Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Also called: Asphalt Distributor Operator, Asphalt Distributor Tender, Asphalt Equipment Crew Member, Asphalt Equipment Operator, Asphalt Paver, Asphalt Paver Operator, Asphalt Paving Machine Operator, Asphalt Paving Operator
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.
What paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators do
Typical tasks
- Start machine, engage clutch, and push and move levers to guide machine along forms or guidelines and to control the operation of machine attachments.
- Fill tanks, hoppers, or machines with paving materials.
- Control paving machines to push dump trucks and to maintain a constant flow of asphalt or other material into hoppers or screeds.
- Observe distribution of paving material to adjust machine settings or material flow, and indicate low spots for workers to add material.
- Coordinate truck dumping.
- Drive machines onto truck trailers, and drive trucks to transport machines and material to and from job sites.
- Inspect, clean, maintain, and repair equipment, using mechanics' hand tools, or report malfunctions to supervisors.
- Set up and tear down equipment.
- Operate machines to spread, smooth, level, or steel-reinforce stone, concrete, or asphalt on road beds.
- Light burners or start heating units of machines, and regulate screed temperatures and asphalt flow rates.
- Control traffic.
- Shovel blacktop.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators salary
The median annual wage for paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators is $53,340 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $38,230 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $92,230. The mean annual wage is $59,000.
The mean hourly wage of $28.00 is 3.9× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $53,340 → in 3 years $58,300 → in 5 years $61,900 → in 10 years $71,900 (10-year range $61,800–$83,500). The model assumes pay growth of +3.0% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators United States | 舗装工 Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $53,340 | ¥4.35M ≈ $27,676 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $71,900 | ¥5.96M |
| Outlook score | 46 | 67 |
| AI replacement risk | 13% Very low | 15% Very low |
| Workers | 42K | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 2 — some preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.