Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In Fresno, CA, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $74,390 at the median, or about $35.77 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $143K for experienced workers.
So what does $74K get you in Fresno?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fresno’s Regional Price Parity (102.2). 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 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 Fresno
Fresno sits well above the national pay line for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining, local pay runs about 30% higher than the U.S. median of $57K. Rent runs $1,664/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 102.2) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings in metros near Fresno, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $64K | , |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $122K | , |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $69K | , |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $65K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fresno, CA
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $143K or more, a $86K 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 Fresno 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 Fresno?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 34.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,664/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/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 Fresno?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,460/month. At HUD’s $1,664/month FMR, rent would take 48% 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 Fresno?
Local pay is 30% above the national median — $74K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does Fresno compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
Fresno pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $73K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in Fresno, CA?
The median is $74,390 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $57,660, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $143,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Fresno?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,805/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,664/month, which eats 34.6% 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 excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary go in Fresno?
Fresno 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 $72,789 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.