Excavation costs and wages in Minnesota
What equipment operators and construction laborers earn in Minnesota, how many excavation contractors are listed here and in which counties, and the state's licensing rules. Job prices aren't published for any one state, so our price ranges are national.
Checked October 2, 2026
Wages in Minnesota
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Minnesota earn a median of $38.04 an hour, or $79,130 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $30.44 and $46.03 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 8,590 of these jobs in Minnesota. That's above the national median of $28.78 an hour (BLS).
Construction laborers in Minnesota earn a median of $28.97 an hour, or $60,260 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $23.28 and $38.32 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 28,530 of these jobs in Minnesota. That's above the national median of $22.66 an hour (BLS).
These are wages, not prices. A contractor's price also covers materials, equipment, insurance, overhead and profit, so a wage can't be turned into what a job costs you. BLS counts employees only, not the self-employed.
Contractors in Minnesota
Minnesota has 1,670 excavation contractors listed, and 1,360 of them hold an active USDOT registration. Of the counties with pages of their own, the largest are St. Louis County (93), Stearns County (79), Wright County (60), Crow Wing County (58) and Anoka County (56). Browse them by county, or ask for quotes and we'll match you with excavation contractors near you.
Permits and rules in Minnesota
Minnesota licenses contractors through the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (Minn. Stat. 326B.701 Construction contractor registration; Minn. Stat. 326B.802 Definitions (special skill: excavation); Minn. Stat. 326B.805 Licensing requirements; Construction contractor registration | Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry).
National price ranges
National price ranges for excavation, clearing, grading and driveway work, each credited to its source, are in our guides to excavation, land clearing, grading and driveway costs.
For a planning range on your own job, run the estimator.
Minnesota against the national range
Published labor data puts the Midwest roughly 20% above the Southeast (SiteX).
That's an average across a region, not a price for your job, and local quotes vary inside it.
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Cite this page
“Excavation costs and wages in Minnesota.” LeaderExcavation.com, updated October 2, 2026. https://leaderexcavation.com/mn/costs/