Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in East Tennessee

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area

Median annual salary $49,760 -5.3% vs national
Median hourly $23.93
10th percentile $35,660
90th percentile $56,780
Employed locally 60
National median $52,550

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

Type a city below to see how East Tennessee stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
in
East Tennessee
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $35,660
    25th
    $37,840
    50th (median)
    $49,760
    75th
    $51,390
    90th
    $56,780

    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

    Related occupations in East Tennessee

    OccupationMedian salary
    Construction Laborers$39,080
    Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$52,450
    First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers$61,040
    Electricians$56,570
    Carpenters$46,650
    Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters$49,830

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in East Tennessee is $23.93, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $36.25 or more per hour.

    Is East Tennessee 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 East Tennessee is 5.3% 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 East Tennessee?

    Entry-level Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (10th percentile) earn around $35,660 per year in East Tennessee. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $37,840.