Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in Denver, CO

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

Median annual salary $62,650 +19.2% vs national
Median hourly $30.12
10th percentile $51,040
90th percentile $80,760
Employed locally 190
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
Denver, CO
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $51,040
    25th
    $58,410
    50th (median)
    $62,650
    75th
    $77,410
    90th
    $80,760

    Denver economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $102,339 2023 • Census ACS
    Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary vs area income 61% Median Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary is 39% 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
    Northwest Colorado nonmetropolitan area $81,880
    Northern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area $77,300
    Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ $67,260
    Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $67,080
    Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $65,060

    Related occupations in Denver, CO

    OccupationMedian salary
    First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $81,160
    Electricians $63,010
    Construction Laborers $48,110
    Carpenters $61,470
    Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $63,290
    Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $64,300

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Denver, CO is $30.12, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $38.17 or more per hour.

    Is Denver 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 Denver, CO is 19.2% above 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 Denver?

    Entry-level Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (10th percentile) earn around $51,040 per year in Denver, CO. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $58,410.