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Salary comparison

Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining vs. Construction Laborers: Who Earns More?

Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Minings out-earn Construction Laborerss by $27K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Minings land at $74,500 and Construction Laborerss at $47,120. The education gap is real: loading and moving machine operators, underground mining programs typically require high school diploma or equivalent, while construction laborer programs require high school diploma or equivalent. Top-paying state for Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Minings is Wyoming ($112,110); for Construction Laborerss it's Hawaii ($77,110).

Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
Construction Laborers
Median salary
$74,500
$47,120
Hourly rate
$35.82/hr
$22.66/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$52,030
$35,090
Senior level (90th %)
$87,730
$78,090
Education required
High school diploma or equivalent
High school diploma or equivalent
U.S. employment
5,930
1,096,780
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
7.3%
Category
Construction & Trades
Construction & Trades
Top-paying state
Wyoming
Hawaii

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining median pay.

State
Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
Construction Laborers
Wyoming
$112,110
$46,030
Alaska
$93,130
$58,060
Nevada
$82,920
$48,990
South Carolina
$80,480
$42,940
Colorado
$79,150
$47,900
Virginia
$76,900
$43,560
Illinois
$75,890
$60,690
Pennsylvania
$75,240
$49,400
West Virginia
$74,950
$42,670
Arizona
$72,430
$46,590
Ohio
$71,380
$56,080
New York
$60,890
$55,930
Michigan
$59,310
$49,590
Missouri
$52,040
$56,730
Iowa
$48,490
$48,490

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Minings or Construction Laborerss?

Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Minings earn more nationally. The median is $74,500 for Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Minings versus $47,120 for Construction Laborerss, a difference of $27K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining or Construction Laborers?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining or Construction Laborers?

Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining typically requires high school diploma or equivalent. Construction Laborers requires high school diploma or equivalent. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Minings get paid the most?

Wyoming is the top-paying state for Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Minings at $112,110/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining vs. Construction Laborers pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Wyoming, Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Minings earn $112,110 vs. $46,030 for Construction Laborerss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining salary breakdownView →Full Construction Laborers salary breakdownView →Best cities for Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Minings by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Construction Laborerss by take-home payExplore →How to become a loading and moving machine operators, underground miningGuide →How to become a construction laborersGuide →