Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $65,290 at the median, or about $31.39 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $88K for experienced workers.
So what does $65K get you in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lafayette-West Lafayette’s Regional Price Parity (93.4). 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
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What this looks like in Lafayette-West Lafayette
Lafayette-West Lafayette sits well above the national pay line for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $57K. Rent runs $1,242/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 28.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.4 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $61K | , |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $87K | , |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $61K | , |
| Cincinnati | $60K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $65K. Top earners bring in $88K or more, a $40K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Yes — at the median salary of $65K, rent takes 28.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,242/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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,885/month. At HUD’s $1,242/month FMR, rent would take 43% 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $65K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does Lafayette-West Lafayette compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
Lafayette-West Lafayette pays $65K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.4), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN?
The median is $65,290 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,080, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $87,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $65K enough to live in Lafayette-West Lafayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,361/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,242/month, which eats 28.5% 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 Lafayette-West Lafayette?
Lafayette-West Lafayette 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 $69,904 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.