U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense) / Department of Agriculture / Engineering Equipment Operating

Job-title file

Engineering Equipment Operating

Design, analyze, and oversee technical systems or infrastructure, ensuring they meet specifications and codes.

472 employees hold this title in Department of Agriculture. Median total compensation for the role is $66,505, below the department median of $77,955.

Employees: 472
Total payroll: $31.4M
Role median: $66,505
Agency median: $77,955
Comparison: Below

What the records show

Role pay distribution

Pay distribution for this role

$40,175$92,461+

Hover a bar for its range; click to filter the list below.

How total compensation varies among the 472 people in this role. Even for one job title, pay differs with seniority, step, overtime, and tenure. Each bar is a pay range; the far-right bar collects the highest earners.

Compared with the local labor market

Engineering Equipment Operating pay vs. the United States

Across all employers in the United States, the median wage for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators — about 478,090 people — is $59,850. Department of Agriculture pays a median base salary of $65,803 for this role, 10% above that figure — about the 59th percentile of local pay for the occupation.

Where Department of Agriculture sits in the local pay range

10th

25th

Median

75th

90th

$42,190

$48,680

$59,850

$77,170

$101,090

Department of Agriculture median · $65,803

The bar is the range of annual wages for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators across every employer in the United States, from the 10th to the 90th percentile, with the middle 50% highlighted. The marker shows Department of Agriculture’s median base salary for this role. Both figures are base pay only.

Median total compensation for this role at Department of Agriculture is $66,505, which includes overtime and employer-paid benefits. The benchmark above excludes both, so total compensation is deliberately not compared against it.

Benchmark: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) covers all employers in the area — private, non-profit, and government alike — so this is a comparison against the whole local labor market for the occupation, not against private-sector pay. OEWS wages are straight-time pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials, and employer-paid benefits, so the government figure shown here is base pay on the same basis. Total compensation is not comparable to it. Job titles are matched to the closest standard occupation, so the comparison is between similar work rather than an identical job classification.

Compare departments

This role across U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense)

Engineering Equipment Operating is held in 10 U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense) departments. In Department of Agriculture, the median of $66,505 ranks #8 of 10.

Highest-paying departments for this role

Department of Energy

$121,693 · 14

Presidio Trust

$111,297 · 3

Department of Transportation

$79,459 · 7

Department of Homeland Security

$78,774 · 22

Smithsonian Institution

$77,031 · 3

Department of Interior

$69,455 · 721

Department of Veterans Affairs

$66,972 · 226

Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation

$65,740 · 2

Inter Bound and Water Community U.S. Section

$65,135 · 23

Median total compensation for the Engineering Equipment Operating role in other U.S. Federal Government (non-Defense)departments (highest first). Each bar links to that department’s page for this role.

Record list

Employees with this title

Page 1

Joseph Koschik

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$55,806

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $55,806
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,806
Pay grade: 08
Work city: Upper Lake
Work county: Lake
Work state: California

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,806
Basic Pay (before locality): $55,806
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 064005033
Length of Service (Years): 21
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

Joseph Koschik is a Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Upper Lake, California. 2024 total compensation came to $55,806. They are classified at grade 08.

Vincent Redmond

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$55,786

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $55,786
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,786
Pay grade: 08
Work city: Douglas
Work county: Converse
Work state: Wyoming

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,786
Basic Pay (before locality): $55,786
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 560200009
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

Vincent Redmond is a Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Douglas, Wyoming. 2024 total compensation came to $55,786. They are classified at grade 08.

Casey Griffis

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$55,786

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $55,786
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,786
Pay grade: 08
Work city: Laramie
Work county: Albany
Work state: Wyoming

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,786
Basic Pay (before locality): $55,786
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 560470001
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

Casey Griffis holds the role of Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Laramie, Wyoming. In 2024, their total compensation was $55,786. Their pay grade is 08.

Anson Hatfield

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$55,514

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $55,514
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,514
Pay grade: 08
Work city: Marlinton
Work county: Pocahontas
Work state: West Virginia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,514
Basic Pay (before locality): $55,514
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 541640075
Length of Service (Years): 1
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

Anson Hatfield works as a Engineering Equipment Operating for Department of Agriculture based in Marlinton, West Virginia. Anson earned $55,514 in 2024. Their pay grade is 08.

Brian Strawser

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$55,514

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $55,514
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,514
Pay grade: 08
Work city: Elkins
Work county: Randolph
Work state: West Virginia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,514
Basic Pay (before locality): $55,514
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 540810083
Length of Service (Years): 1
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

Brian Strawser works as a Engineering Equipment Operating for Department of Agriculture based in Elkins, West Virginia. Brian earned $55,514 in 2024. Their pay grade is 08.

Ronald Plaugher

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$55,514

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $55,514
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,514
Pay grade: 08
Work city: Marlinton
Work county: Pocahontas
Work state: West Virginia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $55,514
Basic Pay (before locality): $55,514
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 541640075
Length of Service (Years): 1
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

At Department of Agriculture, Ronald Plaugher serves as a Engineering Equipment Operating based in Marlinton, West Virginia. Their 2024 pay totaled $55,514. They are classified at grade 08.

Thomas Fox

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$55,138

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $54,638
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $500
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $55,138
Pay grade: 08
Work city: Price
Work county: Carbon
Work state: Utah

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $54,638
Basic Pay (before locality): $54,638
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 491540007
Length of Service (Years): 1
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

Thomas Fox holds the role of Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Price, Utah. In 2024, their total compensation was $55,138. Their pay grade is 08.

Jonathan Neville

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$54,853

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $54,700
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $153
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $54,853
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Talladega
Work county: Talladega
Work state: Alabama

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $54,700
Basic Pay (before locality): $54,700
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 012910121
Length of Service (Years): 0
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

At Department of Agriculture, Jonathan Neville serves as a Engineering Equipment Operating based in Talladega, Alabama. Their 2024 pay totaled $54,853. They are classified at grade 10.

Tony Ulvestad

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$54,573

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $53,573
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,000
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $54,573
Pay grade: 05
Work city: Salmon
Work county: Lemhi
Work state: Idaho

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $53,573
Basic Pay (before locality): $53,573
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 161630059
Length of Service (Years): 27
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

Tony Ulvestad holds the role of Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Salmon, Idaho. In 2024, their total compensation was $54,573. Their pay grade is 05.

Robert Helmts

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$54,158

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $54,158
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $54,158
Pay grade: 08
Work city: Grangeville
Work county: Idaho
Work state: Idaho

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $54,158
Basic Pay (before locality): $54,158
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 160630049
Length of Service (Years): 1
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

At Department of Agriculture, Robert Helmts serves as a Engineering Equipment Operating based in Grangeville, Idaho. Their 2024 pay totaled $54,158. They are classified at grade 08.

Jesse Escobar

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$53,399

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $52,885
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $514
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $53,399
Pay grade: 08
Work city: North Fork
Work county: Madera
Work state: California

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $52,885
Basic Pay (before locality): $52,885
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 062423039
Length of Service (Years): 2
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

At Department of Agriculture, Jesse Escobar serves as a Engineering Equipment Operating based in North Fork, California. Their 2024 pay totaled $53,399. They are classified at grade 08.