While taking on a job, considering the per-hour rate is a standard practice worldwide. Usually, the companies pay you per hour wage according to the standard rates by state or federal labor wage policies. As a worker, it is your right to know whether you are being paid fairly according to your skill.
As a construction site manager or worker, it is extremely important to know the hourly rate for mini excavators and operators, along with other construction machinery. Usually, excavators and such operations have hourly rates from $40 to $270 per hour. Various factors count, like size, load, capacity, and presence of operators.
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This discussion will walk you through a proper guide for renting excavators and operators with their rates and factors.
Understanding Terms for Hiring Excavators
Before hiring excavators, you must know about the types of excavator services. There are two types of excavator services:
The price for dry and wet excavator rents depends on the capacity of mini excavators. The average per price for these capacities around the USA is as follows:
| Excavator Capacity | Dry Rent Per Hour | Wet Rent Per Hour |
| 1 to 2 tons | $80 | $115 |
| 3 to 4 tons | $90 | $120 |
| 5 to 6 tons | $95 | $125 |
| 7to 9 tons | $100 | $130 |
| Note:These prices are average rates for mini excavators and can vary depending on the company and model of the excavator. | ||
CHECK: Sprouts hourly pay
How Renting an Excavator Price Works?
You must be thinking about what determines the excavator’s price or how you can estimate it on your own before contacting a rental company. According to the standard practices, the price of excavator rent is calculated using this formula for equipment rental prices: Equipment Cost by x 5% / month x 13 x 80%.
So, if you know the real price of an excavator, you can calculate the hourly rate on your own. It will give an estimate so rental companies won’t overly charge you.
Renting Prices of Mini Excavators
Mini excavators are usually used for small digging jobs or where the space is less. They have less power capacity and do precise jobs relatively well than large excavators. It is easy to transport, maintain, and operate.
Due to their lower rental costs, they are also preferred for doing small excavation jobs that usually last for one or two days. The table below shows the average per-hour price for different mini excavators and their minimum rental time.
| Excavator Model | Per Hour Price | Minimum Renting Hours |
| John Deere 17D Mini-Excavator | $100 | 6 |
| John Deere 27D Mini-Excavator | $120 | 6 |
| John Deere 35D Mini-Excavator | $140 | 6 |
| John Deere 50D Mini-Excavator | $150+ | 6 |
| Note: These prices are calculated based on the average offered by different USA online heavy machinery renting companies. | ||
ALSO SEE: bi-weekly hourly calculator
Delivery Rates
The prices above are only for the mini excavator and the services it provides. For additional costs, you will have to pay delivery charges, too. The company from which you rent equipment will cost them to deliver it to you. So, the delivery charges are separate.
These charges are based on the distance from the company you are renting from. On average, the delivery charges are around $90-$150 for a mini excavator, depending on your location.
Hourly Rate of Excavator Operator
Suppose you have an excavator for your construction company and want an operator. Well, you can hire a separate operator as well. The companies that rent out construction machinery also offer expert people for jobs.
According to 2024, the per-hour cost of an excavator operator is $24 at the entry level. Depending on the job type and workload, expert excavator operators range from $35 to $45. The labor cost is high for heavy exaction processes, and for normal excavation processes, the cost is low.
FAQs
How much does an excavator driver earn in the US?
As of 2024, the entry-level per-hour price of an excavator driver is $24. The yearly earnings of the excavator diver will be $49,920 with standard working conditions of 8 hours per day and 52 weeks per year.
How much does an excavator make a month in the US?
Excavator operator’s entry-level wage starts from $24 in the USA. If they work for a standard 160 hours per month, they will make $3,840. Meanwhile, an expert operator will earn $5,600 monthly with an hourly wage of $35.
Do you need a license to operate an excavator in the USA?
Yes, a person with a driver’s license is eligible for excavator operator jobs in the USA. However, some states are strict according to the rules and demand commercial driver’s licenses for these heavy equipment operator jobs.
Conclusion
Hourly rate for mini excavator and operator starts for as low as $80 and goes up to $150. The cost depends on various factors like the type of job, the model of the excavator, the experience of the operator, and state tax prices. Dry costs are less than wet costs, allowing you to choose the most convenient options according to your budget.
If you compare the renting price with the buying prices of excavators, which are $100000 and $200000, renting is a much cheaper option for construction companies. So, compare your options to do your bidding on a precise budget.
The hourly rate for mini excavator and operator depends on factors like dry rent, wet rent, excavator, and operator’s experience, ranging from $80 to $150/hour.
