Dredge Operators (2026 stats)
TL;DR
The national workforce is about 1,030 dredge operators. Projections imply about 3.7% annual growth; much hiring sits in construction.
Key Statistics
Dredge Operators: what the data shows
Common questions about dredge operators careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a dredge operators?
Dredge Operators is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 53-7031.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 1,030 workers.
What does a dredge operators do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Controlling Machines and Processes, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Handling and Moving Objects, Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings, Getting Information, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a dredge operators make?
BLS national median annual wage: $48,430 (May 2024 in our extract).
What education do you need?
For Dredge Operators, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making, Troubleshooting, and knowledge areas including Mechanical, English Language, Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is dredge operators in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 3.7% annual growth (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: 20.0%.
Ten-year projected employment change: 44.0%.
Current U.S. headcount: 1,030.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do dredge operatorss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 1,030 | 21.2% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 930 | 19.2% |
| Construction | 510 | 10.5% |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 470 | 9.7% |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 450 | 9.3% |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | 320 | 6.6% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Dredge Operators in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Dredge Operators workforce.
Employment Over Time
1,030 Workforce in 2023
The Dredge Operators workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Dredge Operators.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$N/A Average Wage
In 2023, Dredge Operators earned an average of $N/A.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Dredge Operators.
Salary distribution for Dredge Operators.
Employment Growth Projections
3.7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
120 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: 20.0%
144 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: 44.0%
This occupation is projected to grow at 3.7% annually, indicating strong future demand.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Dredge Operators.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Dredge Operators and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Dredge Operators employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Dredge Operators.
Wage Trends by Industry
Wage trend data by industry is not available for this occupation.
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Dredge Operators.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Dredge Operators.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- AL: 110 employees, $53,580 avg wage
- NJ: 80 employees, $67,590 avg wage
- NC: 80 employees, $58,670 avg wage
- IA: 60 employees, $63,550 avg wage
- FL: 50 employees, $71,510 avg wage
- OH: 50 employees, $50,810 avg wage
- IN: 40 employees, $54,580 avg wage
- NE: 30 employees, $48,510 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Dredge Operators.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Metropolitan area employment data is not available for this occupation.
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Dredge Operators.
Diversity
Demographic information on Dredge Operators in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Dredge Operators in 2023 was 1,030 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Dredge Operators.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Dredge Operators.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Dredge Operators.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Dredge Operators in 2023 were Business Administration, Engineering, Business.
Common majors for Dredge Operators.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Dredge Operators workers.
Education level distribution for Dredge Operators.
Skills
Dredge Operators need many skills, but most especially Operation and Control, Operations Monitoring, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Judgment and Decision Making.
Required skills for Dredge Operators.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Dredge Operators.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Dredge Operators include Mechanical, English Language, Public Safety and Security, Administration and Management, Production and Processing.
Knowledge areas required for Dredge Operators.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Dredge Operators include Control Precision, Multilimb Coordination, Depth Perception, Arm-Hand Steadiness, Manual Dexterity.
Required abilities for Dredge Operators.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Dredge Operators.
Daily Activities
Dredge Operators spend their time on activities such as Controlling Machines and Processes, Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials, Handling and Moving Objects, Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment, Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings.
Most important work activities for Dredge Operators.
About
Dredge Operators
The average yearly wage for Dredge Operators was $N/A in 2023.
SOC Code
53-7031 - Dredge Operators
Insights and Analysis
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 1,030 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual growth is 3.7%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.