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Statewide, ME · Operating Engineer
Operating Engineer prevailing wage in the statewide schedule, Maine
$40.36an hour, total · Crane and Tower Operators
$33.78 wage + $6.58 benefits · Building 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes)
On Maine public works in Maine's statewide schedule, an operating engineer working as crane and tower operators must be paid at least $40.36 an hour: a $33.78 base wage plus $6.58 in benefits.
MDOL 2026 rates, effective January 10, 2026; this rate, effective January 10, 2026. A rate written into a contract "must remain unchanged during the time the contract is in effect" (26 MRSA §1306). Checked against maine.gov on October 25, 2026.
MDOL lists 27 operating engineer rates for Maine's statewide schedule, from $28.82 to $78.55 an hour. See all of them.
MDOL's website rates "are for reference only". Bidders get the project-specific determination from the agency soliciting bids (§1306).
Base wage and benefits: $33.78 + $6.58
The base wage is the taxable hourly wage. MDOL prints the benefits as one hourly figure, not itemized; it can go to health, pension, vacation and training plans, or be paid as cash where the state allows.
| Base wage (taxable) | $33.78 |
| Fringe benefits (one figure, not itemized) | $6.58 |
| Total hourly rate, as printed | $40.36 |
When this rate changes
- A rate in a contract stays unchanged for the life of the contract (26 MRSA §1306), so later sets don't change existing jobs.
- MDOL publishes one set a year. The 2026 set took effect January 10, 2026 after a 30-day notice period; the next comes after the July 2026 survey (MDOL 2026 rates).
Every operating engineer rate in Maine's statewide schedule
As MDOL lists them. The highlighted row is the one this page leads with.
| Classification | Total | Base | Benefits | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulldozer OperatorBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) | $36.00 | $30.62 | $5.38 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Conveyor Operators and TendersBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) | $43.94 | $30.17 | $13.77 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crane and Tower OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) | $40.36 | $33.78 | $6.58 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crushing Grinding and Polishing Machine OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) | $29.39 | $26.15 | $3.24 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Excavator OperatorBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) | $39.08 | $33.25 | $5.83 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) | $28.82 | $24.61 | $4.21 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Loading Machine and Dragline OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) | $31.67 | $27.32 | $4.35 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Equipment OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) | $78.55 | $47.25 | $31.30 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Paving Surfacing and Tamping Equipment OperatorsBuilding 2 (other than 1 or 2 family homes) | $41.41 | $30.74 | $10.67 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Bulldozer OperatorHighway & Earthwork | $36.74 | $30.93 | $5.81 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Conveyor Operators and TendersHighway & Earthwork | $43.94 | $30.17 | $13.77 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crane and Tower OperatorsHighway & Earthwork | $49.06 | $40.43 | $8.63 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crushing Grinding and Polishing Machine OperatorsHighway & Earthwork | $29.39 | $26.15 | $3.24 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Excavator OperatorHighway & Earthwork | $42.56 | $36.70 | $5.86 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsHighway & Earthwork | $28.82 | $24.61 | $4.21 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Loading Machine and Dragline OperatorsHighway & Earthwork | $32.47 | $27.91 | $4.56 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Equipment OperatorsHighway & Earthwork | $43.25 | $39.51 | $3.74 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Paving Surfacing and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHighway & Earthwork | $41.41 | $30.74 | $10.67 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Bulldozer OperatorHeavy & Bridge | $36.00 | $30.62 | $5.38 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Conveyor Operators and TendersHeavy & Bridge | $43.94 | $30.17 | $13.77 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crane and Tower OperatorsHeavy & Bridge | $50.47 | $41.59 | $8.88 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Crushing Grinding and Polishing Machine OperatorsHeavy & Bridge | $29.39 | $26.15 | $3.24 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Excavator OperatorHeavy & Bridge | $42.10 | $36.83 | $5.27 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsHeavy & Bridge | $28.82 | $24.61 | $4.21 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Loading Machine and Dragline OperatorsHeavy & Bridge | $36.94 | $31.52 | $5.42 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Equipment OperatorsHeavy & Bridge | $59.40 | $34.96 | $24.44 | Jan 10, 2026 |
| Paving Surfacing and Tamping Equipment OperatorsHeavy & Bridge | $44.18 | $36.55 | $7.63 | Jan 10, 2026 |
How Maine's statewide schedule compares
The main operating engineer rate in every county that has one, and how the pay splits here and nearby. All bars use the same scale.
Every county in Maine
Wage and benefits, nearby
- Statewidebase $33.78$40.36
More from MDOL on this rate
- MDOL MDOL determination, page 1
- MDOL's 2026 fair minimum wage rates
- MDOL lists journey-level rates. Apprentice rates are those in a registered sponsorship agreement (26 MRSA §1314).
Are you being paid this rate?
You must get at least the minimum wage, and wage plus benefits of at least the total. Contractors post the rates on site and file payroll monthly with the public authority. An underpaid worker can recover the difference plus an equal penalty (26 MRSA §1312). MDOL Wage and Hour: (207) 623-7900.
Source
Department of Labor (MDOL), MDOL determination MDOL-2026-statewide-b2, effective January 10, 2026, page 1: www.maine.gov/labor/docs/2026/laborstats/prevailingwage/Statewide/2026%20B2%20Statewide.pdf
We read every row of MDOL's 2026 county and statewide PDFs and check every number with a second, separate reader. Wage plus benefit equals MDOL's printed total except for 28 one-cent rounding differences; we show the printed total. How we check · Download Statewide as CSV · Report an error