Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in Des Moines, IA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA

Median annual salary $59,840 +13.9% vs national
Median hourly $28.77
10th percentile $41,680
90th percentile $75,660
Employed locally 100
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
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Des Moines, IA
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $41,680
    25th
    $49,740
    50th (median)
    $59,840
    75th
    $62,700
    90th
    $75,660

    Des Moines economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.00% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $84,209 2023 • Census ACS
    Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary vs area income 71% Median Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary is 29% 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
    California $73,580
    Indiana $68,200
    Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $65,060
    Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area $64,800
    West Virginia $62,930
    Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area $62,930

    Related occupations in Des Moines, IA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Construction Laborers $49,470
    First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $81,390
    Electricians $64,650
    Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $62,430
    Carpenters $59,940
    Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $63,560

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Des Moines, IA is $28.77, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $37.32 or more per hour.

    Is Des Moines 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 Des Moines, IA is 13.9% 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 Des Moines?

    Entry-level Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (10th percentile) earn around $41,680 per year in Des Moines, IA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $49,740.