OPERATING ENGINEER
Runs the big iron — cranes, excavators, bulldozers, graders. Solid pay, strong union, less brutal on the body than other construction trades. Vermont is not a right-to-work state — union density is higher than average and prevailing wage rules cover most public projects.
The License.
Check with Vermont directly — licensing for operating engineervaries by municipality in this state. There is no single state board that we can point to with confidence for this trade. Contact your local city or county building department, or check the state labor department's website.
The Money.
Pay data for this trade in Vermont. BLS metro-level data was not available for this combination. National medians shown below.
| Stage | Hourly range | Approx. annual |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 apprentice | $20–$30/hr | $40,000 – $60,000 |
| Journeyman scale | $38–$62/hr | $76,000 – $124,000 |
| BLS national median | — | $56,160 |
| BLS top 10% | — | $94,130 |
Vermont is NOT a right-to-work state. Union scale in Vermont's major metros typically runs 20–40% above the national median. Prevailing wage laws apply to most public-sector projects.
The Path.
Vermont is a State Apprenticeship Agency (SAA) state — it administers its own apprenticeship programs separately from the federal RAPIDS system. Contact the state labor department directly or visit apprenticeship.gov and filter by state.
- · International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)
The Exam.
Most construction trade licenses at the contractor level require a business and law exam in addition to the trade exam. Vermont may have this structure. Pass rates are not published uniformly — ask the licensing board directly for current data. Prevailing wage requirements in Vermont apply to most public-sector projects, which ties exam and licensure to wage scale compliance for contractors.
Be honest about pass rates. Many licensing boards do not publish them. When they do, first-time pass rates for journeyman exams in the trades typically run 50–75%. Preparation time varies — most serious candidates spend 60–120 hours on exam prep. Use code books from the correct edition, not what's currently in print.
What recruiters won't tell you.
- 01Crane operator certification (NCCCO) is the differentiator. Get it.
- 02Layoffs between projects are normal. 'On the bench' time can be long.
- 03Non-union heavy equipment jobs often pay 30–40% less.