Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining earn a median of $57,430 per year ($27.61/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 1.0% through 2035, with about 2,400 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 47-5022
- Construction and Extraction
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining in four numbers
- Median pay
- $57,430a year, or $27.61/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $42KTop 10% $82K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +1.0%Slower than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,40034,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202534.7K
- Projected 203535K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 34.7K Projected 2035 35K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school23.2%
- High school71.1%
- Certificate5.7%
Highest education held by excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining Segment Value Less than high school 23.2% High school 71.1% Certificate 5.7%
Also advertised as: Backhoe Operator, Dragline Oiler, Dragline Operator, Equipment Operator, Excavator Operator, Heavy Equipment Operator.
Pay
How much do Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining make?
Every excavating and loading machine and dragline operator, surface mining in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$57,430
Middle half earn $47,890 to $65,730
- 10th
- $41,600
- 25th
- $47,890
- 75th
- $65,730
- 90th
- $82,400
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $41,600 |
| 25th | $47,890 |
| Median | $57,430 |
| 75th | $65,730 |
| 90th | $82,400 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $57,430
- Median hourly wage
- $27.61/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $59,930
- People employed
- 34,480
Versus all US occupations
At $57,430, Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining earn 13% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $6,450 a year.
Versus construction and extraction occupations
Inside the Construction and Extraction group, where the middle occupation pays $60,020, this is 4% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $82,400 or more while the bottom 10% earn $41,600, a gap of 2.0×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 29% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
North Dakota pays the most at $90,380, and still leads at $101,597 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1North Dakota | $90,380 | $101,597 | 220 |
| 2Illinois | $80,600 | $80,634 | 1,310 |
| 3New Jersey | $80,310 | $73,811 | 740 |
| 4Wyoming | $78,230 | $84,399 | 420 |
| 5New Mexico | $76,350 | $82,798 | 270 |
| 6Massachusetts | $76,070 | $71,929 | 280 |
| 7Alaska | $74,680 | $72,959 | 140 |
| 8California | $74,500 | $67,287 | 790 |
| 9Montana | $65,850 | $69,576 | 150 |
| 10Connecticut | $65,710 | $63,421 | 280 |
Job outlook
Is Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Slower than average. +1.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining | +1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining to change 1.0% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,400 openings are projected each year, 6.9% of the 34,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become an Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)71.1%
- Less than a High School Diploma23.2%
- Post-Secondary Certificate5.7%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 71.1% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 23.2% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 5.7% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does an Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining do?
Operate or tend machinery at surface mining site, equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.
Day-to-day tasks
- Move levers, depress foot pedals, and turn dials to operate power machinery, such as power shovels, stripping shovels, scraper loaders, or backhoes.
- Set up or inspect equipment prior to operation.
- Receive written or oral instructions regarding material movement or excavation.
- Observe hand signals, grade stakes, or other markings when operating machines so that work can be performed to specifications.
- Become familiar with digging plans, machine capabilities and limitations, and efficient and safe digging procedures in a given application.
- Create or maintain inclines or ramps.
- Move materials over short distances, such as around a construction site, factory, or warehouse.
- Operate machinery to perform activities such as backfilling excavations, vibrating or breaking rock or concrete, or making winter roads.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayRarely works in a climate-controlled indoor space.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather at least weekly.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Monitoring3.1
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Active Listening3.0
- Speaking3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Active Learning3.0
- Writing2.5
- Learning Strategies2.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 |
| Writing | 2.5 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Operation and Control4.1
- Operations Monitoring3.6
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Persuasion3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Equipment Selection3.0
- Equipment Maintenance3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Operation and Control | 4.1 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Equipment Selection | 3.0 |
| Equipment Maintenance | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Industrial control software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits an Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 7 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 1 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic7.0
- Conventional3.5
- Investigative2.4
- Artistic1.0
- Social1.0
- Enterprising1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining
O*NET related occupations
- Construction and Extraction
Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator
$59,850median a year
Most earn $42K to $101K
+4.6%High school - Construction and Extraction
- Transportation and Material Moving
- Construction and Extraction
Continuous Mining Machine Operator
$61,810median a year
Most earn $47K to $86K
+3.2%No formal credential - Installation, Maintenance, and Repair
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanic, Except Engines
$65,510median a year
Most earn $47K to $94K
+6.7%High school - Transportation and Material Moving
More construction and extraction careers
Median annual pay, with excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining highlighted
- Plumber$63,800
- Electrician$63,190
- Structural Iron and Steel Worker$62,780
- Sheet Metal Worker$61,800
- Carpenter$60,580
- Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator$59,850
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining$57,430
- Roofer$55,440
- Oil and Gas Roustabout$46,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Plumber | $63,800 |
| Electrician | $63,190 |
| Structural Iron and Steel Worker | $62,780 |
| Sheet Metal Worker | $61,800 |
| Carpenter | $60,580 |
| Operating Engineer and Other Construction Equipment Operator | $59,850 |
| Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining | $57,430 |
| Roofer | $55,440 |
| Oil and Gas Roustabout | $46,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining appears on
Questions
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining: frequently asked questions
How much do Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining make?
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining earn a median of $57,430 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 13% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $27.61/hr. The middle half earn between $47,890 and $65,730. The top 10% earn $82,400 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 71.1% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 1.0% over 2025–2035 against 3.5% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining do?
Operate or tend machinery at surface mining site, equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials. A core O*NET task: move levers, depress foot pedals, and turn dials to operate power machinery, such as power shovels, stripping shovels, scraper loaders, or backhoes. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Operating system software.
Which states pay Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining the most?
The highest state medians for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining are North Dakota ($90,380), Illinois ($80,600), New Jersey ($80,310) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits an Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operator, Surface Mining?
O*NET scores Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.