Dredge Operators Career, Salary and Skills
Dredge Operators have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $49,640 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 1,040. Wage data is published for 12 locations.
Occupation description
Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.
O*NET code
53-7031.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$49,640
Hourly median
$23.86
Employment
1,040
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 3.75 | 3.25 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.50 | 3.62 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.00 | 2.62 |
| Coordination | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Active Listening | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Speaking | 2.88 | 2.25 |
| Troubleshooting | 2.88 | 2.62 |
| Monitoring | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 2.75 | 2.38 |
Typical tasks
- Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads.
- Start and stop engines to operate equipment.
- Start power winches that draw in or let out cables to change positions of dredges, or pull in and let out cables manually.
- Pump water to clear machinery pipelines.
- Lower anchor poles to verify depths of excavations, using winches, or scan depth gauges to determine depths of excavations.
- Direct or assist workers placing shore anchors and cables, laying additional pipes from dredges to shore, and pumping water from pontoons.
Technology
- Global positioning system GPS software
- HYPACK DREDGEPACK
- Programmable logic controller PLC software
- Teledyne Odom Hydrographic ODOM eChart
- Trimble HYDROpro
- Web browser software
Dredge Operators salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Dredge Operators Salary in IAMedian $57,990 · Employment 60
- Dredge Operators Salary in ALMedian $50,030 · Employment 50
- Dredge Operators Salary in Kansas City, MOMedian $48,980 · Employment 40
- Dredge Operators Salary in OHMedian $53,310 · Employment 40
- Dredge Operators Salary in FLMedian $52,800 · Employment 40
- Dredge Operators Salary in NEMedian $45,290 · Employment 30
- Dredge Operators Salary in NJMedian $63,810 · Employment 30
- Dredge Operators Salary in Houston, TXMedian $72,960 · Employment —
- Dredge Operators Salary in WIMedian $54,310 · Employment —
- Dredge Operators Salary in New Orleans, LAMedian $49,390 · Employment —
- Dredge Operators Salary in TXMedian $65,580 · Employment —
- Dredge Operators Salary in LAMedian $48,590 · Employment —
Related careers
- Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsNational median $46,420
- Conveyor Operators and TendersNational median $42,420
- Wellhead PumpersNational median $69,960
- Pump Operators, Except Wellhead PumpersNational median $61,770
- Pile Driver OperatorsNational median $73,300
- Construction LaborersNational median $47,120
- Service Unit Operators, Oil and GasNational median $58,160
- Maintenance Workers, MachineryNational median $60,850
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.