Continuous Mining Machine Operators Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for continuous mining machine operatorss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Wyoming$94,630
- Minnesota$83,780
- Nevada$83,490
- Colorado$81,120
- West Virginia$73,030
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Texas$46,890
- Oklahoma$48,380
- Arkansas$49,110
- New York$50,190
- New Mexico$51,030
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $94,630 | $85,260 | $46 | +45.5% | 330 |
| 2 | Minnesota | $83,780 | $90,820 | $40 | +28.8% | 420 |
| 3 | Nevada | $83,490 | $85,590 | $40 | +28.3% | 1,110 |
| 4 | Colorado | $81,120 | $81,110 | $39 | +24.7% | 290 |
| 5 | West Virginia | $73,030 | $77,570 | $35 | +12.3% | 720 |
| 6 | Indiana | $71,180 | $71,570 | $34 | +9.4% | 170 |
| 7 | California | $69,250 | $62,790 | $33 | +6.5% | 940 |
| 8 | Virginia | $66,390 | $63,480 | $32 | +2.1% | 230 |
| 9 | Illinois | $65,250 | $74,830 | $31 | +0.3% | 230 |
| 10 | Utah | $64,100 | $59,420 | $31 | -1.5% | 890 |
| 11 | Arizona | $63,380 | $60,880 | $30 | -2.6% | 2,850 |
| 12 | Idaho | $63,140 | $60,990 | $30 | -2.9% | 70 |
| 13 | Michigan | $61,860 | $57,760 | $30 | -4.9% | 180 |
| 14 | Ohio | $60,010 | $58,030 | $29 | -7.7% | 260 |
| 15 | Alabama | $59,640 | $59,360 | $29 | -8.3% | 340 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $58,960 | $59,030 | $28 | -9.4% | 230 |
| 17 | Pennsylvania | $58,730 | $60,780 | $28 | -9.7% | 510 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $56,920 | $50,020 | $27 | -12.5% | 390 |
| 19 | Georgia | $56,470 | $57,160 | $27 | -13.2% | 140 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $56,310 | $51,760 | $27 | -13.4% | 70 |
| 21 | Florida | $55,910 | $62,580 | $27 | -14.1% | 230 |
| 22 | Missouri | $51,950 | $47,280 | $25 | -20.1% | 920 |
| 23 | New Mexico | $51,030 | $48,900 | $25 | -21.6% | 470 |
| 24 | New York | $50,190 | $46,450 | $24 | -22.8% | 180 |
| 25 | Arkansas | $49,110 | $47,890 | $24 | -24.5% | 80 |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $48,380 | $46,980 | $23 | -25.6% | 310 |
| 27 | Texas | $46,890 | $48,950 | $23 | -27.9% | 390 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 31 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $111,470 | $107,580 | 190 |
| 2 | Duluth, MN-WI | $86,230 | $83,930 | 50 |
| 3 | Balance of Nevada nonmetropolitan area | $85,590 | $84,580 | 1,040 |
| 4 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $81,040 | $91,390 | 80 |
| 5 | Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $77,570 | $78,350 | 280 |
| 6 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $75,930 | $64,440 | 100 |
| 7 | South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $74,830 | $65,020 | 180 |
| 8 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $71,280 | $68,540 | 470 |
| 9 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $70,640 | $69,950 | 120 |
| 10 | Southwest Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $69,930 | $68,870 | 180 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing continuous mining machine operatorss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coal Mining | $73,970 | $72,690 | 2,200 |
| 2 | Metal Ore Mining | $62,360 | $66,890 | 5,970 |
| 3 | Support Activities for Mining | $62,250 | $61,690 | 670 |
| 4 | Support Activities for Mining | $62,250 | $61,690 | 670 |
| 5 | Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $62,240 | $65,800 | 12,560 |
| 6 | Sector 21 - Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $62,240 | $65,600 | 13,220 |
| 7 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $61,810 | $65,050 | 14,000 |
| 8 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $61,810 | $65,050 | 14,000 |
| 9 | Administrative and Support Services | $60,780 | $56,420 | — |
| 10 | Employment Services | $60,780 | $56,420 | — |
| 11 | Temporary Help Services | $60,780 | $56,420 | — |
| 12 | Sector 56 - Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $60,780 | $56,420 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do continuous mining machine operators make in the U.S.?
The median continuous mining machine operators salary in the United States is $61,810 per year (mean $65,050), and about 80% earn between $46,770 and $86,210.
How much do continuous mining machine operators make per hour?
Roughly $31 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $65,050 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays continuous mining machine operators the most?
Wyoming has the highest average pay for continuous mining machine operators at $94,630 per year (median $85,260).
What is the job outlook for continuous mining machine operators?
Employment is projected to change +0.6% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 1,600 openings per year.