Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In North Carolina, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $58,620 at the median, or about $28.18 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $63,264 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 32.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $59K get you in North Carolina?
About excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $59K locally vs. $57K nationwide, a 2% difference. Rent runs $1,284/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.1% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, North Carolina
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $17K spread from bottom to top.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary by metro in North Carolina
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $60K | +2% | 200 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $59K | +1% | 140 |
| Asheville | $59K | +0% | 30 |
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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 33.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,807/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $59K locally vs. $57K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
North Carolina pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in North Carolina?
The median is $58,620 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,780, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $64,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,875/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 33.1% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $63,264 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.