Degree to Occupation Map
Occupations related to a heavy equipment operation degree
NCES and BLS publish a crosswalk relating instructional programs to occupations. This page lists every occupation that crosswalk relates to heavy equipment operation, with the BLS typical entry education, 2025 median wage and projected growth for each, and links to the RoleSprint page covering the role where one exists.
What occupations does the official crosswalk relate to a heavy equipment operation degree?
The CIP 2020-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk published by NCES and BLS relates 7 CIP 2020 programs in heavy equipment operation to 26 occupations. That maps a field of study to lines of work; it is not a statement that a heavy equipment operation degree qualifies someone for any of them, and the crosswalk carries no figure for how many graduates enter each. Across the 25 with a published 2025 BLS wage the median is $59,850, ranging from $37,290 for Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs to $86,380 for Subway and Streetcar Operators. BLS typical entry-level education splits 4 at no formal educational credential, 19 at high school diploma or equivalent, 1 at postsecondary nondegree award, 1 at bachelor's degree: 25 at or below a bachelor's degree and 0 above it. Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs is projected to grow fastest at +7.1% over 2025-35. The highest-paid are Subway and Streetcar Operators ($86,380), Locomotive Engineers ($81,410) and Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters ($78,000).
- Related occupations
- 26, from 7 CIP 2020 programs in heavy equipment operation (a further 6 related occupations have no BLS or O*NET row on this site and are not listed)
- What the mapping means
- NCES states only that it "crosswalks 2020 CIP Codes to 2018 SOC Codes". It relates a program to an occupation. It does not establish qualification, hiring, or how many graduates take that path.
- BLS typical entry-level education
- No formal educational credential: 4; High school diploma or equivalent: 19; Postsecondary nondegree award: 1; Bachelor's degree: 1
- Median wage across these occupations
- $59,850 (2025); 25 of 26 have a published BLS wage
- Next step
- 6 of the 26 occupations have a dedicated RoleSprint page covering what the role requires and how the work is performed.
Source and method
2020 CIP / 2018 SOC Crosswalk, National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Labor Statistics, and BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2. Verified 2026-09-06. Program-to-occupation relationships are reproduced from the NCES/BLS crosswalk exactly as published; RoleSprint groups CIP programs into the field of study a person would search for and lists the union of their related occupations, showing every member CIP code. Wage, typical entry education and outlook are reproduced from BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 for the matching SOC code. Working-condition figures are O*NET 30.3 means. No relationship strength, employment share or qualification judgement is published, because no source supplies one.
What this list is, and what it is not
The crosswalk's own description of itself is one sentence: “This file crosswalks 2020 CIP Codes to 2018 SOC Codes in ascending order by CIP Code.” It relates a field of study to lines of work.
It does not say a heavy equipment operation degree qualifies anyone for these occupations, that graduates usually enter them, or what share do: the crosswalk publishes no such figure. The wage and education columns come from a separate source, BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2, and describe the occupation rather than the degree. Typical entry education is what BLS observes most often among people already doing the work; it is not a rule about who may be hired.
The 26 related occupations
Ordered by BLS median wage, highest first. 25 of 26 have a published wage.
