Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining earn a median $57,430 a year nationally. Construction and Extraction Occupations
U.S. median
$57,430
$27.61 per hour
Range
$41,600 – $82,400
10th to 90th percentile
Employed
34,480
across the U.S.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining take-home pay calculator
Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.
Your take-home pay
$48,325
per year · effective tax rate 15.9%
$4,027Monthly
$2,014Twice a month
$1,859Every 2 weeks
$23.23Hourly
- Federal income tax$4,712
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,561
- Medicare (1.45%)$833
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$48,325
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Pay by experience
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home (no state tax) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $41,600 | $20.00 | $35,606 |
| 25th percentile | $47,890 | $23.02 | $40,660 |
| Median (50th) | $57,430 | $27.61 | $48,325 |
| 75th percentile | $65,730 | $31.60 | $54,994 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $82,400 | $39.62 | $66,798 |
Best cities for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining (after tax & cost of living)
| # | Metro area | Median | Take-home | Real value* | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $87,060 | $65,912 | $63,625 | 570 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $94,960 | $71,072 | $63,140 | 880 |
| 3 | Atlanta, GA | $56,460 | $45,238 | $45,212 | 630 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $61,040 | $48,705 | $44,731 | 540 |
| 5 | Austin, TX | $51,420 | $43,496 | $44,354 | 520 |
| 6 | San Antonio, TX | $47,970 | $40,724 | $42,996 | 540 |
| 7 | Houston, TX | $49,920 | $42,291 | $42,879 | 890 |
| 8 | Dallas, TX | $51,780 | $43,785 | $42,473 | 990 |
*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Highest-paying cities
- New York, NY — $94,960
- Chicago, IL — $87,060
- Washington, DC — $61,040
- Atlanta, GA — $56,460
- Dallas, TX — $51,780
- Austin, TX — $51,420
- Houston, TX — $49,920
- San Antonio, TX — $47,970
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary by state
| State | Median | Take-home | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $90,380 | $71,909 | $50,440 – $123,880 | 220 |
| Illinois | $80,600 | $61,687 | $46,130 – $93,290 | 1,310 |
| New Jersey | $80,310 | $62,402 | $54,220 – $123,590 | 740 |
| Wyoming | $78,230 | $63,865 | $57,700 – $88,000 | 420 |
| New Mexico | $76,350 | $60,119 | $44,840 – $85,880 | 270 |
| Massachusetts | $76,070 | $58,762 | $55,210 – $110,730 | 280 |
| Alaska | $74,680 | $61,367 | $42,680 – $106,110 | 140 |
| California | $74,500 | $57,524 | $54,390 – $142,600 | 790 |
| Montana | $65,850 | $52,731 | $40,990 – $92,910 | 150 |
| Connecticut | $65,710 | $52,939 | $46,930 – $85,040 | 280 |
| Washington | $64,270 | $53,821 | $50,970 – $93,150 | 640 |
| Nevada | $63,810 | $53,451 | $46,920 – $88,760 | 730 |
| Indiana | $61,910 | $50,128 | $48,940 – $90,350 | 1,530 |
| West Virginia | $61,330 | $49,435 | $46,030 – $79,320 | 650 |
| Oregon | $61,280 | $46,886 | $50,390 – $74,420 | 310 |
| Minnesota | $61,260 | $48,760 | $47,100 – $85,030 | 520 |
| Colorado | $61,020 | $49,233 | $49,400 – $94,930 | 820 |
| Arizona | $60,310 | $49,340 | $47,510 – $88,130 | 560 |
| Vermont | $59,790 | $48,652 | $44,760 – $71,050 | 250 |
| Rhode Island | $59,590 | $48,443 | $46,120 – $73,860 | 50 |
| Virginia | $59,480 | $47,366 | $40,410 – $83,080 | 1,150 |
| Iowa | $59,390 | $48,295 | $41,600 – $63,590 | 560 |
| Michigan | $59,040 | $47,360 | $45,730 – $71,090 | 880 |
| Idaho | $58,670 | $47,320 | $47,060 – $71,750 | 190 |
| North Carolina | $58,620 | $47,451 | $46,780 – $64,020 | — |
| New Hampshire | $58,540 | $49,217 | $48,010 – $83,530 | 350 |
| Nebraska | $58,370 | $47,304 | $46,800 – $65,820 | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $58,280 | $47,225 | $49,110 – $73,870 | 990 |
| Ohio | $58,240 | $48,157 | $45,610 – $97,020 | 1,120 |
| New York | $58,120 | $46,338 | $44,930 – $95,000 | 1,490 |
| Maryland | $57,610 | $46,097 | $41,600 – $75,730 | 730 |
| Missouri | $56,760 | $46,056 | $43,370 – $61,720 | 310 |
| Maine | $55,890 | $44,497 | $44,480 – $76,230 | 230 |
| Utah | $54,330 | $44,355 | $46,560 – $69,180 | 400 |
| Louisiana | $53,510 | $43,956 | $23,660 – $64,120 | 280 |
| South Carolina | $52,580 | $42,430 | $39,020 – $61,730 | 330 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,350 | $42,636 | $45,800 – $60,220 | 1,520 |
| Florida | $51,990 | $43,954 | $40,370 – $63,640 | 1,480 |
| Georgia | $50,290 | $40,601 | $44,270 – $61,990 | 1,180 |
| Tennessee | $49,500 | $41,953 | $40,800 – $76,000 | 550 |
| Texas | $49,000 | $41,552 | $38,760 – $67,560 | 5,030 |
| Kansas | $48,950 | $39,580 | $44,180 – $57,970 | 270 |
| Mississippi | $48,490 | $39,934 | $35,150 – $59,020 | 290 |
| South Dakota | $48,250 | $40,949 | $41,600 – $61,980 | 280 |
| Kentucky | $47,780 | $39,017 | $37,210 – $68,390 | 790 |
| Alabama | $47,770 | $38,440 | $36,770 – $59,000 | 410 |
| Oklahoma | $47,100 | $38,451 | $40,000 – $55,990 | 1,440 |
| Delaware | $46,900 | $37,938 | $36,480 – $70,440 | 130 |
| Arkansas | $46,170 | $37,690 | $37,690 – $49,700 | 250 |
Frequently asked questions
How much does a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining make?
The national median salary for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining is $57,430 a year ($27.61 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $41,600 and the top 10% earn over $82,400. Source: BLS, May 2025.
Which state pays excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining the most?
North Dakota has the highest median pay at $90,380. After taxes and local prices, Chicago, IL offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.
How many excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining are there in the U.S.?
About 34,480 people work as excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining nationwide.