Continuous Mining Machine Operators Salary
Continuous Mining Machine Operators in Virginia make a median of $63,480 a year, or about $30.52 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $66,969 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 39.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Virginia. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $63K get you in Virginia?
About continuous mining machine operators
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What this looks like in Virginia
Continuous mining machine operators pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $63K locally vs. $62K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 39.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level continuous mining machine operators (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $63K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $30K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track continuous mining machine operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a continuous mining machine operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $63K, rent takes 39.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new continuous mining machine operators typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,932/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 56% 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 Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $63K locally vs. $62K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for continuous mining machine operators?
Virginia pays $63K median vs. the U.S. average of $62K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do continuous mining machine operators make in Virginia?
The median is $63,480 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,860, and experienced continuous mining machine operators can clear $79,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $63K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,159/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 39.6% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $66,969 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.