Excavation costs and wages in Oregon
What equipment operators and construction laborers earn in Oregon, 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 Oregon
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Oregon earn a median of $35.30 an hour, or $73,430 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $29.42 and $47.04 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 5,630 of these jobs in Oregon. That's above the national median of $28.78 an hour (BLS).
Construction laborers in Oregon earn a median of $24.45 an hour, or $50,860 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $21.65 and $29.91 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 12,620 of these jobs in Oregon. 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 Oregon
Oregon has 1,427 excavation contractors listed, and 1,270 of them hold an active USDOT registration. Of the counties with pages of their own, the largest are Clackamas County (149), Jackson County (111), Marion County (106), Deschutes County (104) and Lane County (101). Browse them by county, or ask for quotes and we'll match you with excavation contractors near you.
Permits and rules in Oregon
Oregon licenses contractors through the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (ORS Chapter 701 Construction Contractors and Contracts).
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.
Oregon against the national range
Published labor data puts the West 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 Oregon.” LeaderExcavation.com, updated October 2, 2026. https://leaderexcavation.com/or/costs/