Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $61,040 at the median, or about $29.35 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $56,062 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 56.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $61K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria tracks closely to the national median, $61K locally vs. $57K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 55.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $56K | $54K |
| Richmond | $59K | $60K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $53K | $55K |
| Roanoke | $47K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $61K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $33K spread from bottom to top.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $90K | +57% | 220 |
| Illinois | $81K | +40% | 1,310 |
| New Jersey | $80K | +40% | 740 |
| Wyoming | $78K | +36% | 420 |
| New Mexico | $76K | +33% | 270 |
| Massachusetts | $76K | +32% | 280 |
| Alaska | $75K | +30% | 140 |
| California | $75K | +30% | 790 |
| Montana | $66K | +15% | 150 |
| Connecticut | $66K | +14% | 280 |
| Washington | $64K | +12% | 640 |
| Nevada | $64K | +11% | 730 |
| Indiana | $62K | +8% | 1,530 |
| West Virginia | $61K | +7% | 650 |
| Oregon | $61K | +7% | 310 |
| Minnesota | $61K | +7% | 520 |
| Colorado | $61K | +6% | 820 |
| Arizona | $60K | +5% | 560 |
| Vermont | $60K | +4% | 250 |
| Rhode Island | $60K | +4% | 50 |
| Virginia | $59K | +4% | 1,150 |
| Iowa | $59K | +3% | 560 |
| Michigan | $59K | +3% | 880 |
| Idaho | $59K | +2% | 190 |
| North Carolina | $59K | +2% | N/A |
| New Hampshire | $59K | +2% | 350 |
| Nebraska | $58K | +2% | 300 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | +1% | 990 |
| Ohio | $58K | +1% | 1,120 |
| New York | $58K | +1% | 1,490 |
| Maryland | $58K | +0% | 730 |
| Missouri | $57K | -1% | 310 |
| Maine | $56K | -3% | 230 |
| Utah | $54K | -5% | 400 |
| Louisiana | $54K | -7% | 280 |
| South Carolina | $53K | -8% | 330 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | -9% | 1,520 |
| Florida | $52K | -9% | 1,480 |
| Georgia | $50K | -12% | 1,180 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -14% | 550 |
| Texas | $49K | -15% | 5,030 |
| Kansas | $49K | -15% | 270 |
| Mississippi | $48K | -16% | 290 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -16% | 280 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -17% | 790 |
| Alabama | $48K | -17% | 410 |
| Oklahoma | $47K | -18% | 1,440 |
| Delaware | $47K | -18% | 130 |
| Arkansas | $46K | -20% | 250 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
Related careers in Construction & Trades
Frequently asked questions
Can a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $61K, rent takes 55.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,687/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 84% 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-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $61K locally vs. $57K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $61K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $61,040 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,790, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $77,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $61K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,039/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 55.6% 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-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $56,062 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.