Heavy equipment operator training in Alaska

9 heavy equipment operator programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

7 schools offer these heavy equipment operator programs, and Alaska has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Heavy equipment operators drive and control the machines that build roads, bridges and buildings. Most have a high school diploma and learn on the job or in a three- or four-year apprenticeship, and many need a commercial driver's license to haul their equipment between jobsites.¹ In Alaska, 6 of the 9 programs take students without a high school diploma, and 1 is taught partly or fully online.

See the 9 programs

How much does heavy equipment operator training cost in Alaska?

$8,500 to $9,000 is what most heavy equipment operator programs in Alaska cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 9 programs with a price. All of them: $4,064 to $12,500

In the typical program

Finished the program: 95%
Working 6 months later: 77%
Earned a year, estimated: about $27,300
Length: 3 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Alaska may also offer heavy equipment operator training. How these figures are made

Is there free heavy equipment operator training in Alaska?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴In program year 2024 it paid toward the training of at least 23 people at 3 of the 9 programs here.
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. Most heavy equipment operator programs in Alaska cost $8,500 to $9,000. Prices on this page run from $4,064 to $12,500.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

Heavy equipment operator training in Anchorage, Fairbanks and other Alaska cities

Choosing an area filters the list below. 5 in smaller cities and towns.

All 9 heavy equipment operator programs in Alaska approved for WIOA funding

9 programs

Heavy equipment operator courseHybridNo diploma needed
Heavy Equipment Operator Training
Alaska Works Partnership Inc
Anchorage
No diploma needed
Alaska Works Partnership Inc, Anchorage · Heavy equipment operator course · Hybrid · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$25,800
Price if you pay yourself$4,064
School website, Heavy Equipment Operator Training at Alaska Works Partnership Inc
More details about Heavy Equipment Operator Training at Alaska Works Partnership Inc
Finished
95%
Working at 6 months
84%
Earned in a quarter
$6,449
Length
1 week, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
115
a year, estimated
$25,800
price
$4,064
Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed
Construction Equipment Training - 6 Week
Northern Industrial Training (NIT)
Palmer
No diploma needed
Northern Industrial Training (NIT), Palmer · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$38,400
Price if you pay yourself$12,500
8 students trained with WIOA funding
Program website, Construction Equipment Training - 6 Week at Northern Industrial Training (NIT)
More details about Construction Equipment Training - 6 Week at Northern Industrial Training (NIT)
Finished
93%
Working at 6 months
77%
Earned in a quarter
$9,593
Length
6 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
88
a year, estimated
$38,400
price
$12,500
trained with WIOA funding
8
Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed
Basic Civil Construction
Alaska Driving Academy
Soldotna
No diploma needed
Alaska Driving Academy, Soldotna · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$27,300
Price if you pay yourself$9,000
5 students trained with WIOA funding
Program website, Basic Civil Construction at Alaska Driving Academy
More details about Basic Civil Construction at Alaska Driving Academy
Finished
100%
Working at 6 months
79%
Earned in a quarter
$6,830
Length
3 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
47
a year, estimated
$27,300
price
$9,000
trained with WIOA funding
5
Heavy equipment operator courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Heavy Equipment Operator Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Training
Alaska Works Partnership Inc
Anchorage
High school diploma or equivalent
Alaska Works Partnership Inc, Anchorage · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimated$30,000
Price if you pay yourself$6,883
Program website, Heavy Equipment Operator Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Training at Alaska Works Partnership Inc
More details about Heavy Equipment Operator Quality Pre-Apprenticeship Training at Alaska Works Partnership Inc
Finished
100%
Working at 6 months
72%
Earned in a quarter
$7,501
Length
3 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
46
a year, estimated
$30,000
price
$6,883
Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed
Heavy Equipment Operator Training
Alaska Technical Center - Northwest Arctic Borough SD
Kotzebue
No diploma needed
Alaska Technical Center - Northwest Arctic Borough SD, Kotzebue · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimated$22,900
Price if you pay yourself$8,900
School website, Heavy Equipment Operator Training at Alaska Technical Center - Northwest Arctic Borough SD
More details about Heavy Equipment Operator Training at Alaska Technical Center - Northwest Arctic Borough SD
Finished
83%
Working at 6 months
58%
Earned in a quarter
$5,720
Length
5 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$8,676
Students counted
20
a year, estimated
$22,900
price
$8,900
Heavy equipment operator courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
MAPTS 140-Hr Heavy Equipment Training (Certification)
University of Alaska Fairbanks - UAF
Fairbanks
High school diploma or equivalent
University of Alaska Fairbanks - UAF, Fairbanks · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$8,500
10 students trained with WIOA funding
Program website, MAPTS 140-Hr Heavy Equipment Training (Certification) at University of Alaska Fairbanks - UAF
More details about MAPTS 140-Hr Heavy Equipment Training (Certification) at University of Alaska Fairbanks - UAF
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
2 weeks, 50 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$2,400
Students counted
28
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$8,500
trained with WIOA funding
10
Heavy equipment operator courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Civil Construction (earth moving)
Alaska Construction Training, Inc
Soldotna
High school diploma or equivalent
Alaska Construction Training, Inc, Soldotna · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$9,000
More details about Civil Construction (earth moving) at Alaska Construction Training, Inc
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
3 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$9,000
Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed
Heavy Equipment Operator
Southwest Alaska Vocational & Education Center - SAVEC
Naknek
No diploma needed
Southwest Alaska Vocational & Education Center - SAVEC, Naknek · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$9,000
Program website, Heavy Equipment Operator at Southwest Alaska Vocational & Education Center - SAVEC
More details about Heavy Equipment Operator at Southwest Alaska Vocational & Education Center - SAVEC
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
3 weeks, 8 hours a week
Cost of supplies
$1,500
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$9,000
Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed
Heavy Equipment Training (formerly Basic Civil Construction)
Alaska Driving Academy
Soldotna
No diploma needed
Alaska Driving Academy, Soldotna · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourself$9,000
Program website, Heavy Equipment Training (formerly Basic Civil Construction) at Alaska Driving Academy
More details about Heavy Equipment Training (formerly Basic Civil Construction) at Alaska Driving Academy
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
3 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
None listed
Students counted
Not reported
a year, estimated
Not reported
price
$9,000

