Pile Driver Operators Salary
Construction and Extraction Occupations · 2.3K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$73,300
Median hourly
$35
Average annual
$80,710
Typical range
$48,790–$124,600
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Pile Driver Operators is $73,300 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $35 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures such as buildings, bridges, and piers..
Most earn between $48,790 and $124,600 a year. There are roughly 2.3K people employed as pile driver operators in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Pile Driver Operators.
- Hourly
- $35.24
- Daily
- $282
- Weekly
- $1,410
- Bi-weekly
- $2,819
- Monthly
- $6,108
- Annual
- $73,300
$73,300 a year is around the 50th percentile for Pile Driver Operatorss. The median is $73,300.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Massachusetts$120,980
- 2Washington$111,080
- 3California$110,340
- 4Pennsylvania$93,550
- 5Alaska$78,080
- 6Texas$66,140
- 7Louisiana$61,150
- 8Virginia$59,910
- 9Tennessee$54,830
- 10Florida$51,830
- 11Georgia$47,930
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$132,850
- 2Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$124,670
- 3Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$121,900
- 4Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$111,070
- 5Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$106,660
- 6Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$104,870
- 7Anchorage, AK$89,880
- 8Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX$70,030
- 9Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX$66,140
- 10New Orleans-Metairie, LA$61,610
- 11Baton Rouge, LA$60,630
- 12Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC$60,290
Related job titles
Employers advertise Pile Driver Operators roles under these titles.
- Diesel Pile Hammer Operator
- Driving Inspector
- Driving Operator
- Hoisting Pile Driving Engineer
- Hydraulic Pile Hammer Operator
- Hydraulic Press-In Operator
- Pile Driver Engineer
- Pile Driver Operator
- Pile Driving Inspector
- Pile Driving Leadsman
- Pile Driving Nozzleman
- Pile Driving Operator
- Pile Driving Technician
- Vibratory Pile Driver
Related occupations
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators$46,420
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$57,430
- Hoist and Winch Operators$56,450
- Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators$53,340
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$65,510
- Riggers$62,640
- Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining$74,500
What a Pile Driver Operators does
- Move hand and foot levers of hoisting equipment to position piling leads, hoist piling into leads, and position hammers over pilings.
- Move levers and turn valves to activate power hammers, or to raise and lower drophammers that drive piles to required depths.
- Drive pilings to provide support for buildings or other structures, using heavy equipment with a pile driver head.
- Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Clean, lubricate, and refill equipment.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Pile Driver Operators make?
- The median annual wage for Pile Driver Operators is $73,300 ($35 per hour). Pay ranges from about $48,790 at the 10th percentile to $124,600 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Pile Driver Operators?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $80,710, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Pile Driver Operatorss the most?
- Massachusetts has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $120,980.
- Is Pile Driver Operators a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 2.3K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Pile Driver Operators do?
- Move hand and foot levers of hoisting equipment to position piling leads, hoist piling into leads, and position hammers over pilings.; Move levers and turn valves to activate power hammers, or to raise and lower drophammers that drive piles to required depths.; Drive pilings to provide support for buildings or other structures, using heavy equipment with a pile driver head..