Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Career, Salary and Skills
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $53,340 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 41,820. Wage data is published for 207 locations.
Occupation description
Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways or for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials. Includes concrete and asphalt paving machine operators, form tampers, tamping machine operators, and stone spreader operators.
O*NET code
47-2071.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
Less than a High School Diploma
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$53,340
Hourly median
$25.64
Employment
41,820
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operations Monitoring | 3.62 | 3.12 |
| Operation and Control | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Monitoring | 3.25 | 2.88 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Repairing | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Active Listening | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Speaking | 2.88 | 2.25 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 2.88 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- Fill tanks, hoppers, or machines with paving materials.
- Control paving machines to push dump trucks and to maintain a constant flow of asphalt or other material into hoppers or screeds.
- Observe distribution of paving material to adjust machine settings or material flow, and indicate low spots for workers to add material.
- Coordinate truck dumping.
- Drive machines onto truck trailers, and drive trucks to transport machines and material to and from job sites.
- Inspect, clean, maintain, and repair equipment, using mechanics' hand tools, or report malfunctions to supervisors.
- Set up and tear down equipment.
- Start machine, engage clutch, and push and move levers to guide machine along forms or guidelines and to control the operation of machine attachments.
Technology
- Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
- Database software
- Email software
- HCSS HeavyBid
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Time report software
- Warehouse management system WMS
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in NYMedian $62,760 · Employment 4,530
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in TXMedian $47,060 · Employment 3,940
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in New York, NYMedian $62,780 · Employment 3,440
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in FLMedian $46,840 · Employment 2,740
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in OHMedian $60,280 · Employment 2,370
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in NCMedian $47,820 · Employment 1,940
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in TNMedian $42,510 · Employment 1,730
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in MIMedian $54,220 · Employment 1,720
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in VAMedian $48,060 · Employment 1,660
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in MOMedian $69,400 · Employment 1,560
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in CAMedian $83,130 · Employment 1,400
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Salary in GAMedian $46,100 · Employment 1,270
Related careers
- Grinding and Polishing Workers, HandNational median $42,660
- Maintenance Workers, MachineryNational median $60,850
- MillwrightsNational median $65,700
- Roustabouts, Oil and GasNational median $46,960
- Industrial Machinery MechanicsNational median $64,520
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and GasNational median $60,190
- Terrazzo Workers and FinishersNational median $76,170
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except EnginesNational median $65,510
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.