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Heavy equipment operator schools in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has 4 accredited campuses awarding heavy equipment credentials. If you finish and work as a construction equipment operator in Pennsylvania, expect to start around $46,780–$50,790 and reach a median of $60,530 with experience; the top quarter earn $77,780 or more (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025, Pennsylvania). Graduates of these Pennsylvania programs — every graduate, whatever job they took — earned a median of $49,414 in their first year, against $34,973 nationally; that is the figure used to rank campuses below.

What operating engineers and other construction equipment operators earn in Pennsylvania

$46,780starting (10th percentile)
$50,790early career (25th)
$60,530median, all experience
$77,780experienced (75th)
$94,930top earners (90th)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; 22,120 employed in Pennsylvania. National median: $59,850.

Campuses in Pennsylvania, ranked by what their graduates earned

4campuses in Pennsylvania
152credentials awarded / yr
$49,414median earnings, yr 1 (Pennsylvania)
$34,973median earnings, yr 1 (U.S.)

Cities: JohnstownMonessenPittsburghWilliamsport

CampusCityTypeGrads / yrEarnings, yr 1Program debtCompletionCost / yr
Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh Public 107 $63,716 not reported 24% not reported
Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center Johnstown Public 17 $35,112 not reported 79% $19,100
Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport Public 19 not reported $12,000 not reported not reported
Douglas Education Center Monessen for-profit 9 not reported not reported 88% not reported

Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.

Ranked by median earnings of this program's graduates one year after completion (College Scorecard field-of-study, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026); campuses without a reported figure follow, by credentials awarded. "Program debt" is the median federal loan debt for graduates of this program at this campus. Completion is the campus-wide 150%-of-time rate. "Not reported" means the federal file suppresses the value for privacy.

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