Operating Engineer

Operating Engineer Salary in Michigan

$31.4K

$71K

$117.7K

$74,110

/year

$35.63

/hour

Operating Engineer Salary Comparison by Location

Nationwide

United States

$85,029

Michigan

Michigan

$74,110

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    How much does an Operating Engineer make in Michigan?

    As of Aug 2, 2026, the average annual pay for an Operating Engineer in Michigan is $74,110 a year.

    Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $35.63 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,425/week or $6,175/month.

    While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $117,666 and as low as $31,377, the majority of Operating Engineer salaries currently range between $60,600 (25th percentile) to $81,900 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $102,848 annually in Michigan. The average pay range for an Operating Engineer varies greatly (by as much as 21300), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

    Michigan 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 Michigan

    We've identified 10 cities where the typical salary for an Operating Engineer job is above the average in Michigan in Michigan. Topping the list is Detroit, , with Ann Arbor, and Marquette, close behind in the second and third positions. Marquette, beats the average in Michigan by $8,326 (11.2%), and Detroit, furthers that trend with another $10,065 (13.6%) above the $74,110 average.

    With these 10 cities paying on average above the average for Michigan, 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 5% between Detroit, and Troy, , 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

    Hourly Wage

    Detroit

    $84,175

    $40.47

    Ann Arbor

    $83,186

    $39.99

    Marquette

    $82,436

    $39.63

    Romulus

    $81,903

    $39.38

    Brighton

    $81,576

    $39.22

    Wixom

    $81,500

    $39.18

    East Lansing

    $80,532

    $38.72

    Kalamazoo

    $80,304

    $38.61

    Belleville

    $79,988

    $38.46

    Troy

    $79,687

    $38.31

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

    Analyzing similar jobs related to the Operating Engineer job category in Michigan, we found 5 that were relevant. However, none pay more than the $74110 state average for Operating Engineer jobs.

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

    Job Title

    Annual Salary

    Hourly Wage

    Rock Quarry

    $58,403

    $28.08

    Heavy Equipment Inspector

    $50,289

    $24.18

    Construction Equipment Operator

    $44,908

    $21.59

    Professional Motor Coach Operator

    $42,591

    $20.48

    Transportation Security Screener

    $39,850

    $19.16

    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 Michigan as of July 2026. Shows a bar chart with salary percentiles ranging from $60,600 to $102,848 annually, with the Michigan average at $74,110 per year or $35.63 per hour. Includes a list of the top 10 highest paying cities in Michigan for Operating Engineer jobs, with Detroit leading at $84,175 annually.