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Heavy equipment operator training in Kentucky

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

6 schools offer these heavy equipment operator programs, and Kentucky 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 Kentucky, all 6 programs take students without a high school diploma.

By kind, the 6 programs here are heavy equipment operator course (5 programs) and single machine course (1 program).

See the 6 programs

How much does heavy equipment operator training cost in Kentucky?

$2,088 to $11,500

is what the 3 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Kentucky may also offer heavy equipment operator training. How these figures are made

Is there free heavy equipment operator training in Kentucky?

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

All 6 heavy equipment operator programs in Kentucky approved for WIOA funding

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6 programs

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Training I

    Performance Training Solutions LLC

    Reynoldsburg, OH

    No diploma needed

    Performance Training Solutions LLC, Reynoldsburg, OHHeavy equipment operator courseIn person · No diploma needed

    Classes are outside Kentucky; Kentucky approved the program for its funding.

    Earned a year, estimated$44,100
    Price if you pay yourself$6,995
    Program website, Heavy Equipment Training I at Performance Training Solutions LLC
    More details about Heavy Equipment Training I at Performance Training Solutions LLC
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    33%
    Earned in a quarter
    $11,031
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    272
    Earned a year, estimated
    $44,100
    Price if you pay yourself
    $6,995
    Program website, Heavy Equipment Training I at Performance Training Solutions LLC

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operations Crane

    Heavy Equipment College of Georgia

    Conyers, GA

    No diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment College of Georgia, Conyers, GAHeavy equipment operator courseIn person · No diploma needed

    Classes are outside Kentucky; Kentucky approved the program for its funding.

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
    Program website, Heavy Equipment Operations Crane at Heavy Equipment College of Georgia
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operations Crane at Heavy Equipment College of Georgia
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    55
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported
    Program website, Heavy Equipment Operations Crane at Heavy Equipment College of Georgia

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operator

    Southcentral KY Community and Technical College

    Bowling Green

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Southcentral KY Community and Technical College, Bowling GreenHeavy equipment operator course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported

    6 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Heavy Equipment Operator at Southcentral KY Community and Technical College
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operator at Southcentral KY Community and Technical College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    1 week, 24 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    13
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported
    students trained with WIOA funding
    6
    Program website, Heavy Equipment Operator at Southcentral KY Community and Technical College

  • Single machine courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Backhoe Operator

    Hazard Community and Technical College

    Hazard

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Hazard Community and Technical College, HazardSingle machine course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,088
    Program website, Backhoe Operator at Hazard Community and Technical College
    More details about Backhoe Operator at Hazard Community and Technical College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    1 week, 12 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $300
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,088
    Program website, Backhoe Operator at Hazard Community and Technical College

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Operation

    TEK Center

    Martin

    No diploma needed

    TEK Center, MartinHeavy equipment operator courseIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$11,500
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operation at TEK Center
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    14 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,500
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $11,500

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation

    Heavy Equipment College of Tennessee

    Clarksville, TN

    No diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment College of Tennessee, Clarksville, TNHeavy equipment operator courseIn person · No diploma needed

    Classes are outside Kentucky; Kentucky approved the program for its funding.

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourselfNot reported
    Program website, Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation at Heavy Equipment College of Tennessee
    More details about Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation at Heavy Equipment College of Tennessee
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    Not reported
    Cost of supplies
    Not reported
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    Not reported
    Program website, Construction/Heavy Equipment/Earthmoving Equipment Operation at Heavy Equipment College of Tennessee

How to pay for heavy equipment operator training in Kentucky

WIOA funding can pay for heavy equipment operator training in Kentucky

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

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.

Heavy equipment operator training in Columbus, Atlanta, Bowling Green and other Kentucky cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 1 in smaller cities and towns.

Other training in Kentucky

How heavy equipment operator training compares with the rest of skilled trades: Trade school programs in Kentucky

Where the Kentucky heavy equipment operator program numbers come from

Which Kentucky heavy equipment operator programs are on this list?

These are the heavy equipment operator programs Kentucky 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 Kentucky offers.

How the prices and results of Kentucky heavy equipment operator programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about heavy equipment operator training in Kentucky

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