Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In Tennessee, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $49,500 at the median, or about $23.8 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $55,135 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 34.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $50K get you in Tennessee?
About excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pay for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Tennessee runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $57K. Rent runs $1,215/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% 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, Tennessee
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary by metro in Tennessee
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | $57K | +15% | 60 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $54K | +9% | 120 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $49K | -0% | 40 |
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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 34.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/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 Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,448/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Tennessee?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $50K here vs. $57K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
Tennessee pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in Tennessee?
The median is $49,500 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,800, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $76,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,484/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 34.9% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $55,135 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.