Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In Colorado Springs, CO, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $61,410 at the median, or about $29.52 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers.
So what does $61K get you in Colorado Springs?
About excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings in metros near Colorado Springs, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $65K | , |
| Greeley | $60K | , |
| Pueblo | $64K | , |
| St. George | $60K | $62K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Colorado Springs, CO
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $43K 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
View Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $90K | +57% | 220 |
| Illinois | $81K | +40% | 1,310 |
| New Jersey | $80K | +40% | 740 |
| Wyoming | $78K | +36% | 420 |
| New Mexico | $76K | +33% | 270 |
| Massachusetts | $76K | +32% | 280 |
| Alaska | $75K | +30% | 140 |
| California | $75K | +30% | 790 |
| Montana | $66K | +15% | 150 |
| Connecticut | $66K | +14% | 280 |
| Washington | $64K | +12% | 640 |
| Nevada | $64K | +11% | 730 |
| Indiana | $62K | +8% | 1,530 |
| West Virginia | $61K | +7% | 650 |
| Oregon | $61K | +7% | 310 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +7% | 520 |
| Colorado | $61K | +6% | 820 |
| Arizona | $60K | +5% | 560 |
| Vermont | $60K | +4% | 250 |
| Rhode Island | $60K | +4% | 50 |
| Virginia | $59K | +4% | 1,150 |
| Iowa | $59K | +3% | 560 |
| Michigan | $59K | +3% | 880 |
| Idaho | $59K | +2% | 190 |
| North Carolina | $59K | +2% | N/A |
| New Hampshire | $59K | +2% | 350 |
| Nebraska | $58K | +2% | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | +1% | 990 |
| Ohio | $58K | +1% | 1,120 |
| New York | $58K | +1% | 1,490 |
| Maryland | $58K | +0% | 730 |
| Missouri | $57K | -1% | 310 |
| Maine | $56K | -3% | 230 |
| Utah | $54K | -5% | 400 |
| Louisiana | $54K | -7% | 280 |
| South Carolina | $53K | -8% | 330 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | -9% | 1,520 |
| Florida | $52K | -9% | 1,480 |
| Georgia | $50K | -12% | 1,180 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -14% | 550 |
| Texas | $49K | -15% | 5,030 |
| Kansas | $49K | -15% | 270 |
| Mississippi | $48K | -16% | 290 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -16% | 280 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -17% | 790 |
| Alabama | $48K | -17% | 410 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -18% | 1,440 |
| Delaware | $47K | -18% | 130 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -20% | 250 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Colorado Springs numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining afford a 2BR apartment alone in Colorado Springs?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 50.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,044/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 excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings in Colorado Springs?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,974/month.
Is excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining a high-paying job in Colorado Springs?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $57K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Colorado Springs compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
Colorado Springs pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +7%.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in Colorado Springs, CO?
The median is $61,410 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,560, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $92,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Colorado Springs?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,057/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,044/month, which eats 50.4% 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 Colorado Springs?
Colorado Springs has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary is worth about $61,410 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.