Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In North Dakota, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $90,380 at the median, or about $43.45 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $124K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.89), which stretches that salary to about $101,676 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,034/month, or 17.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of North Dakota. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $90K get you in North Dakota?
About excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings
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What this looks like in North Dakota
North Dakota sits well above the national pay line for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining, local pay runs about 57% higher than the U.S. median of $57K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,034/month, 17.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, North Dakota offers a genuinely strong financial position for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Dakota
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $90K. Top earners bring in $124K or more, a $73K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
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 North Dakota?
Yes — at the median salary of $90K, rent takes 17.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,034/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 North Dakota?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,026/month. At HUD’s $1,034/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Dakota?
Local pay is 57% above the national median — $90K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does North Dakota compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
North Dakota pays $90K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +57%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $102K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in North Dakota?
The median is $90,380 a year, that works out to about $43 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,440, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $123,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $90K enough to live in North Dakota?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,850/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,034/month, which eats 17.7% 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 North Dakota?
North Dakota has a Regional Price Parity of 88.89 (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 $101,676 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.