Transportation & Logistics
Dredge Operators
Also called: Dredge Operator, Dredger
US median pay
$49,640
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+0.7%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
100
1,300 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.
What they do day to day
- Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads.
- Start and stop engines to operate equipment.
- Start power winches that draw in or let out cables to change positions of dredges, or pull in and let out cables manually.
- Pump water to clear machinery pipelines.
- Lower anchor poles to verify depths of excavations, using winches, or scan depth gauges to determine depths of excavations.
- Direct or assist workers placing shore anchors and cables, laying additional pipes from dredges to shore, and pumping water from pontoons.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operation and Control3.8/5
- Operations Monitoring3.5/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Troubleshooting2.9/5
- Time Management2.8/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.8/5
- Equipment Selection2.8/5
Knowledge
- Mechanical4.1/5
- English Language3.4/5
- Public Safety and Security3.2/5
- Administration and Management3.1/5
- Production and Processing2.9/5
- Mathematics2.8/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma80%
Who this job suits
Mostly Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.