Average Salary for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
SOC 47-5022 · Construction and Extraction Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in the United States is $52,550 ($25.26/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $39,650 at the 10th percentile to $80,970 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 34,210 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 17.3% since 2019.
Median Annual
$52,550
Mean Annual
$57,860
10th Pct
$39,650
75th Pct
$63,630
Employment
34,210
Salary Distribution
$40k
10th
$46k
25th
$53k
Median
$64k
75th
$81k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $139,310 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $121,790 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $95,260 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $94,470 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $84,640 |
| Farmington, NM | $83,610 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $79,830 |
| Vineland, NJ | $78,260 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $68,390 |
| Monroe, MI | $67,620 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $67,080 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $65,650 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $65,060 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $65,030 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $64,890 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| New Jersey | $105,490 |
| Minnesota | $79,060 |
| Alaska | $78,690 |
| North Dakota | $76,690 |
| Wyoming | $76,160 |
| Massachusetts | $74,300 |
| California | $73,580 |
| Indiana | $68,200 |
| Maryland | $65,060 |
| Montana | $64,740 |
| West Virginia | $62,930 |
| Washington | $62,530 |
| District of Columbia | $62,400 |
| Illinois | $62,320 |
| Colorado | $61,660 |
| New Hampshire | $60,730 |
| Oregon | $60,230 |
| Connecticut | $60,020 |
| Vermont | $59,200 |
| Wisconsin | $57,830 |
| New Mexico | $57,160 |
| Idaho | $57,140 |
| Arizona | $57,110 |
| Nevada | $56,510 |
| New York | $56,460 |
| Ohio | $56,020 |
| Missouri | $55,500 |
| Maine | $55,340 |
| Delaware | $55,300 |
| Virginia | $53,770 |
| Michigan | $53,770 |
| Utah | $52,240 |
| Iowa | $52,170 |
| South Dakota | $51,920 |
| North Carolina | $50,840 |
| Nebraska | $50,020 |
| Kansas | $49,670 |
| Georgia | $48,910 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,730 |
| Texas | $47,840 |
| Florida | $47,220 |
| Tennessee | $47,110 |
| Kentucky | $46,480 |
| Alabama | $46,130 |
| South Carolina | $46,130 |
| Arkansas | $45,270 |
| Oklahoma | $44,990 |
| Louisiana | $43,670 |
| Mississippi | $41,000 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,910 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Utilities | $133,570 |
| Utilities | $133,570 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $86,360 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $73,430 |
| Coal Mining | $66,520 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $64,400 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | $64,400 |
| Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors | $62,740 |
| Metal Ore Mining | $61,340 |
| Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors | $60,640 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | $60,590 |
| Repair and Maintenance | $60,100 |
| Commercial and Industrial Machinery and Equipment (except Automotive and Electronic) Repair and Maintenance | $60,100 |
| Foundation, Structure, and Building Exterior Contractors | $59,840 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $58,920 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $58,920 |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | $58,770 |
| Building Equipment Contractors | $58,230 |
| Utility System Construction | $57,710 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $57,390 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $57,390 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | $57,210 |
| Waste Collection | $57,210 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $56,730 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $56,650 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | $55,830 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $55,420 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $55,150 |
| Construction | $54,570 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $53,520 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $52,850 |
| Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $52,850 |
| Wholesale Trade | $52,840 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $52,830 |
| Manufacturing | $52,550 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $51,890 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $51,180 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | $51,040 |
| Masonry Contractors | $50,980 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $50,890 |
| Construction of Buildings | $50,280 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $50,260 |
| Services to Buildings and Dwellings | $49,830 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $49,560 |
| Power and Communication Line and Related Structures Construction | $49,520 |
| Landscaping Services | $49,420 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $48,970 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $48,970 |
| Residential Building Construction | $48,940 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | $48,910 |
| Truck Transportation | $48,880 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $48,520 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $48,520 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $48,520 |
| Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors | $48,500 |
| Land Subdivision | $46,870 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $45,390 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $44,990 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $44,990 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $44,140 |
| Temporary Help Services | $44,090 |
| Employment Services | $44,090 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $44,060 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $44,060 |
| Farm and Garden Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers | $40,190 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $40,190 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $34,260 |
| Death Care Services | $34,260 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $52,550 |
| 2023 | $50,050 |
| 2022 | $48,350 |
| 2021 | $46,740 |
| 2020 | $45,150 |
| 2019 | $44,800 |