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BLSSalary

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary (2025)

Based on 34,480 employed workers · BLS OEWS May 2025

Official BLS Data
Annual Mean
$59,930
$28.81/hr
Annual Median
$57,430
$27.61/hr
Bottom 10%
$41,600
$20.00/hr
Top 10%
$82,400
$39.61/hr

Salary Percentile Breakdown

PercentileAnnual
10th Percentile
Bottom 10%
$41,600
25th Percentile
Lower quarter
$47,890
50th PercentileMedian
Median
$57,430
75th Percentile
Upper quarter
$65,730
90th Percentile
Top 10%
$82,400

Salary Distribution

Annual Salary Range

10th

$42K

25th

$48K

Median

$57K

75th

$66K

90th

$82K

Highest Paying States for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining

States with highest average wages · BLS May 2025

StateAnnual Mean
New Jersey$88,110
North Dakota$88,100
California$85,520
Alaska$75,720
Massachusetts$75,540
Wyoming$75,290
Illinois$73,360
Washington$71,140
Nevada$69,640
Connecticut$68,460

Geographic Salary Variation

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salaries vary significantly across the United States. The highest paying state is New Jersey at an average of $88,110 per year, while Connecticut has an average of $68,460 — a difference of $19,650. These geographic differences reflect variations in cost of living, demand, and local labor market conditions.

About Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 34,480 workers were employed as Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Minings in the United States as of May 2025. This occupation is classified under Construction and Extraction Occupations. The annual mean wage of $59,930 reflects data from employer surveys conducted by BLS.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 · SOC Code: 47-5022

What do these percentiles mean? The 10th percentile ($41,600) represents entry-level or part-time Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Minings, while the 90th percentile ($82,400) represents highly experienced professionals or those in high-demand locations. The median ($57,430) is the midpoint — half of all Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Minings earn more and half earn less than this amount.
Data sourced from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025. Public domain. Not affiliated with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.