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Heavy equipment operator training in Pennsylvania

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

7 schools offer these heavy equipment operator programs, and Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania, 3 of the 10 programs take students without a high school diploma, and all 10 are taught partly or fully online.

See the 10 programs

How much does heavy equipment operator training cost in Pennsylvania?

$7,034 to $13,965 is what most heavy equipment operator programs in Pennsylvania cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 10 programs with a price. All of them: $825 to $41,846

In the typical program

Finished the program
97%
Working 6 months later
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
about $56,100
Length
7 to 37 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 Pennsylvania may also offer heavy equipment operator training. How these figures are made

Is there free heavy equipment operator training in Pennsylvania?

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

All 10 heavy equipment operator programs in Pennsylvania approved for WIOA funding

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Kind of program
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10 programs

  • Heavy equipment operator apprenticeshipOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Heavy Equipment Operating Engineer Apprenticeship Certificat

    Community College Allegheny County

    Based in Oakdale, PA

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Community College Allegheny County, based in Oakdale, PA · Heavy equipment operator apprenticeship · Online · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$53,200
    Price if you pay yourself$8,053
    Program website, Heavy Equipment Operating Engineer Apprenticeship Certificat at Community College Allegheny County
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operating Engineer Apprenticeship Certificat at Community College Allegheny County
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    $13,292
    Length
    60 weeks, 11 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,250
    Students counted
    344
    a year, estimated
    $53,200
    price
    $8,053

  • Heavy equipment operator (associate degree)OnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Heavy Construction Equipment Technology: Operator Emphasis

    Pennsylvania College Of Technology

    Based in Williamsport, PA

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Pennsylvania College Of Technology, based in Williamsport, PA · Heavy equipment operator (associate degree) · Online · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$57,900
    Price if you pay yourself$41,846
    Program website, Heavy Construction Equipment Technology: Operator Emphasis at Pennsylvania College Of Technology
    More details about Heavy Construction Equipment Technology: Operator Emphasis at Pennsylvania College Of Technology
    Finished
    93%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    $14,467
    Length
    60 weeks, 24 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $3,465
    Students counted
    82
    a year, estimated
    $57,900
    price
    $41,846

  • Heavy equipment with CDLOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Heavy Equipment Operator w/ CDL A License

    Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology

    Based in Pleasant Gap, PA

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology, based in Pleasant Gap, PA · Heavy equipment with CDL · Online · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$54,900
    Price if you pay yourself$12,960

    3 students trained with WIOA funding

    More details about Heavy Equipment Operator w/ CDL A License at Central Pennsylvania Institute of Science and Technology
    Finished
    96%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    $13,717
    Length
    28 weeks, 26 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $836
    Students counted
    61
    a year, estimated
    $54,900
    price
    $12,960
    trained with WIOA funding
    3

  • Heavy equipment operator courseOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Mobile Equipment Operations

    Greater Johnstown Area Vo Tech Schl

    Based in Johnstown, PA

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Greater Johnstown Area Vo Tech Schl, based in Johnstown, PA · Heavy equipment operator course · Online · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$17,230
    More details about Mobile Equipment Operations at Greater Johnstown Area Vo Tech Schl
    Finished
    95%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    24 weeks, 33 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $660
    Students counted
    57
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $17,230

  • Heavy equipment operator courseOnlineNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operations (184 Hours)

    Lehigh Career & Technical Institute

    Based in Schnecksville, PA

    No diploma needed

    Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, based in Schnecksville, PA · Heavy equipment operator course · Online · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$68,400
    Price if you pay yourself$5,875

    11 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Heavy Equipment Operations (184 Hours) at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operations (184 Hours) at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
    Finished
    97%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    $17,100
    Length
    5 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $162
    Students counted
    37
    a year, estimated
    $68,400
    price
    $5,875
    trained with WIOA funding
    11

  • Heavy equipment with CDLOnlineNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operations & CDL/A Training

    Lehigh Career & Technical Institute

    Based in Schnecksville, PA

    No diploma needed

    Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, based in Schnecksville, PA · Heavy equipment with CDL · Online · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$57,300
    Price if you pay yourself$11,370

    11 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Heavy Equipment Operations & CDL/A Training at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operations & CDL/A Training at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    $14,316
    Length
    10 weeks, 33 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $956
    Students counted
    14
    a year, estimated
    $57,300
    price
    $11,370
    trained with WIOA funding
    11

  • Heavy equipment operator courseOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Heavy Equipment

    Cattaraugus Allegany Erie

    Based in Olean, NY

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Cattaraugus Allegany Erie, based in Olean, NY · Heavy equipment operator course · Online · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$36,200
    Price if you pay yourself$825
    Program website, Heavy Equipment at Cattaraugus Allegany Erie
    More details about Heavy Equipment at Cattaraugus Allegany Erie
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    $9,043
    Length
    7 weeks, 8 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $150
    Students counted
    10
    a year, estimated
    $36,200
    price
    $825

  • Heavy equipment operator courseOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Heavy Equipment 240 Hour

    Trans American Technical Institute

    Based in Jermyn, PA

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Trans American Technical Institute, based in Jermyn, PA · Heavy equipment operator course · Online · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$6,695
    More details about Heavy Equipment 240 Hour at Trans American Technical Institute
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    6 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $120
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $6,695

  • Heavy equipment with CDLOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Heavy Equipment CDL Class B 320

    Trans American Technical Institute

    Based in Jermyn, PA

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Trans American Technical Institute, based in Jermyn, PA · Heavy equipment with CDL · Online · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$9,595
    More details about Heavy Equipment CDL Class B 320 at Trans American Technical Institute
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    8 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $725
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $9,595

  • Heavy equipment operator courseOnlineNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operations & Prevent Maint (1080 Hours)

    Lehigh Career & Technical Institute

    Based in Schnecksville, PA

    No diploma needed

    Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, based in Schnecksville, PA · Heavy equipment operator course · Online · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$14,300
    Program website, Heavy Equipment Operations & Prevent Maint (1080 Hours) at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operations & Prevent Maint (1080 Hours) at Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    40 weeks, 30 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $24
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $14,300

How to pay for heavy equipment operator training in Pennsylvania

WIOA funding can pay for heavy equipment operator training in Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania

programs with a price cost under $10,000
5 of 10
lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
12th of 13
heavy equipment operator programs here, against the typical state's 4
10 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 Pennsylvania heavy equipment operator program numbers come from

Which Pennsylvania heavy equipment operator programs are on this list?

These are the heavy equipment operator programs Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania offers.

How Pennsylvania 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.

How reliable are the Pennsylvania figures?

We leave out the share working 6 months later for Pennsylvania: its rates sit far below every other state's, and the counts suggest jobs were traced only for students whose training was publicly paid.

Other training in Pennsylvania

Sources for the facts about heavy equipment operator training in Pennsylvania

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Construction Equipment Operators
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220 and 680.310: career services before training, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  9. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List