| Occupation | BLS typical entry-level education | Median wage | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|
Subway and Streetcar Operators SOC 53-4041 Contact with others 4.4 · Time pressure 3.8 · Sitting 4.2 · Outdoors, all weather 4.0 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $86,380 2025 median | +3.7% 2025-35 · 0.9 openings/yr |
Locomotive Engineers SOC 53-4011 Contact with others 4.6 · Time pressure 4.4 · Sitting 4.4 · Outdoors, all weather 4.4 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $81,410 2025 median | +0.5% 2025-35 · 2 openings/yr |
Railroad Conductors and Yardmasters SOC 53-4031 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 3.4 · Sitting 3.9 · Outdoors, all weather 4.7 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $78,000 2025 median | +0.9% 2025-35 · 3 openings/yr |
Pile Driver Operators SOC 47-2072 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 3.6 · Sitting 3.1 · Outdoors, all weather 5.0 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $73,300 2025 median | -5.7% 2025-35 · 0.2 openings/yr |
Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators SOC 47-4061 Contact with others 4.6 · Time pressure 3.9 · Sitting 2.4 · Outdoors, all weather 5.0 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $70,070 2025 median | +1.5% 2025-35 · 1.2 openings/yr |
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers SOC 53-4022 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 4.2 · Sitting 3.7 · Outdoors, all weather 4.7 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $68,840 2025 median | +0.8% 2025-35 · 0.9 openings/yr |
Crane and Tower Operators SOC 53-7021 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 3.8 · Sitting 3.4 · Outdoors, all weather 3.8 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $68,080 2025 median | +3.8% 2025-35 · 3.5 openings/yr |
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1194 Contact with others 4.7 · Time pressure 3.5 · Sitting 2.5 · Outdoors, all weather 1.4 of 5 | Bachelor's degree At or below bachelor's | $63,820 2025 median | -0.3% 2025-35 · 8 openings/yr |
Continuous Mining Machine Operators SOC 47-5041 Contact with others 4.4 · Time pressure 3.4 · Sitting 2.1 · Outdoors, all weather 1.9 of 5 | No formal educational credential At or below bachelor's | $61,810 2025 median | +3.2% 2025-35 · 1.4 openings/yr |
Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters SOC 47-5032 Contact with others 4.4 · Time pressure 4.3 · Sitting 1.8 · Outdoors, all weather 4.9 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $61,390 2025 median | 0% 2025-35 · 0.4 openings/yr |
Rail Yard Engineers, Dinkey Operators, and Hostlers SOC 53-4013 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 3.5 · Sitting 3.7 · Outdoors, all weather 4.7 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $60,600 2025 median | +0.8% 2025-35 · 0.3 openings/yr |
Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas SOC 47-5023 Contact with others 4.0 · Time pressure 3.0 · Sitting 2.1 · Outdoors, all weather 4.4 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $60,190 2025 median | +3.6% 2025-35 · 1.4 openings/yr |
Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators SOC 47-2073 Contact with others 4.7 · Time pressure 4.0 · Sitting 3.2 · Outdoors, all weather 5.0 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $59,850 2025 median | +4.6% 2025-35 · 39.2 openings/yr |
Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity SOC 53-3052 Contact with others 4.5 · Time pressure 3.8 · Sitting 4.8 · Outdoors, all weather 3.2 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $59,050 2025 median | +4.1% 2025-35 · 21.1 openings/yr |
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032 Contact with others 4.2 · Time pressure 4.2 · Sitting 4.2 · Outdoors, all weather 4.8 of 5 | Postsecondary nondegree award At or below bachelor's | $58,640 2025 median | +3.8% 2025-35 · 214.5 openings/yr |
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining SOC 47-5022 Contact with others 4.4 · Time pressure 3.6 · Sitting 4.0 · Outdoors, all weather 4.1 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $57,430 2025 median | +1% 2025-35 · 2.4 openings/yr |
Hoist and Winch Operators SOC 53-7041 Contact with others 4.1 · Time pressure 4.8 · Sitting 3.5 · Outdoors, all weather 3.1 of 5 | No formal educational credential At or below bachelor's | $56,450 2025 median | +0.2% 2025-35 · 0.3 openings/yr |
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators SOC 47-2071 Contact with others 3.5 · Time pressure 3.5 · Sitting 3.1 · Outdoors, all weather 4.3 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $53,340 2025 median | -0.9% 2025-35 · 3.1 openings/yr |
