Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In Washington, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $64,270 at the median, or about $30.9 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $93K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.01), that's roughly $63,004 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,830/month, about 41% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Washington. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $64K get you in Washington?
About excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings
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What this looks like in Washington
Washington sits well above the national pay line for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $57K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,830/month, which is 41% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.01) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $93K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary by metro in Washington
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $73K | +14% | 210 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $60K | -6% | 50 |
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 Washington 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 Washington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 41% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,830/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/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 Washington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,058/month. At HUD’s $1,830/month FMR, rent would take 60% 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 Washington?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $64K here vs. $57K nationally.
How does Washington compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
Washington pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.01), 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 Washington?
The median is $64,270 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,970, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $93,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Washington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,467/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,830/month, which eats 41% 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 Washington?
Washington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.01 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary is worth about $63,004 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.