Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
SOC 47-5022 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining is $50,050, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $55,500, and an estimated 32,630 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +10.9% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -5.8% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will shrink 0.4% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $50,050 | $50,050 | 32,630 |
| 2022 | $48,350 | $50,340 | 33,670 |
| 2021 | $46,740 | $52,558 | 35,720 |
| 2020 | $45,150 | $53,156 | 40,240 |
Nominal change
+10.9%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-5.8%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
-0.4%
About average
Employment 2024
35,800
Projected 2034
35,600
Annual Openings
3,100
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $50,050. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $100,720 | +101.2% | 560 |
| Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area | $87,050 | +73.9% | 200 |
| Alaska | $85,830 | +71.5% | 120 |
| East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area | $80,550 | +60.9% | 60 |
| Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $80,000 | +59.8% | 90 |
| Alaska nonmetropolitan area | $79,450 | +58.7% | 50 |
| Minnesota | $77,480 | +54.8% | 900 |
| West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $76,180 | +52.2% | 130 |
| North Dakota | $72,970 | +45.8% | 210 |
| Wyoming | $72,920 | +45.7% | 360 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$38,080
25th Pct
$44,460
Median
$50,050
75th Pct
$61,760
90th Pct
$77,240
Related Occupations in Construction & Extraction
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.