,122
Abilene, TX$72,122
Kingsport, TN$71,909
Albany, GA$71,909
Gulfport, MS$71,885
Alexandria, LA$71,615
Fort Smith, AR$71,411
El Paso, TX$71,190
Las Cruces, NM$70,822
Harlingen, TX$70,614
Pocatello, ID$70,601
Florence, AL$70,495
Brownsville, TX$70,479
Mcallen, TX$70,307
Dothan, AL$70,193
Columbus, MS$69,707
Altus, OK$69,326
Lawton, OK$69,171
Pierre, SD$68,876
What Skills Can Increase a Chief Operating Engineer's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Biotechnology (Mentioned in 25% Job Postings): Integrating natural and engineering sciences to develop technological advances and products toward improving lives and health.
Pneumatics (Mentioned in 25% Job Postings): Pneumatics (pronounced new-MATT-ix) is an aspect of physics and engineering that is concerned with using the energy in compressed gas to make something move or work.
Preventive Maintenance (Mentioned in 25% Job Postings): Preventive maintenance is the act of performing regularly scheduled maintenance activities to help prevent unexpected failures in the future. Put simply, it's about fixing things before they break.
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 Chief Operating Engineer's salary.
Biotechnology: Can increase your salary by up to 27%.
Preventive Maintenance: Can increase your salary by up to 0%.
Chief Operating Engineer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Chief Operating Engineer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 25% above the average.
In contrast, Chief Operating Engineer positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Chief Operating Engineer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Chief Operating Engineer
Understanding how a Chief Operating Engineer'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$73,764
Average$81,752/year
$93,783
$6,147
Average$6,813/month
$7,815
$1,419
Average$1,572/week
$1,804
$35
Average$39/hour
$45
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$93,783
$7,815
$1,804
$45
Average
$81,752
$6,813
$1,572
$39
25th Percentile
$73,764
$6,147
$1,419
$35
Salaries of Jobs related to Chief Operating Engineer
Salaries for a Chief Operating Engineer can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $86,834 in 2023
to around $86,781 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Chief Operating Engineer salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Chief Operating Engineer Over Time
$???
$86,834
$87,133
$86,781
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$86,834
2024
$87,133
2025
$86,781
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Chief Operating Engineer
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Chief Operating Engineer
Here are companies hiring for Chief Operating Engineer and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
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FAQ about Chief Operating Engineer
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Chief Operating Engineer?
The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Chief Operating Engineer roles,
with salaries approximately 25% above the market median.
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.
