Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary
In Wisconsin, excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings earn $58,280 at the median, or about $28.02 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $61,783 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $58K get you in Wisconsin?
About excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining pay in Wisconsin tracks closely to the national median, $58K locally vs. $57K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,202/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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, Wisconsin
Entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $58K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary by metro in Wisconsin
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton | $65K | +11% | 120 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $61K | +5% | 200 |
| Madison | $60K | +3% | 100 |
| Green Bay | $59K | +2% | 40 |
| Fond du Lac | $57K | -3% | 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 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $58K, rent takes 30.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/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 Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,947/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 41% 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 Wisconsin?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $58K locally vs. $57K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings?
Wisconsin pays $58K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings make in Wisconsin?
The median is $58,280 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,110, and experienced excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface minings can clear $73,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $58K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,902/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 30.8% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $61,783 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.