Pile Driver Operators Career, Salary and Skills
Pile Driver Operators have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $73,300 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 2,310. Wage data is published for 26 locations.
Occupation description
Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures such as buildings, bridges, and piers.
O*NET code
47-2072.00
Job zone
2
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$73,300
Hourly median
$35.24
Employment
2,310
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 4.12 | 3.75 |
| Operations Monitoring | 4.00 | 3.62 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Monitoring | 3.25 | 2.88 |
| Troubleshooting | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Active Listening | 3.00 | 2.75 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.88 | 3.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Time Management | 2.88 | 2.75 |
Typical tasks
- Move hand and foot levers of hoisting equipment to position piling leads, hoist piling into leads, and position hammers over pilings.
- Move levers and turn valves to activate power hammers, or to raise and lower drophammers that drive piles to required depths.
- Drive pilings to provide support for buildings or other structures, using heavy equipment with a pile driver head.
- Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Clean, lubricate, and refill equipment.
Technology
- Email software
- Global positioning system GPS software
- GRL Engineers Wave Equation Analysis Program GRLWEAP
- Microsoft Excel
- Pile Dynamics Case Pile Wave Analysis Program CAPWAP
- Pile Dynamics Pile Driving Analyzer PDA
Pile Driver Operators salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in CAMedian $110,340 · Employment 480
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in TXMedian $66,140 · Employment 280
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in FLMedian $51,830 · Employment 270
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in AKMedian $78,080 · Employment 190
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in LAMedian $61,150 · Employment 180
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in VAMedian $59,910 · Employment 150
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in MAMedian $120,980 · Employment 130
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $106,660 · Employment 130
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in PAMedian $93,550 · Employment 90
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in Beaumont, TXMedian $66,140 · Employment 90
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in Boston, MAMedian $121,900 · Employment 90
- Pile Driver Operators Salary in Houston, TXMedian $70,030 · Employment 80
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- Roustabouts, Oil and GasNational median $46,960
- Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine SpecialistsNational median $61,770
- Continuous Mining Machine OperatorsNational median $61,810
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.