Continuous Mining Machine Operators Salary
Continuous Mining Machine Operators in Tuscaloosa, AL make a median of $58,430 a year, or about $28.09 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.72), which stretches that salary to about $66,610 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,169/month, about 30.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $58K get you in Tuscaloosa?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tuscaloosa’s Regional Price Parity (87.72). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About continuous mining machine operators
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What this looks like in Tuscaloosa
Continuous mining machine operators pay in Tuscaloosa tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 5% difference. Rent runs $1,169/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.72 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tuscaloosa, AL
Entry-level continuous mining machine operators (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $920 spread from bottom to top.
Continuous Mining Machine Operators pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Continuous Mining Machine Operators salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | $91K | +47% | 420 |
| Nevada | $86K | +38% | 1,110 |
| Wyoming | $85K | +38% | 330 |
| Colorado | $81K | +31% | 290 |
| West Virginia | $78K | +25% | 720 |
| Illinois | $75K | +21% | 230 |
| Indiana | $72K | +16% | 170 |
| Virginia | $63K | +3% | 230 |
| California | $63K | +2% | 940 |
| Florida | $63K | +1% | 230 |
| Idaho | $61K | -1% | 70 |
| Arizona | $61K | -2% | 2,850 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -2% | 510 |
| Utah | $59K | -4% | 890 |
| Alabama | $59K | -4% | 340 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -4% | 230 |
| Ohio | $58K | -6% | 260 |
| Michigan | $58K | -7% | 180 |
| Georgia | $57K | -8% | 140 |
| Nebraska | $52K | -16% | 70 |
| Kentucky | $50K | -19% | 390 |
| Texas | $49K | -21% | 390 |
| New Mexico | $49K | -21% | 470 |
| Arkansas | $48K | -23% | 80 |
| Missouri | $47K | -24% | 920 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -24% | 310 |
| New York | $46K | -25% | 180 |
Showing 1–10 of 27 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track continuous mining machine operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tuscaloosa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a continuous mining machine operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tuscaloosa?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 30.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,169/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for continuous mining machine operators in Tuscaloosa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new continuous mining machine operators typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,506/month. At HUD’s $1,169/month FMR, rent would take 33% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is continuous mining machine operator a high-paying job in Tuscaloosa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Tuscaloosa compare to the national average for continuous mining machine operators?
Tuscaloosa pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.72), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do continuous mining machine operators make in Tuscaloosa, AL?
The median is $58,430 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,430, and experienced continuous mining machine operators can clear $59,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Tuscaloosa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,853/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,169/month, which eats 30.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a continuous mining machine operators salary go in Tuscaloosa?
Tuscaloosa has a Regional Price Parity of 87.72 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median continuous mining machine operators salary is worth about $66,610 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do continuous mining machine operators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.