Highway Maintenance Workers SOC 47-4051 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 3.7 · Sitting 2.8 · Outdoors, all weather 4.9 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $50,260 2025 median | +3.4% 2025-35 · 11.8 openings/yr |
Logging Equipment Operators SOC 45-4022 Contact with others 4.1 · Time pressure 3.2 · Sitting 4.4 · Outdoors, all weather 4.2 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $49,740 2025 median | -3.8% 2025-35 · 3.7 openings/yr |
Dredge Operators SOC 53-7031 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 3.0 · Sitting 3.5 · Outdoors, all weather 4.5 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $49,640 2025 median | +0.7% 2025-35 · 0.1 openings/yr |
Bus Drivers, School SOC 53-3051 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 3.8 · Sitting 4.3 · Outdoors, all weather 3.9 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $47,920 2025 median | +0.7% 2025-35 · 56.5 openings/yr |
Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators SOC 53-7051 Contact with others 4.1 · Time pressure 4.5 · Sitting 2.5 · Outdoors, all weather 3.5 of 5 | No formal educational credential At or below bachelor's | $46,420 2025 median | +1.5% 2025-35 · 64.7 openings/yr |
Light Truck Drivers SOC 53-3033 Contact with others 4.6 · Time pressure 4.2 · Sitting 3.6 · Outdoors, all weather 4.2 of 5 | High school diploma or equivalent At or below bachelor's | $44,860 2025 median | +6.3% 2025-35 · 107.2 openings/yr |
Shuttle Drivers and Chauffeurs SOC 53-3053 Contact with others 4.3 · Time pressure 4.1 · Sitting 4.0 · Outdoors, all weather 4.3 of 5 | No formal educational credential At or below bachelor's | $37,290 2025 median | +7.1% 2025-35 · 35.5 openings/yr |
First-Line Supervisors of Material-Moving Machine and Vehicle Operators SOC 53-1043 Contact with others 4.9 · Time pressure 4.0 · Sitting 2.8 · Outdoors, all weather 3.9 of 5 | Not published | Not published | Not published |
The crosswalk relates 6 further occupations to this field (47-5049, 47-5099, 53-1049, 53-4099, 53-7199, 99-9999) for which BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2 publishes no line item on this site. They are counted here rather than listed, because there would be nothing to show beside the name.
BLS typical entry-level education for these occupations
25 of the 26 have a BLS typical entry-level education at or below a bachelor's degree; 0 are above it. "Typical" is BLS's word: it describes the workers already in the occupation.
- No formal educational credential
- 4
- High school diploma or equivalent
- 19
- Postsecondary nondegree award
- 1
- Bachelor's degree
- 1
This is BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2's description of the education most workers in each occupation typically hold when they enter it. It is not a list of requirements, and it says nothing about licences, certifications or experience, which BLS records separately and this page does not show.
Which programs this covers
“Heavy equipment operation” groups 7 CIP 2020 instructional programs. The occupation list above is the union of everything the crosswalk relates to them.
- 49.0202 Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation
- 49.0205 Truck and Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator and Instructor
- 49.0206 Mobil Crane Operator/Operation
- 49.0207 Flagging and Traffic Control
- 49.0208 Railroad and Railway Transportation
- 49.0209 Forklift Operation/Operator
- 49.0299 Ground Transportation, Other
Grouping is RoleSprint's, and it is printed here so it can be checked. CIP's own grain is finer than the phrase anyone searches; the alternative is one page per code, which would put near-identical lists in front of the same question. How this map is built.
Working out which of these is realistic
A related occupation is a starting point, not a verdict. Three different questions decide whether one is worth pursuing, and each has its own page.
Program-to-occupation relationships from the 2020 CIP / 2018 SOC Crosswalk, National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wage, typical entry education and outlook from BLS Employment Projections, Table 1.2. Working-condition figures from the O*NET 30.3 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 and RoleSprint has modified some of this information.
What to do next
A crosswalk relates a field of study to lines of work. Whether one specific opening is worth your time depends on what you can actually show, which is a different question and the one RoleSprint answers.