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Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator Salary in U.S.

The salary statistics of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators are shown in Table 1. In the next few tables we compare the average salaries of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators within different industry sectors and in the 50 states of the United States. The excavating and loading machine and dragline operators annual salary statistics are from the national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2022 and published in April 2023 [1].

Table 1. Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator Salary in U.S. (2022 survey)

Percentile BracketAverage Annual Salary
10th Percentile Wage
$29,580
25th Percentile Wage
$35,580
50th Percentile Wage
$44,270
75th Percentile Wage
$56,810
90th Percentile Wage
$74,460

Table 1 shows the average annual salary for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) excavating and loading machine and dragline operators is $74,460. The median annual salary (50th percentile) is $44,270. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent is $29,580. It is noted that in the United States, the annual salary of the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) is almost 151% higher than that of the bottom 10 percent.

Median salary trend

The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators from 2012 to 2018.

YearMedian SalaryYearly Growth6-Year Growth
2018
$44,270
4.00% 13.51%
2017
$42,500
3.46% -
2016
$41,030
2.39% -
2015
$40,050
0.55% -
2014
$39,830
2.33% -
2013
$38,900
1.57% -
2012
$38,290
- -

Table 2. Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator Salary by Industry Sector (2022 survey)

The average salaries of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators in 15 major industry sectors are shown in Table 2. We note that the salaries vary considerably within different industry sectors. The highest paying industry sector for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators occupations is the utilities sector with an annual salary $70,040. The lowest paying sector is the accommodation and food services sector (annual salary $29,640).

Industry Sector Median Annual Salary
Utilities
$70,040
Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)
$47,530
Mining
$45,370
Construction
$44,480
Transportation and Warehousing
$44,440
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
$44,280
Manufacturing
$42,930
Federal, State, and Local Government
$42,040
Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services
$41,970
Management of Companies and Enterprises
$38,910
Wholesale Trade
$38,880
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
$38,580
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
$34,780
Retail Trade
$32,320
Accommodation and Food Services
$29,640

Table 3. Median Annual Wage of Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators by States (2022 survey)

From the above tables we note that not only excavating and loading machine and dragline operators salaries vary considerably based on one's education and experience, and the industry sectors, they also change considerably from state to state. In the following table we compare the median salary of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators in all 50 states of the United States. We note that the median annual salaries range from $20,840 to $73,650. The highest paying state for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators is Wyoming with a median annual salary of $73,650. The lowest paying state is Puerto Rico with a median annual salary of $20,840. For more salary information of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators profession in a specific state, use the links in the table.

State Name Median Annual Salary
Wyoming
$73,650
Alaska
$72,630
New Jersey
$68,300
New York
$62,350
Nevada
$59,420
North Dakota
$59,060
California
$58,720
Connecticut
$57,510
Minnesota
$56,710
Washington
$52,750
Massachusetts
$52,710
District of Columbia
$52,410
Maryland
$51,590
Rhode Island
$51,300
Colorado
$50,590
Wisconsin
$49,910
Montana
$49,860
West Virginia
$48,410
Delaware
$48,080
Illinois
$47,980
Oregon
$47,950
Missouri
$47,910
Arizona
$46,480
Hawaii
$46,120
Kansas
$45,420
New Hampshire
$45,410
South Carolina
$45,090
Idaho
$44,410
Utah
$44,240
Iowa
$43,990
Indiana
$43,660
Kentucky
$43,310
Ohio
$42,580
Louisiana
$42,470
Oklahoma
$42,330
Virginia
$41,950
Michigan
$41,780
New Mexico
$41,390
South Dakota
$41,240
Vermont
$40,130
North Carolina
$40,030
Maine
$39,790
Pennsylvania
$39,780
Nebraska
$39,520
Arkansas
$38,820
Alabama
$38,620
Mississippi
$38,220
Texas
$38,170
Georgia
$37,670
Florida
$37,650
Tennessee
$37,140
Guam
$36,440
Puerto Rico
$20,840