Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In Mississippi, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $48,490 at the median, or about $23.31 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $59K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.9), which stretches that salary to about $54,544 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,077/month, about 32.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Mississippi. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $48K get you in Mississippi?
About excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings
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What this looks like in Mississippi
Pay for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Mississippi runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $57K. Rent runs $1,077/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.4% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mississippi
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $59K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary by metro in Mississippi
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson | $50K | +3% | 50 |
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Frequently asked questions
Can a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mississippi?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 33.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Mississippi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,109/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Mississippi?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $48K here vs. $57K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Mississippi compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
Mississippi pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in Mississippi?
The median is $48,490 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,150, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $59,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Mississippi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,227/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 33.4% 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 Mississippi?
Mississippi has a Regional Price Parity of 88.9 (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 $54,544 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.