How much do Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining make?
The median pay for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in the United States is $57,430 per year — about $27.61 per hour. Entry-level positions start near $41,600, while the most experienced professionals in the top 10% earn $82,400.
That is $3,960 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary range by percentile
Half of all Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining earn between $47,890 and $65,730 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $41,600 | $20.00 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $47,890 | $23.02 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $57,430 | $27.61 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $65,730 | $31.60 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $82,400 | $39.62 |
Highest-paying states for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. North Dakota leads the country for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining pay at $90,380 a year, followed by Illinois ($80,600) and New Jersey ($80,310). At the other end, Arkansas posts the lowest median at $46,170 — a gap of $44,210 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $90,380 | $43.45 | +57% |
| 2 | Illinois | $80,600 | $38.75 | +40% |
| 3 | New Jersey | $80,310 | $38.61 | +40% |
| 4 | Wyoming | $78,230 | $37.61 | +36% |
| 5 | New Mexico | $76,350 | $36.71 | +33% |
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 49 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 34,000 people work as Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $59,930 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a high school diploma is typically enough, with most skills learned on the job, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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