Construction and extraction
Pile driver operator
Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures such as buildings, bridges, and piers.
Median pay
$73,300
Growth to 2035
−6%
declining
Openings a year
200
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Pile driver operator
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Pile driver operator: 40% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Move hand and foot levers of hoisting equipment to position piling leads, hoist piling into leads, and position hammers over pilings.
- Move levers and turn valves to activate power hammers, or to raise and lower drophammers that drive piles to required depths.
- Drive pilings to provide support for buildings or other structures, using heavy equipment with a pile driver head.
- Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Clean, lubricate, and refill equipment.
Also called: Pile Driver · Pile Driver Operator · Pile Driving Operator
Outlook and AI
Pile driver operators held 2,300 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 2,200 by 2035 (−6%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Productivity change - share decreases as improved equipment and technology allow operators to drive piles more quickly.
Compare with
- Pile driver operator vs. Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators
- Pile driver operator vs. Industrial truck and tractor operators
- Pile driver operator vs. Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
- Pile driver operator vs. Hoist and winch operators
- Pile driver operator vs. Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
- Pile driver operator vs. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines
- Pile driver operator vs. Loading and moving machine operators, underground mining
- Pile driver operator vs. Rigger
- Pile driver operator vs. Construction laborer
- Pile driver operator vs. Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators