Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for loading and moving machine operators, underground mining in the U.S. is $74,500 ($35.82 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $74,500
- Mean annual wage
- $71,240
- Median hourly wage
- $35.82
- Employment
- 5,930
5,930 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $52,030 | $25.02 |
| 25th percentile | $61,410 | $29.52 |
| Median (50th) | $74,500 | $35.82 |
| 75th percentile | $79,150 | $38.05 |
| 90th percentile | $87,730 | $42.18 |
Highest-paying states for loading and moving machine operators, underground mining
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $112,110 | 30 |
| Alaska | $93,130 | 50 |
| Nevada | $82,920 | 880 |
| South Carolina | $80,480 | 30 |
| Colorado | $79,150 | 70 |
| Virginia | $76,900 | 190 |
| Illinois | $75,890 | 90 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,240 | — |
| West Virginia | $74,950 | 1,250 |
| Arizona | $72,430 | 100 |
Lowest-paying states
- Oklahoma: $44,760 median annual wage
- Texas: $47,310 median annual wage
- Iowa: $48,490 median annual wage
- Louisiana: $48,670 median annual wage
- Georgia: $50,380 median annual wage
About this occupation
Operate underground loading or moving machine to load or move coal, ore, or rock using shuttle or mine car or conveyors. Equipment may include power shovels, hoisting engines equipped with cable-drawn scraper or scoop, or machines equipped with gathering arms and conveyor.
Typical tasks
- Handle high voltage sources and hang electrical cables.
- Pry off loose material from roofs and move it into the paths of machines, using crowbars.
- Clean, fuel, service, and perform safety checks on all equipment, and repair and replace parts as necessary.
- Signal workers to move loaded cars.
- Observe and record car numbers, carriers, customers, tonnages, and grades and conditions of material.
- Measure, weigh, or verify levels of rock, gravel, or other excavated material to prevent equipment overloads.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: No formal educational credential
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 15.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 51.7% |
| Some college, no degree | 20.1% |
| Associate's degree | 8.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 4.6% |
| Master's degree | 0.3% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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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.