Construction & Extraction
Pile Driver Operators
Also called: Pile Driver, Pile Driver Operator, Pile Driving Operator
US median pay
$73,300
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
-5.7%
declining
Openings a year (US)
200
2,300 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Operate pile drivers mounted on skids, barges, crawler treads, or locomotive cranes to drive pilings for retaining walls, bulkheads, and foundations of structures such as buildings, bridges, and piers.
What they do day to day
- Move hand and foot levers of hoisting equipment to position piling leads, hoist piling into leads, and position hammers over pilings.
- Move levers and turn valves to activate power hammers, or to raise and lower drophammers that drive piles to required depths.
- Drive pilings to provide support for buildings or other structures, using heavy equipment with a pile driver head.
- Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment to ensure proper functioning.
- Clean, lubricate, and refill equipment.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Operation and Control4.1/5
- Operations Monitoring4.0/5
- Equipment Maintenance3.2/5
- Troubleshooting3.1/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Time Management2.9/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.9/5
- Repairing2.8/5
Knowledge
- Building and Construction4.1/5
- Mechanical3.6/5
- Mathematics3.6/5
- Transportation3.5/5
- Engineering and Technology3.4/5
- Public Safety and Security3.4/5
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 diploma53%
- Post-secondary certificate21%
- Less than high school19%
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.