What are the top 10 cities with the highest pay for Operating Engineer?

We've identified 2 cities in Colorado where Operating Engineer jobs typically pay above the area average. Topping the list is Beaver Creek (7.6% above average), followed by Commerce City and Highlands Ranch. City Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Beaver Creek $96,229 $8,019 $1,850 $46.26 Commerce City $90,367 $7,530 $1,737 $43.45 Highlands Ranch $89,247 $7,437 $1,716 $42.91 Lafayette $88,530 $7,377 $1,702 $42.56 Golden $88,191 $7,349 $1,695 $42.40 Boulder $88,183 $7,348 $1,695 $42.40 Denver $87,518 $7,293 $1,683 $42.08 Centennial $87,452 $7,287 $1,681 $42.04 Arvada $87,100 $7,258 $1,675 $41.88 Thornton $86,942 $7,245 $1,671 $41.80

Operating Engineer

Operating Engineer Salary in Colorado

Q: How much does an Operating Engineer make in Colorado?

The average annual pay for an operating engineer in Colorado is $89,409 a year — that works out to approximately $42.99 an hour. That is 5.2% above the national average of $85,029. The middle 80% of Operating Engineers earn between $62,565 (10th percentile) and $124,079 (90th percentile) per year, depending on experience and employer.

Q: What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Operating Engineer Jobs in Colorado?

We found several jobs related to Operating Engineer in Colorado that pay more on average. Topping the list is Rock Quarry at $18,950 (21.2%) above Operating Engineer. Job Title Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage Rock Quarry $70,459 $5,871 $1,354 $33.87 Heavy Equipment Inspector $60,670 $5,055 $1,166 $29.17 Water Operator $57,095 $4,757 $1,097 $27.45 Construction Equipment Operator $54,178 $4,514 $1,041 $26.05 Professional Motor Coach Operator $51,384 $4,282 $988 $24.70

$37.9K

$85.7K

$142K

$89,409

/year

$42.99

/hour

Operating Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$85,029

Colorado

$89,409

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How much does an Operating Engineer make in Colorado?

As of Aug 2, 2026, the average annual pay for an Operating Engineer in Colorado is $89,409 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $42.99 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,719/week or $7,450/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $141,954 and as low as $37,855, the majority of Operating Engineer salaries currently range between $73,100 (25th percentile) to $98,800 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $124,079 annually in Colorado. The average pay range for an Operating Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 25700), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

Colorado ranks number 50 out of 50 states nationwide for Operating Engineer salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Operating Engineer jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.

Find your next high paying job as an Operating Engineer on ZipRecruiter today.

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Operating Engineer Jobs in Colorado

We've identified 2 cities where the typical salary for an Operating Engineer job is above the average in Colorado in Colorado. Topping the list is Beaver Creek, , with Commerce City, and Highlands Ranch, close behind in the second and third positions. Highlands Ranch, beats the average in Colorado by $162 (0.2%), and Beaver Creek, furthers that trend with another $6,820 (7.6%) above the $89,409 average.

With these 2 cities paying on average above the average for Colorado, the opportunities for economic advancement by changing locations as an Operating Engineer appears to be exceedingly fruitful.

Finally, another factor to consider is the average salary for these top 10 cities varies very little at 10% between Beaver Creek, and Thornton, , reinforcing the limited potential for much wage advancement. The possibility of a lower cost of living may be the best factor to use when considering location and salary for an Operating Engineer role.

City	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Beaver Creek	$96,229	$8,019	$1,850	$46.26
Commerce City	$90,367	$7,530	$1,737	$43.45
Highlands Ranch	$89,247	$7,437	$1,716	$42.91
Lafayette	$88,530	$7,377	$1,702	$42.56
Golden	$88,191	$7,349	$1,695	$42.40
Boulder	$88,183	$7,348	$1,695	$42.40
Denver	$87,518	$7,293	$1,683	$42.08
Centennial	$87,452	$7,287	$1,681	$42.04
Arvada	$87,100	$7,258	$1,675	$41.88
Thornton	$86,942	$7,245	$1,671	$41.80

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Operating Engineer Jobs in Colorado

Analyzing similar jobs related to the Operating Engineer job category in Colorado, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $89409 state average for Operating Engineer jobs.

Nevertheless Rock Quarry, Heavy Equipment Inspector, or Water Operator may still be interesting positions to explore.

Job Title	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
Rock Quarry	$70,459	$5,871	$1,354	$33.87
Heavy Equipment Inspector	$60,670	$5,055	$1,166	$29.17
Water Operator	$57,095	$4,757	$1,097	$27.45
Construction Equipment Operator	$54,178	$4,514	$1,041	$26.05
Professional Motor Coach Operator	$51,384	$4,282	$988	$24.70

About Our Data

ZipRecruiter salary estimates, histograms, trends and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third party data sources.

Infographic detailing Operating Engineer salary in Colorado as of July 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $73,100 to $124,079 annually, with the Colorado average at $89,409 per year or $42.99 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in Colorado for Operating Engineer jobs, with Beaver Creek leading at $96,229 annually.

All Salaries Operating Engineer Salary Operating Engineer Salary in Colorado