Logging equipment operators salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,170 | $16.91 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $49,740 | $23.91 |
| Mean (average) | $53,190 | $25.57 |
| 90th percentile | $74,300 | $35.72 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Logging equipment operators pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 36 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $47,810 | $29,180 | $65,560 | 1,860 | 6.5 |
| Arkansas | $48,280 | $28,990 | $65,000 | 1,280 | 7.26 |
| California | $61,940 | $50,370 | $126,510 | 950 | 0.39 |
| Colorado | $49,620 | $42,170 | $87,930 | 70 | 0.18 |
| Florida | $49,370 | $37,440 | $62,760 | 770 | 0.57 |
| Georgia | $45,080 | $33,560 | $74,520 | 1,620 | 2.45 |
| Idaho | $56,490 | $42,660 | $77,550 | 560 | 4.86 |
| Illinois | $71,100 | $39,990 | $92,490 | 40 | 0.05 |
| Indiana | $46,320 | $36,360 | $58,110 | 150 | 0.35 |
| Kentucky | $30,230 | $20,800 | $51,460 | 300 | 1.11 |
| Louisiana | $58,600 | $43,410 | $78,530 | 770 | 2.96 |
| Maine | $44,780 | $39,250 | $58,870 | 830 | 9.56 |
| Maryland | $47,530 | $31,200 | $67,800 | 60 | 0.15 |
| Massachusetts | $48,960 | $48,040 | $74,010 | ||
| Michigan | $47,610 | $38,320 | $62,190 | 860 | 1.44 |
| Minnesota | $58,590 | $46,800 | $59,760 | 320 | 0.81 |
| Mississippi | $49,620 | $35,550 | $60,150 | 1,220 | 7.77 |
| Missouri | $41,770 | $34,730 | $76,620 | 140 | 0.35 |
| Montana | $56,530 | $47,490 | $89,800 | 190 | 2.72 |
| New Hampshire | $51,540 | $29,060 | $72,370 | 170 | 1.87 |
| New York | $47,540 | $36,770 | $65,670 | 290 | 0.22 |
| North Carolina | $48,420 | $37,800 | $78,010 | 990 | 1.48 |
| Ohio | $50,590 | $39,020 | $58,280 | 260 | 0.34 |
| Oklahoma | $37,270 | $31,460 | $57,880 | 130 | 0.54 |
| Oregon | $58,720 | $47,580 | $74,620 | 1,860 | 6.98 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,880 | $31,050 | $60,500 | 360 | 0.44 |
| South Carolina | $47,650 | $37,910 | $65,320 | 920 | 2.94 |
| South Dakota | $58,740 | $45,170 | $59,330 | 50 | 0.88 |
| Tennessee | $46,310 | $30,460 | $61,310 | 400 | 0.9 |
| Texas | $62,890 | $32,280 | $72,770 | 500 | 0.26 |
| Vermont | $52,910 | $35,140 | $68,140 | 60 | 1.58 |
| Virginia | $46,090 | $30,980 | $72,220 | 570 | 1.02 |
| Washington | $75,140 | $61,300 | $83,750 | 1,150 | 2.38 |
| West Virginia | $36,130 | $29,270 | $63,590 | 310 | 3.29 |
| Wisconsin | $46,360 | $33,220 | $62,090 | 480 | 1.2 |
| Wyoming | $49,650 | $23,990 | $61,280 | 40 | 0.93 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for logging equipment operators
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 3,700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 30.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for logging equipment operators
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Inspect equipment for safety prior to use, and perform necessary basic maintenance tasks.
- Control hydraulic tractors equipped with tree clamps and booms to lift, swing, and bunch sheared trees.
- Grade logs according to characteristics such as knot size and straightness, and according to established industry or company standards.
- Drive straight or articulated tractors equipped with accessories such as bulldozer blades, grapples, logging arches, cable winches, and crane booms to skid, load, unload, or stack logs, pull stumps, or clear brush.
- Drive crawler or wheeled tractors to drag or transport logs from felling sites to log landing areas for processing and loading.
- Fill out required job or shift report forms.
- Drive tractors for building or repairing logging and skid roads.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- BCS Woodlands Systems The Logger Tracker
- TradeTec TallyWorks Logs
- TradeTec TallyWorks TimeTracker
Transferable skills for career changers: Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting, Quality Control Analysis, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Delimber Operator, Feller Buncher Operator, Harvester Operator, Loader Operator, Log Processor Operator, Logging Equipment Operator, Logging Shovel Operator, Skidder Driver, Skidder Operator, Yarder Operator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do logging equipment operators make?
The national median annual wage for logging equipment operators was $49,740 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,170 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $74,300. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do logging equipment operators need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is logging equipment operators a growing career?
BLS projects employment of logging equipment operators to change -3.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 3,700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay logging equipment operators the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($75,140), Illinois ($71,100), Texas ($62,890). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.