Occupation salary profile

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

SOC 47-2071 BLS OEWS May 2025

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.

National median · BLS
$53,340
▲ +3.27% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$59,000
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
41,820
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$38,230
25th$45,610
Median (50th)$53,340
75th$64,720
90th — top pay$92,230

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Monthly—
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Weekly—
Daily—
Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

BLS projects employment of paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators to decline 0.9% from 2025 to 2035, while employment across all occupations grows 3.5%. About 3,100 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
42,300 → 41,900
-400 jobs
Projected change
-0.9%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
3,100
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
2.4% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Fastest-declining jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a high school diploma →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Operations Monitoring3.6
  • Operation and Control3.4
  • Monitoring3.3
  • Coordination3.0
  • Critical Thinking3.0
  • Repairing3.0
  • Troubleshooting3.0
  • Active Listening2.9
  • Equipment Maintenance2.9
  • Judgment and Decision Making2.9
Top knowledge areas
  • Building and Construction3.6
  • Mechanical3.3
  • Mathematics2.8
  • Physics2.7
  • Public Safety and Security2.7
  • Customer and Personal Service2.7
  • Chemistry2.5
  • Administration and Management2.4
Software and technology used
Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3DMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookDatabase softwareEmail softwareHCSS HeavyBidTime report softwareWarehouse management system WMS

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators do

  • Start machine, engage clutch, and push and move levers to guide machine along forms or guidelines and to control the operation of machine attachments.
  • 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.
Also called
Equipment Operator (EO)Paver OperatorRoller OperatorScreed OperatorAsphalt Paver OperatorAsphalt Paving Machine OperatorAsphalt RakerAsphalt Roller OperatorLoader OperatorMaintenance Equipment Operator (MEO)
More job titles for this occupation (48)
Asphalt Distributor OperatorAsphalt Distributor TenderAsphalt Equipment Crew MemberAsphalt Equipment OperatorAsphalt PaverAsphalt Paving OperatorAsphalt Plant OperatorAsphalt Screed OperatorAsphalt ScreedmanAsphalt Spreader OperatorAsphalt Surface Heater OperatorAsphalt Tamping Machine OperatorBituminous Paving Machine OperatorBlack Top Machine OperatorBlack Top Paver OperatorBlack Top RollerBlack Top Spreader Machine OperatorBlacktop Paver OperatorConcrete and Asphalt Equipment OperatorConcrete Equipment Crew MemberConcrete Finishing Machine OperatorConcrete Paving Machine OperatorCrew MemberCurb Machine OperatorForm GraderForm TamperForm Tamper OperatorHeater Planer OperatorJoint Cleaning Machine OperatorJoint Grooving Machine OperatorJoint Machine OperatorMachine OperatorMechanical Spreader OperatorMud Jack OperatorPaving Crew MemberPaving Equipment OperatorPaving Machine OperatorPaving OperatorReinforcing Steel Machine OperatorRoad Mixer OperatorRoad Oiling Truck DriverRoad Packer OperatorRoad Roller OperatorRoller Machine OperatorSteam Roller OperatorStone Spreader OperatorStrike Off Machine OperatorTamping Machine Operator

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.