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

Jaylin Dillon

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$81,899

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $81,330
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $569
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $81,899
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Ruth
Work county: Trinity
Work state: California

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $81,330
Basic Pay (before locality): $81,330
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 063132105
Length of Service (Years): 21
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WL

Jaylin Dillon is a Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Ruth, California. 2024 total compensation came to $81,899. They are classified at grade 10.

Daniel Stark

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$81,894

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $81,122
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $772
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $81,894
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Camino
Work county: El Dorado
Work state: California

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $81,122
Basic Pay (before locality): $81,122
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 060541017
Length of Service (Years): 21
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WL

Daniel Stark holds the role of Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Camino, California. In 2024, their total compensation was $81,894. Their pay grade is 10.

Chad Morwood

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$80,621

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $80,621
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $80,621
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Richfield
Work county: Sevier
Work state: Utah

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $80,621
Basic Pay (before locality): $80,621
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 491590041
Length of Service (Years): 9
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WS

Chad Morwood holds the role of Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Richfield, Utah. In 2024, their total compensation was $80,621. Their pay grade is 10.

Tyler English

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$80,389

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $79,389
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,000
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $80,389
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Ketchum
Work county: Blaine
Work state: Idaho

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $79,389
Basic Pay (before locality): $79,389
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 160880013
Length of Service (Years): 9
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WL

Tyler English holds the role of Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Ketchum, Idaho. In 2024, their total compensation was $80,389. Their pay grade is 10.

Cory Hammond

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$80,286

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $79,703
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $583
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $80,286
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Chatsworth
Work county: Murray
Work state: Georgia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $79,703
Basic Pay (before locality): $79,703
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 131080213
Length of Service (Years): 13
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

Cory Hammond is a Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Chatsworth, Georgia. 2024 total compensation came to $80,286. They are classified at grade 10.

Terry Cece

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$80,222

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $78,722
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,500
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $80,222
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Raco
Work county: Chippewa
Work state: Michigan

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $78,722
Basic Pay (before locality): $78,722
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 264135033
Length of Service (Years): 8
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WL

Terry Cece is a Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Raco, Michigan. 2024 total compensation came to $80,222. They are classified at grade 10.

Sean Kelley

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$80,150

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $79,076
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $1,074
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $80,150
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Santa Barbara
Work county: Santa Barbara
Work state: California

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $79,076
Basic Pay (before locality): $79,076
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 063430083
Length of Service (Years): 7
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WL

Sean Kelley works as a Engineering Equipment Operating for Department of Agriculture based in Santa Barbara, California. Sean earned $80,150 in 2024. Their pay grade is 10.

Jason Coffman

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$79,953

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $79,953
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $79,953
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Halsey
Work county: Thomas
Work state: Nebraska

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $79,953
Basic Pay (before locality): $79,953
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 312205171
Length of Service (Years): 15
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WL

At Department of Agriculture, Jason Coffman serves as a Engineering Equipment Operating based in Halsey, Nebraska. Their 2024 pay totaled $79,953. They are classified at grade 10.

Samuel Stewart

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$79,890

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $79,890
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $79,890
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Montrose
Work county: Montrose
Work state: Colorado

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $79,890
Basic Pay (before locality): $79,890
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 081700085
Length of Service (Years): 4
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WL

Samuel Stewart is a Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Montrose, Colorado. 2024 total compensation came to $79,890. They are classified at grade 10.

Dana Elmhorst

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$79,723

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $79,723
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $79,723
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Watersmeet
Work county: Gogebic
Work state: Michigan

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $79,723
Basic Pay (before locality): $79,723
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 265115053
Length of Service (Years): 8
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WS

At Department of Agriculture, Dana Elmhorst serves as a Engineering Equipment Operating based in Watersmeet, Michigan. Their 2024 pay totaled $79,723. They are classified at grade 10.

William Howard

Engineering Equipment Operating/Department of Agriculture

2024 total comp

$79,703

Sub-department: Forest Service
Base pay: $79,703
Overtime: $0
Other pay: $0
Benefits: $0
Total compensation: $79,703
Pay grade: 10
Work city: Lakemont
Work county: Rabun
Work state: Georgia

Source-specific fields

Adjusted Basic Pay (incl. locality): $79,703
Basic Pay (before locality): $79,703
Country: United States
Duty Station Code: 133063241
Length of Service (Years): 33
Occupation Code (OPM): 5716
Pay Plan (OPM): WG

William Howard holds the role of Engineering Equipment Operating at Department of Agriculture based in Lakemont, Georgia. In 2024, their total compensation was $79,703. Their pay grade is 10.