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Dredge Operators
Transportation and Material Moving · SOC 53-7031
0.0% AI Exposure — Low
$49,640
Median Annual Salary
Average
O*NET Outlook
200
Proj. Annual Openings
1,040
Employment (OEWS 2025)
100/100
AI Resiliency Score
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
AI Exposure Analysis
AI Exposure0.0%
AI Resiliency100/100
Exposure BandLow
Sector Avg. Exposure0.8%
Top Skills
1.Operation and Control
2.Operations Monitoring
3.Critical Thinking
4.Coordination
5.Judgment and Decision Making
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Operate dredge to remove sand, gravel, or other materials in order to excavate and maintain navigable channels in waterways.
Common titles: Dredge Operator, Dredger
Representative Tasks
- •Move levers to position dredges for excavation, to engage hydraulic pumps, to raise and lower suction booms, and to control rotation of cutterheads.
- •Start and stop engines to operate equipment.
- •Start power winches that draw in or let out cables to change positions of dredges, or pull in and let out cables manually.
- •Pump water to clear machinery pipelines.
- •Lower anchor poles to verify depths of excavations, using winches, or scan depth gauges to determine depths of excavations.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Operate excavation equipment.
- •Control pumps or pumping equipment.
- •Operate cranes, hoists, or other moving or lifting equipment.
- •Measure work site dimensions.
- •Direct material handling or moving activities.
Tools & Technologies
Global positioning system GPS softwareHYPACK DREDGEPACKProgrammable logic controller PLC softwareTeledyne Odom Hydrographic ODOM eChartTrimble HYDROproWeb browser software
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
15
Occupations Shown
0.8%
Avg AI Exposure
6
Bright Outlook
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Outlook | Average | 24% Bright |
| Median Salary | $49,640 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 100/100 | N/A |