Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In Delaware, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $46,900 at the median, or about $22.55 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.51), that's roughly $48,098 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,448/month, about 44.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Delaware. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $47K get you in Delaware?
About excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Delaware
Pay for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Delaware runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $57K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,448/month, which is 46.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.51) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Delaware
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Delaware numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining afford a 2BR apartment alone in Delaware?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 46.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,448/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Delaware?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,189/month. At HUD’s $1,448/month FMR, rent would take 66% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining a high-paying job in Delaware?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $47K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does Delaware compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
Delaware pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — below the national median.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in Delaware?
The median is $46,900 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,480, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $70,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Delaware?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,141/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,448/month, which eats 46.1% 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 Delaware?
Delaware has a Regional Price Parity of 97.51 (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 $48,098 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.