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Heavy equipment operator training in Tennessee

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

4 schools offer these heavy equipment operator programs, and Tennessee 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 Tennessee, 1 of the 4 programs takes students without a high school diploma and 3 ask for a diploma or equivalent.

All 4 are the same kind of program: heavy equipment operator course.

See the 4 programs

How much does heavy equipment operator training cost in Tennessee?

$1,000 to $6,865

is what the 4 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not enough data
2 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Length
Not enough data
4 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 Tennessee may also offer heavy equipment operator training. How these figures are made

Is there free heavy equipment operator training in Tennessee?

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

All 4 heavy equipment operator programs in Tennessee approved for WIOA funding

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4 programs

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Heavy Construction Equipment Operator Program

    Chattanooga State Community College

    Chattanooga

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Chattanooga State Community College, ChattanoogaHeavy equipment operator course · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$26,100
    Price if you pay yourself$4,950

    19 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Heavy Construction Equipment Operator Program at Chattanooga State Community College
    More details about Heavy Construction Equipment Operator Program at Chattanooga State Community College
    Finished
    92%
    Working at 6 months
    48%
    Earned in a quarter
    $6,521
    Length
    6 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    51
    Earned a year, estimated
    $26,100
    Price if you pay yourself
    $4,950
    students trained with WIOA funding
    19
    Program website, Heavy Construction Equipment Operator Program at Chattanooga State Community College

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Heavy Equipment Operator Training

    Tennessee College Of Applied Technology At Knoxville

    Knoxville

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Tennessee College Of Applied Technology At Knoxville, KnoxvilleHeavy equipment operator course · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$42,700
    Price if you pay yourself$5,000

    3 students trained with WIOA funding

    Program website, Heavy Equipment Operator Training at Tennessee College Of Applied Technology At Knoxville
    More details about Heavy Equipment Operator Training at Tennessee College Of Applied Technology At Knoxville
    Finished
    79%
    Working at 6 months
    88%
    Earned in a quarter
    $10,665
    Length
    6 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    25
    Earned a year, estimated
    $42,700
    Price if you pay yourself
    $5,000
    students trained with WIOA funding
    3
    Program website, Heavy Equipment Operator Training at Tennessee College Of Applied Technology At Knoxville

  • Heavy equipment operator courseIn personNo diploma needed

    Heavy Equipment Academy

    Volunteer State Community College

    Gallatin

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Volunteer State Community College, GallatinHeavy equipment operator course · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,000
    School website, Heavy Equipment Academy at Volunteer State Community College
    More details about Heavy Equipment Academy at Volunteer State Community College
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    7 weeks, 35 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    15
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,000
    School website, Heavy Equipment Academy at Volunteer State Community College

  • Heavy equipment operator courseHybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Heavy Equipment Technology

    Tennessee College Of Applied Technology At Memphis

    Memphis

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Tennessee College Of Applied Technology At Memphis, MemphisHeavy equipment operator course · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$6,865
    More details about Heavy Equipment Technology at Tennessee College Of Applied Technology At Memphis
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    84 weeks, 40 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $3,182
    Students counted
    28
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $6,865

How to pay for heavy equipment operator training in Tennessee

WIOA funding can pay for heavy equipment operator training in Tennessee

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 Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville and other Tennessee cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in Tennessee

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

Where the Tennessee heavy equipment operator program numbers come from

Which Tennessee heavy equipment operator programs are on this list?

These are the heavy equipment operator programs Tennessee 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 Tennessee offers.

How the prices and results of Tennessee 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 Tennessee

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