How to pay for heavy equipment operator training in Alaska

WIOA funding can pay for heavy equipment operator training in Alaska

Every program on this page is approved for WIOA funding: public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. It can pay for training for eligible adults, people who lost their job and young people.²People on public assistance, with a low income or lacking basic skills come first, and veterans have priority.³Your state or local area may limit how much WIOA pays and for how long. If a program costs more, a Pell Grant, a scholarship or severance pay can cover the rest.⁴

Ask at an American Job Center

Eligibility rules apply, and services vary from state to state. Your local American Job Center can tell you whether you qualify. The Department of Labor's page links to the center finder, or call 1-877-US-2JOBS (1-877-872-5627).⁵

Financial aid and grants for heavy equipment operator training

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁶⁷

GI Bill for heavy equipment operator training

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁸

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Quick facts: Heavy equipment operator training in Alaska

programs with a price cost under $10,000: 8 of 9
lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare: 11th of 13
heavy equipment operator programs here, against the typical state's 4: 9 vs 4

State comparisons use the same figures as the heavy equipment operator training by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Where the Alaska heavy equipment operator program numbers come from

Which Alaska heavy equipment operator programs are on this list?

These are the heavy equipment operator programs Alaska approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁹ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Alaska offers.

How Alaska heavy equipment operator program prices are reported

The price is tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported it. "Trained with WIOA funding" on a program counts the people whose training there WIOA paid toward through a training account in program year 2024; the file never gives counts under 3, so a program without the line may still take WIOA students. It does not say how much of the price WIOA covered. Prices under $100 are treated as not reported, because the file holds many blanks entered as $0. Check the current price with the school.

What the graduate results of these programs measure

The figures at the top of this page are the middle program among those that report results: half did better, half did worse. Results describe students who left each program in recent years: the share who finished, the share working in the second quarter after leaving, and the middle earnings of those working in that quarter. States report earnings for that one quarter because they take them from the wage reports employers file every three months. The yearly figure here is that quarter times four, rounded to the nearest $100: an estimate, and an early one, since it is measured about half a year after training. The quarter as reported is under "More details" on each program. Results are withheld for small programs, and they describe past students, so they are no guarantee.

Why do some heavy equipment operator programs say "Not reported"?

Where a school or the state left a field empty, or the Department of Labor withheld it, the page says "Not reported". Nothing here is estimated to fill a gap.

Why the kind of school is left off each program

The file also records whether a school is public, private or nonprofit, but those entries are wrong too often to print next to a school's name, so this page leaves them out.

Other training in Alaska

Sources for the facts about heavy equipment operator training in Alaska

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources

Heavy equipment operator training in Alaska

How much does heavy equipment operator training cost in Alaska?

Is there free heavy equipment operator training in Alaska?

Heavy equipment operator training in Anchorage, Fairbanks and other Alaska cities

All 9 heavy equipment operator programs in Alaska approved for WIOA funding