How much does a logging operator make?
a year · about $24 an hour
A typical logging operator in the United States makes $49,740 a year, about $24 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They check their machines, then use harvesters to fell trees, trim branches, and cut logs to length. They haul logs to a landing with skidders or forwarders, then sort or load them for trucks.
Did you know? Some logging operators can use remote-controlled machines and drones for dangerous or hard-to-reach tasks.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $35,170 and $74,300How do you become one?
In the U.S., a high school diploma or GED is usual, though some jobs require no formal credential. New workers learn safety and machine operation on the job; training can last up to a year, and some states require a license or certification.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can differ with experience, state-recognized credentials, and the employer or industry. Location and hours worked also matter.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Washington ($75,140), lowest in Maine ($44,780).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $35,170 | $49,740 | $74,300 | about 21,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $75,140 | about 1,000 |
| Texas | $62,890 | about 500 |
| California | $61,940 | about 950 |
| Oregon | $58,720 | about 2,000 |
| Louisiana | $58,600 | about 770 |
Official definition: Drive logging tractor or wheeled vehicle equipped with one or more accessories, such as bulldozer blade, frontal shear, grapple, logging arch, cable winches, hoisting rack, or crane boom, to fell tree; to skid, load, unload, or stack logs; or to pull stumps or clear brush. Includes operating stand-alone logging machines, such as log chippers. Logging truck drivers are included in “Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers” (53-3032).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/farming-fishing-and-forestry/logging-workers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/45-4022.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY