Conveyor Operators and Tenders
Median $42,420
Occupation · SOC 53-7031
Dredge Operators: pay and where the jobs are
What dredge operators earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$49,640 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $56,120
- Median hourly wage
- $23.86
- Mean hourly wage
- $26.98
- Employment
- 1,040
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 53-7031.
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See where your pay falls among dredge operators nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
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How much do dredge operators make?
The median annual wage for dredge operators was $49,640 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $41,080 and the highest-paid 10% more than $74,140. As an hourly rate, the median is $23.86. About 1,040 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Texas ($65,580), New Jersey ($63,810) and Iowa ($57,990). Texas also comes out on top after taxes and local prices.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for dredge operators looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $41,080 | $19.75 | $3,423 | $2,932 |
| 25th percentile | $46,430 | $22.32 | $3,869 | $3,291 |
| Median | $49,640 | $23.86 | $4,137 | $3,505 |
| 75th percentile | $62,070 | $29.84 | $5,173 | $4,338 |
| 90th percentile | $74,140 | $35.65 | $6,178 | $5,082 |
Dredge Operators: pay by state
9 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$56,537 take-home in national prices
2
$53,808 take-home in national prices
3
$47,419 take-home in national prices
Where a median dredge operator paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Not published | $65,580 | $59,210 | $75,410 | $54,874 | $56,537 |
| New Jersey | 30 | $63,810 | $56,180 | $74,390 | $51,015 | $46,887 |
| Iowa | 60 | $57,990 | $56,060 | $69,580 | $47,223 | $53,808 |
| Wisconsin | Not published | $54,310 | $44,190 | $64,580 | $44,029 | $46,792 |
| Ohio | 40 | $53,310 | $44,160 | $60,370 | $43,992 | $47,419 |
| Florida | 40 | $52,800 | $39,930 | $62,310 | $44,605 | $43,132 |
| Alabama | 50 | $50,030 | $48,760 | $62,620 | $40,309 | $45,381 |
| Louisiana | Not published | $48,590 | $42,400 | $57,740 | $40,151 | $45,519 |
| Nebraska | 30 | $45,290 | $38,780 | $90,130 | $37,389 | $41,496 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 53-7031. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.