Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in Baton Rouge, LA
In Baton Rouge, LA, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $56,770 at the median, or about $27.29 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.78), which stretches that salary to about $62,536 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,204/month — about 32.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $57K get you in Baton Rouge?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Baton Rouge’s Regional Price Parity (90.78). 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.
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Baton Rouge, LA
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $23K spread from bottom to top.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $105K | +101% | 840 |
| Minnesota | $79K | +50% | 740 |
| Alaska | $79K | +50% | 140 |
| North Dakota | $77K | +46% | 200 |
| Wyoming | $76K | +45% | 390 |
| Massachusetts | $74K | +41% | 190 |
| California | $74K | +40% | 900 |
| Indiana | $68K | +30% | 950 |
| Maryland | $65K | +24% | 730 |
| Montana | $65K | +23% | 170 |
| West Virginia | $63K | +20% | 780 |
| Washington | $63K | +19% | 760 |
| District of Columbia | $62K | +19% | 40 |
| Illinois | $62K | +19% | 1,020 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | +16% | 250 |
| Oregon | $60K | +15% | 240 |
| Connecticut | $60K | +14% | 140 |
| Vermont | $59K | +13% | 190 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | +10% | 640 |
| New Mexico | $57K | +9% | 240 |
| Idaho | $57K | +9% | 290 |
| Arizona | $57K | +9% | 370 |
| Nevada | $57K | +8% | 650 |
| New York | $56K | +7% | 1,410 |
| Ohio | $56K | +7% | 1,040 |
| Missouri | $56K | +6% | 460 |
| Maine | $55K | +5% | 270 |
| Delaware | $55K | +5% | 60 |
| Michigan | $54K | +2% | 750 |
| Virginia | $54K | +2% | 1,480 |
| Utah | $52K | -1% | 650 |
| Iowa | $52K | -1% | 710 |
| South Dakota | $52K | -1% | 270 |
| North Carolina | $51K | -3% | 450 |
| Nebraska | $50K | -5% | 360 |
| Kansas | $50K | -5% | 190 |
| Georgia | $49K | -7% | 1,390 |
| Pennsylvania | $49K | -7% | 1,660 |
| Texas | $48K | -9% | 4,910 |
| Florida | $47K | -10% | 1,660 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -10% | 680 |
| Kentucky | $46K | -12% | 780 |
| Alabama | $46K | -12% | 470 |
| South Carolina | $46K | -12% | 580 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -14% | 240 |
| Oklahoma | $45K | -14% | 1,270 |
| Louisiana | $44K | -17% | 440 |
| Mississippi | $41K | -22% | 230 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in Baton Rouge, LA?
The median is $56,770 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,150, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $62,230. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Baton Rouge?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,819/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,204/month, which eats 31.5% 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 excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary go in Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge has a Regional Price Parity of 90.78 (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 excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary is worth about $62,536 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings 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.