What do they do?

Operate equipment used for applying concrete, asphalt, or other materials to road beds, parking lots, or airport runways and taxiways or for tamping gravel, dirt, or other materials. Includes concrete and asphalt paving machine operators, form tampers, tamping machine operators, and stone spreader operators.

Also known as:

Asphalt Paver Operator, Asphalt Paving Machine Operator, Asphalt Raker, Asphalt Roller Operator, Asphalt Screed Operator, Equipment Operator (EO), Loader Operator, Machine Operator, Maintenance Equipment Operator (MEO), Paver Operator, Roller Operator, Screed Operator

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators is projected to grow 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, more slowly than average compared to all occupations.

Projected Employment in VA

No Data Available
  • 4.2%

    Change

    Ranks #23 in job growth rate
    130

    Job Openings

    Ranks #12 in net job growth

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • High school diploma equivalent  (53%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (20%)
  • Some college, no degree  (18%)
  • Associate's degree  (6%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (3%)
  • Master's degree  (<1%)
  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Select Type of Degree:

★ There are no majors that have graduates with this degree type

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Operate road-surfacing equipment.
  • Load materials into construction equipment.
  • Monitor construction operations.
  • Direct construction or extraction personnel.
  • Coordinate construction project activities.
  • Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment.
  • Inspect equipment or tools to be used in construction or excavation.
  • Clean equipment or facilities.
  • Maintain construction tools or equipment.
  • Assemble temporary equipment or structures.
  • Dismantle equipment or temporary structures.
  • Spread concrete or other aggregate mixtures.
  • Direct vehicle traffic.
  • Apply material to fill gaps in surfaces.
  • Spread sand, dirt or other loose materials onto surfaces.
  • Compact materials to create level bases.
  • Operate equipment or vehicles to clear construction sites or move materials.
  • Cut tile, stone, or other masonry materials.
  • Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.
  • Break up rock, asphalt, or concrete.
  • Install equipment attachments or components.
  • Build construction forms or molds.
  • Mark reference points on construction materials.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

careeronestop logo Videos: CareerOneStop, USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development

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