Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In Indiana, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $61,910 at the median, or about $29.77 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $67,433 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 27.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $62K get you in Indiana?
About excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings
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What this looks like in Indiana
Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $62K locally vs. $57K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,144/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $62K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary by metro in Indiana
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $65K | +5% | 30 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $61K | -1% | 320 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana 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 Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $62K, rent takes 27.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,936/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 39% 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 Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $62K locally vs. $57K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
Indiana pays $62K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $67K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in Indiana?
The median is $61,910 a year, that works out to about $30 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,940, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $90,350. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $62K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,158/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 27.5% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary go in Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $67,433 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.