Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in Columbia, SC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Columbia, SC

Median annual salary $50,450 -4% vs national
Median hourly $24.26
10th percentile $36,180
90th percentile $63,250
Employed locally 90
National median $52,550

Compare Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary & buying power

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Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
in
Columbia, SC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $36,180
    25th
    $36,990
    50th (median)
    $50,450
    75th
    $62,490
    90th
    $63,250

    Columbia economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.00% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $66,146 2023 • Census ACS
    Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary vs area income 76% Median Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary is 24% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $139,310
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $121,790
    West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area $111,600
    New Jersey $105,490
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $95,260
    New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $94,470

    Nearby metros — Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $121,790
    Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $67,260
    Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area $58,120
    Wisconsin $57,830
    Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $57,630
    Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $56,570

    Related occupations in Columbia, SC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Construction Laborers $40,600
    First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $72,980
    Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $47,160
    Electricians $61,220
    Carpenters $47,060
    Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $49,880

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining make per hour in Columbia?

    The median hourly wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Columbia, SC is $24.26, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $29.07 or more per hour.

    Is Columbia above or below average for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salaries?

    The median Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary in Columbia, SC is 4% below the national median of $52,550. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Columbia?

    Entry-level Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (10th percentile) earn around $36,180 per year in Columbia, SC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $36,990.