Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in the U.S. is $57,430 ($27.61 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $57,430
- Mean annual wage
- $59,930
- Median hourly wage
- $27.61
- Employment
- 34,480
34,480 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $41,600 | $20.00 |
| 25th percentile | $47,890 | $23.03 |
| Median (50th) | $57,430 | $27.61 |
| 75th percentile | $65,730 | $31.60 |
| 90th percentile | $82,400 | $39.61 |
Highest-paying states for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $90,380 | 220 |
| Illinois | $80,600 | 1,310 |
| New Jersey | $80,310 | 740 |
| Wyoming | $78,230 | 420 |
| New Mexico | $76,350 | 270 |
| Massachusetts | $76,070 | 280 |
| Alaska | $74,680 | 140 |
| California | $74,500 | 790 |
| Montana | $65,850 | 150 |
| Connecticut | $65,710 | 280 |
Lowest-paying states
- Arkansas: $46,170 median annual wage
- Delaware: $46,900 median annual wage
- Oklahoma: $47,100 median annual wage
- Alabama: $47,770 median annual wage
- Kentucky: $47,780 median annual wage
About this occupation
Operate or tend machinery at surface mining site, equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.
Typical tasks
- Receive written or oral instructions regarding material movement or excavation.
- Measure and verify levels of rock or gravel, bases, or other excavated material.
- Adjust dig face angles for varying overburden depths and set lengths.
- Observe hand signals, grade stakes, or other markings when operating machines so that work can be performed to specifications.
- Direct workers engaged in placing blocks or outriggers to prevent capsizing of machines when lifting heavy loads.
- Direct ground workers engaged in activities such as moving stakes or markers, or changing positions of towers.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 20.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 54.4% |
| Some college, no degree | 15.0% |
| Associate's degree | 7.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 2.7% |
| Master's degree | 0.1% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.2% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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- Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$63,800
- Painters, Construction and Maintenance$49,400
- Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers$57,020
About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.