Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?

Not necessarily. Hawaii has the highest headline BLS median for a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at $115,860, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 155.6). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Best States to Be a Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary goes furthest in Hawaii — a $115,860 BLS median worth $98,757 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 155.6).

Which US states are best for a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators after cost of living and tax?

For a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Hawaii #1: a $115,860 BLS median becomes $98,757 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 155.6). Georgia ranks last ($47,715, index 75.2). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Hawaii ranks #1 of 51 states for a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators. Index 100 = the average state; 155.6 means pay goes 55.6% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

155.6

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	Hawaii	$115,860	$7,275	110.0	$98,757	155.6
2	Illinois	$97,740	$4,697	100.0	$93,082	146.6
3	Indiana	$79,580	$2,357	93.3	$82,742	130.3
4	New Jersey	$89,660	$3,521	108.8	$79,168	124.7
5	Wisconsin	$75,280	$2,838	94.1	$76,989	121.3
6	Washington	$81,700	—	107.0	$76,346	120.3
7	Minnesota	$79,130	$3,892	98.6	$76,290	120.2
8	Alaska	$77,810	—	102.4	$76,017	119.8
9	California	$87,160	$3,984	110.7	$75,123	118.3
10	Connecticut	$78,750	$2,756	103.6	$73,346	115.5
11	New York	$80,980	$3,849	107.9	$71,470	112.6
12	Nevada	$71,410	—	100.0	$71,425	112.5
13	North Dakota	$62,150	—	89.0	$69,864	110.1
14	Massachusetts	$76,820	$3,621	105.8	$69,214	109.0
15	Ohio	$64,940	$1,003	92.8	$68,916	108.6
16	Wyoming	$62,960	—	92.7	$67,925	107.0
17	South Dakota	$59,500	—	88.6	$67,166	105.8
18	Iowa	$60,330	$2,253	87.8	$66,176	104.3
19	Oregon	$73,430	$5,621	103.4	$65,604	103.3
20	District of Columbia	$74,610	$3,475	109.9	$64,727	102.0
21	Missouri	$60,540	$1,964	90.8	$64,498	101.6
22	Michigan	$62,690	$2,418	96.2	$62,642	98.7
23	Nebraska	$58,360	$1,939	90.1	$62,619	98.6
24	Montana	$61,580	$2,495	94.6	$62,428	98.3
25	Idaho	$61,680	$2,392	95.5	$62,085	97.8
26	Kentucky	$57,780	$2,180	90.2	$61,668	97.1
27	Rhode Island	$63,610	$1,785	102.3	$60,446	95.2
28	Pennsylvania	$60,530	$1,858	97.6	$60,132	94.7
29	New Hampshire	$62,200	—	104.2	$59,713	94.1
30	Arizona	$60,620	$1,041	100.7	$59,179	93.2
31	Colorado	$62,620	$2,095	103.1	$58,732	92.5
32	Utah	$60,740	$2,764	98.9	$58,643	92.4
33	Vermont	$58,870	$1,553	98.0	$58,511	92.2
34	Louisiana	$51,700	$1,176	88.2	$57,279	90.2
35	Tennessee	$52,000	—	91.9	$56,602	89.2
36	Maryland	$61,410	$2,584	105.0	$56,046	88.3
37	Maine	$56,140	$2,175	97.0	$55,606	87.6
38	Delaware	$58,020	$2,543	99.8	$55,583	87.6
39	West Virginia	$51,300	$1,578	89.5	$55,557	87.5
40	Kansas	$51,620	$2,081	90.1	$55,002	86.6
41	New Mexico	$52,000	$1,330	92.2	$54,949	86.6
42	Virginia	$57,160	$2,487	101.1	$54,076	85.2
43	Mississippi	$47,410	$1,281	87.0	$53,051	83.6
44	Oklahoma	$47,970	$1,741	87.8	$52,627	82.9
45	Texas	$50,460	—	97.1	$51,990	81.9
46	Alabama	$47,520	$2,111	88.8	$51,123	80.5
47	South Carolina	$48,940	$1,427	93.7	$50,681	79.8
48	North Carolina	$49,310	$1,554	94.3	$50,629	79.8
49	Arkansas	$44,520	$1,528	86.9	$49,452	77.9
50	Florida	$49,400	—	103.4	$47,769	75.3
51	Georgia	$47,880	$1,934	96.3	$47,715	75.2

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Hawaii, a $115,860 salary is worth about $93,783 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $12,745 (≈ top marginal 11.00% (upper bound)) · take-home $103,115 · BEA cost of living 110.0 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $130,788, a $37,005 gain over Hawaii.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$130,788	88.6
2	Arkansas	$128,071	86.9
3	Louisiana	$127,410	88.2
4	Mississippi	$127,382	87.0
5	Iowa	$127,000	87.8
6	North Dakota	$126,984	89.0
7	Tennessee	$126,113	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$125,629	87.8
9	Wyoming	$124,996	92.7
10	Alabama	$123,917	88.8
11	Kentucky	$123,366	90.2
12	West Virginia	$123,217	89.5

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Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Hawaii is the best state for a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators: a BLS median of $115,860 is worth $98,757 after the 2025 state income tax ($7,275) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 110.0), an index of 155.6 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. Hawaii has the highest headline BLS median for a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators at $115,860, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 155.6). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators salary go least far?: Georgia ranks last of 51 states for a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators: a $47,880 BLS median is worth only $47,715 after tax and cost of living (index 75.2). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a operating engineers and other construction equipment operators is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.