Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $59,930 ≈ $29/hr
National median salary $57,430
Total employment 34,480 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth -0.4%
Decline
Annual openings 3,100 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 35,800 → 35,600 (-100)
Typical entry education High school diploma or equivalent
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- New Jersey$88,110
- North Dakota$88,100
- California$85,520
- Alaska$75,720
- Massachusetts$75,540
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Arkansas$45,080
- Mississippi$48,150
- Alabama$48,630
- Louisiana$49,000
- Oklahoma$49,420
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $88,110 | $80,310 | $42 | +47% | 740 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $88,100 | $90,380 | $42 | +47% | 220 |
| 3 | California | $85,520 | $74,500 | $41 | +42.7% | 790 |
| 4 | Alaska | $75,720 | $74,680 | $36 | +26.3% | 140 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $75,540 | $76,070 | $36 | +26% | 280 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $75,290 | $78,230 | $36 | +25.6% | 420 |
| 7 | Illinois | $73,360 | $80,600 | $35 | +22.4% | 1,310 |
| 8 | Washington | $71,140 | $64,270 | $34 | +18.7% | 640 |
| 9 | Nevada | $69,640 | $63,810 | $33 | +16.2% | 730 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $68,460 | $65,710 | $33 | +14.2% | 280 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $67,590 | $76,350 | $33 | +12.8% | 270 |
| 12 | Colorado | $67,370 | $61,020 | $32 | +12.4% | 820 |
| 13 | Montana | $66,850 | $65,850 | $32 | +11.5% | 150 |
| 14 | Indiana | $65,710 | $61,910 | $32 | +9.6% | 1,530 |
| 15 | Minnesota | $65,580 | $61,260 | $32 | +9.4% | 520 |
| 16 | Arizona | $65,360 | $60,310 | $31 | +9.1% | 560 |
| 17 | Ohio | $63,300 | $58,240 | $30 | +5.6% | 1,120 |
| 18 | Oregon | $63,000 | $61,280 | $30 | +5.1% | 310 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $62,500 | $61,330 | $30 | +4.3% | 650 |
| 20 | New York | $61,950 | $58,120 | $30 | +3.4% | 1,490 |
| 21 | New Hampshire | $61,160 | $58,540 | $29 | +2.1% | 350 |
| 22 | Virginia | $60,280 | $59,480 | $29 | +0.6% | 1,150 |
| 23 | Wisconsin | $59,180 | $58,280 | $28 | -1.3% | 990 |
| 24 | Michigan | $58,710 | $59,040 | $28 | -2% | 880 |
| 25 | Idaho | $58,150 | $58,670 | $28 | -3% | 190 |
| 26 | Maine | $57,470 | $55,890 | $28 | -4.1% | 230 |
| 27 | Maryland | $57,420 | $57,610 | $28 | -4.2% | 730 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $57,340 | $59,590 | $28 | -4.3% | 50 |
| 29 | Vermont | $56,900 | $59,790 | $27 | -5.1% | 250 |
| 30 | Iowa | $56,370 | $59,390 | $27 | -5.9% | 560 |
| 31 | Utah | $56,280 | $54,330 | $27 | -6.1% | 400 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $55,860 | $58,620 | $27 | -6.8% | — |
| 33 | Nebraska | $55,830 | $58,370 | $27 | -6.8% | 300 |
| 34 | Missouri | $55,740 | $56,760 | $27 | -7% | 310 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $54,260 | $49,500 | $26 | -9.5% | 550 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $53,930 | $52,350 | $26 | -10% | 1,520 |
| 37 | Florida | $53,840 | $51,990 | $26 | -10.2% | 1,480 |
| 38 | Delaware | $53,160 | $46,900 | $26 | -11.3% | 130 |
| 39 | Georgia | $53,030 | $50,290 | $26 | -11.5% | 1,180 |
| 40 | South Carolina | $53,000 | $52,580 | $25 | -11.6% | 330 |
| 41 | Kentucky | $52,300 | $47,780 | $25 | -12.7% | 790 |
| 42 | Texas | $51,770 | $49,000 | $25 | -13.6% | 5,030 |
| 43 | Kansas | $51,140 | $48,950 | $25 | -14.7% | 270 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $50,850 | $48,250 | $24 | -15.2% | 280 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $49,420 | $47,100 | $24 | -17.5% | 1,440 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $49,000 | $53,510 | $24 | -18.2% | 280 |
| 47 | Alabama | $48,630 | $47,770 | $23 | -18.9% | 410 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $48,150 | $48,490 | $23 | -19.7% | 290 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $45,080 | $46,170 | $22 | -24.8% | 250 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 194 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $142,970 | $106,120 | 40 |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $122,410 | $110,990 | 90 |
| 3 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $94,960 | $89,320 | 880 |
| 4 | Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $94,920 | $79,350 | 250 |
| 5 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $90,380 | $92,680 | 170 |
| 6 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $87,060 | $80,260 | 570 |
| 7 | Farmington, NM | $85,880 | $78,430 | 50 |
| 8 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $84,560 | $72,770 | 150 |
| 9 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $82,560 | $92,240 | 30 |
| 10 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $81,180 | $72,190 | 210 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utilities | $137,590 | $115,490 | 270 |
| 2 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $137,590 | $115,490 | 270 |
| 3 | Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $93,560 | $93,070 | 240 |
| 4 | Waste Management and Remediation Services | $92,810 | $91,470 | 250 |
| 5 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $87,050 | $92,840 | 100 |
| 6 | Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $75,290 | $71,020 | — |
| 7 | Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $72,670 | $67,270 | — |
| 8 | Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $72,670 | $67,270 | — |
| 9 | Repair and Maintenance | $70,850 | $68,020 | 80 |
| 10 | Coal Mining | $70,050 | $69,090 | 3,190 |
| 11 | Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $65,250 | $67,010 | 90 |
| 12 | Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $64,580 | $65,350 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining make in the U.S.?
The median excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary in the United States is $57,430 per year (mean $59,930), and about 80% earn between $41,600 and $82,400.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining make per hour?
Roughly $29 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $59,930 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining the most?
New Jersey has the highest average pay for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining at $88,110 per year (median $80,310).
What is the job outlook for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining?
Employment is projected to change -0.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Decline), with about 3,100 openings per year.