Excavation costs and wages in Rhode Island
What equipment operators and construction laborers earn in Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators in Rhode Island earn a median of $30.58 an hour, or $63,610 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $29.65 and $40.30 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 970 of these jobs in Rhode Island. That's above the national median of $28.78 an hour (BLS).
Construction laborers in Rhode Island earn a median of $27.52 an hour, or $57,240 a year (BLS, May 2025). Half of them earn between $22.51 and $37.25 an hour, the 25th to 75th percentiles (BLS state file). BLS counts 2,110 of these jobs in Rhode Island. 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 Rhode Island
Rhode Island has 103 excavation contractors listed, and 77 of them hold an active USDOT registration. Of the counties with pages of their own, the largest are Providence County (30), Washington County (25), Newport County (24) and Kent County (19). Browse them by county, or ask for quotes and we'll match you with excavation contractors near you.
Permits and rules in Rhode Island
Rhode Island licenses contractors through the Rhode Island Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board (R.I. Gen. Laws 5-65-1 Definitions; R.I. Gen. Laws 5-65-2 Exemptions from registration; R.I. Gen. Laws 5-65.3-2 Underground utility contractors, definitions; State Building Office | Contractors' Registration and Licensing Board).
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.
Rhode Island against the national range
Published labor data has no separate figure for this region, so expect prices near the national range.
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 Rhode Island.” LeaderExcavation.com, updated October 2, 2026. https://leaderexcavation.com/ri/costs/