Dredge Operators
Career Cluster
Architecture and Construction
Focuses on human-made structures such as buildings, parks, and cities. In this field, you'll engage in designing and managing the built environment. It includes disciplines like landscaping, urban planning, and public health.
Learn more about this clusterAt a glance
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Monthly cost of living
These numbers give you an idea of how much you can spend each month on common expenses with this salary. Percentages are the average a person with no children spends according to data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (external link opens new tab) These numbers are a starting point and will differ person to person.
Your actual expenses may differ from those listed. You’ll need to account for the amount taken out in taxes each month. Learn more about income tax expenses. (external link opens new tab) Your student loan payments may also differ. To calculate your student loan payments, use the federal student loan repayment estimator. (external link opens new tab)
About dredge operators
What they do
Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.
Other titles
Dredge Operator, Dredger
Skills they need
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Equipment Selection - Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Licenses and Certifications they may hold
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
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- International Union of Operating Engineers (external link opens new tab)
- MHI (external link opens new tab)
- National Commission for Certification of Crane Operators (external link opens new tab)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Material moving machine operators (external link opens new tab)
- Warehousing Education and Research Council (external link opens new tab)