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Heavy equipment operator training in Virginia

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

9 schools offer these heavy equipment operator programs, and Virginia 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 Virginia, 10 of the 13 programs take students without a high school diploma, and 3 are taught partly or fully online.

See the 13 programs

How much does heavy equipment operator training cost in Virginia?

$3,300 to $4,500 is what most heavy equipment operator programs in Virginia cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 13 programs with a price. All of them: $2,148 to $4,700

In the typical program

Finished the program
99%
Working 6 months later
60%
Earned a year, estimated
about $42,400
Length
6 to 12 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 Virginia may also offer heavy equipment operator training. How these figures are made

Is there free heavy equipment operator training in Virginia?

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

Heavy equipment operator training in Lynchburg, Charlottesville, Blacksburg and other Virginia cities

Choosing an area filters the list below. 1 more program is in 1 other area, 2 in smaller cities and towns.

All 13 heavy equipment operator programs in Virginia approved for WIOA funding

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13 programs

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operator

    Southwest VA Community College

    Cedar Bluff

    No diploma needed

    Southwest VA Community College, Cedar Bluff · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$33,300
    Price if you pay yourself$4,031
    School website, Heavy Equipment Operator at Southwest VA Community College
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operator at Southwest VA Community College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    77%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,323
    Length
    8 weeks, 20 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    48
    a year, estimated
    $33,300
    price
    $4,031

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Heavy Equipment Operator Level 1

    Germanna Community College

    Fredericksburg

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Germanna Community College, Fredericksburg · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$43,600
    Price if you pay yourself$3,900
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operator Level 1 at Germanna Community College
    Finished
    97%
    Working at 6 months
    56%
    Earned in a quarter
    $10,897
    Length
    4 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    37
    a year, estimated
    $43,600
    price
    $3,900

  • Heavy equipment operator courseHybridNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operator Level 1

    Piedmont Virginia Community College

    Charlottesville

    No diploma needed

    Piedmont Virginia Community College, Charlottesville · Heavy equipment operator course · Hybrid · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$41,200
    Price if you pay yourself$3,402

    5 students trained with WIOA funding

    More details about Heavy Equipment Operator Level 1 at Piedmont Virginia Community College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    50%
    Earned in a quarter
    $10,305
    Length
    12 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    27
    a year, estimated
    $41,200
    price
    $3,402
    trained with WIOA funding
    5

  • Heavy equipment operator courseHybridNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operator Level 2

    Piedmont Virginia Community College

    Charlottesville

    No diploma needed

    Piedmont Virginia Community College, Charlottesville · Heavy equipment operator course · Hybrid · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$29,300
    Price if you pay yourself$3,402
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operator Level 2 at Piedmont Virginia Community College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    64%
    Earned in a quarter
    $7,315
    Length
    1 week, 16 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    17
    a year, estimated
    $29,300
    price
    $3,402

  • Heavy equipment operator courseHybridNo diploma needed

    NCCER CORE & Heavy Equipment Operator Level 1 Bundle

    Paul D Camp Community College

    Franklin

    No diploma needed

    Paul D Camp Community College, Franklin · Heavy equipment operator course · Hybrid · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimated$46,200
    Price if you pay yourself$4,500
    More details about NCCER CORE & Heavy Equipment Operator Level 1 Bundle at Paul D Camp Community College
    Finished
    92%
    Working at 6 months
    44%
    Earned in a quarter
    $11,548
    Length
    12 weeks, 5 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    15
    a year, estimated
    $46,200
    price
    $4,500

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personPrerequisite courses

    Heavy Equipment Operator Level 1

    New River Community College

    Dublin

    Prerequisite courses

    New River Community College, Dublin · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · Prerequisite courses

    Earned a year, estimated$47,100
    Price if you pay yourself$2,148
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operator Level 1 at New River Community College
    Finished
    92%
    Working at 6 months
    100%
    Earned in a quarter
    $11,776
    Length
    30 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    13
    a year, estimated
    $47,100
    price
    $2,148

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Heavy Equipment Operator Level 2

    New River Community College

    Dublin

    High school diploma or equivalent

    New River Community College, Dublin · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,148
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operator Level 2 at New River Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    30 weeks, 50 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $2,148

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    NCCER Heavy Equipment Operator 1

    Central Virginia Community College

    Lynchburg

    No diploma needed

    Central Virginia Community College, Lynchburg · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$3,300
    More details about NCCER Heavy Equipment Operator 1 at Central Virginia Community College
    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
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $3,300

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    NCCER Heavy Equipment Operator 2

    Central Virginia Community College

    Lynchburg

    No diploma needed

    Central Virginia Community College, Lynchburg · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$3,300
    More details about NCCER Heavy Equipment Operator 2 at Central Virginia Community College
    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
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $3,300

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    NCCER Heavy Equipment Operator 3

    Central Virginia Community College

    Lynchburg

    No diploma needed

    Central Virginia Community College, Lynchburg · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$3,300
    More details about NCCER Heavy Equipment Operator 3 at Central Virginia Community College
    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
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $3,300

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operations, Level 1

    Tidewater Community College

    Norfolk

    No diploma needed

    Tidewater Community College, Norfolk · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$4,500
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operations, Level 1 at Tidewater Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    12 weeks, 7 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $4,500

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operator

    Virginia Western Community College

    Roanoke

    No diploma needed

    Virginia Western Community College, Roanoke · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$4,500
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operator at Virginia Western Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    24 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $4,500

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operations Trianing

    Tri-County Driving Academy, Inc.

    Lebanon

    No diploma needed

    Tri-County Driving Academy, Inc., Lebanon · Heavy equipment operator course · In person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$4,700
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operations Trianing at Tri-County Driving Academy, Inc.
    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
    $200
    Students counted
    Not reported
    a year, estimated
    Not reported
    price
    $4,700

How to pay for heavy equipment operator training in Virginia

WIOA funding can pay for heavy equipment operator training in Virginia

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 Virginia

lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
3rd of 13
heavy equipment operator programs here, against the typical state's 4
13 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 Virginia heavy equipment operator program numbers come from

Which Virginia heavy equipment operator programs are on this list?

These are the heavy equipment operator programs Virginia 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 Virginia offers.

How Virginia 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 Virginia

Sources for the facts about heavy equipment operator training in Virginia

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, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, 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