Logging Equipment Operators

Job Zone 2 - Some preparation needed

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.

Pay & job outlook

Median pay: $49,740/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)

$35,170$74,300

Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.

Job outlook: -1.4% projected growth, 2024–2034 — declining.

About 4,200 openings per year, on average, over the decade.

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.

Top skills

Operation and ControlOperations MonitoringEquipment MaintenanceQuality Control AnalysisMonitoringActive ListeningTroubleshootingCritical ThinkingComplex Problem SolvingRepairing

Top knowledge areas

MechanicalPublic Safety and SecurityProduction and ProcessingTransportationAdministration and ManagementCustomer and Personal ServiceEngineering and TechnologyMathematics

Core tasks

• Inspect equipment for safety prior to use, and perform necessary basic maintenance tasks.

• Control hydraulic tractors equipped with tree clamps and booms to lift, swing, and bunch sheared trees.

• Grade logs according to characteristics such as knot size and straightness, and according to established industry or company standards.

• Drive straight or articulated tractors equipped with accessories such as bulldozer blades, grapples, logging arches, cable winches, and crane booms to skid, load, unload, or stack logs, pull stumps, or clear brush.

• Drive crawler or wheeled tractors to drag or transport logs from felling sites to log landing areas for processing and loading.

• Fill out required job or shift report forms.

• Drive tractors for building or repairing logging and skid roads.

Frequently asked questions

What's the median pay for Logging Equipment Operators?

The median pay for Logging Equipment Operators is $49,740 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What's the job outlook for Logging Equipment Operators?

Employment for Logging Equipment Operators is projected to change -1.4% from 2024 to 2034 - declining.

What education is typically required for Logging Equipment Operators?

Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.

How many job openings are there each year for Logging Equipment Operators?

About 4,200 openings per year, on average, over the decade.