Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in Houston, TX

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX

Median annual salary $47,390 -9.8% vs national
Median hourly $22.79
10th percentile $40,070
90th percentile $60,590
Employed locally 860
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
Houston, TX
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $40,070
    25th
    $40,840
    50th (median)
    $47,390
    75th
    $53,060
    90th
    $60,590

    Houston economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.40% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $80,458 2023 • Census ACS
    Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary vs area income 59% Median Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary is 41% 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
    College Station-Bryan, TX $64,890
    San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $50,280
    Odessa, TX $50,230
    Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $50,020
    Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $49,690
    Corpus Christi, TX $48,270

    Related occupations in Houston, TX

    OccupationMedian salary
    Construction Laborers $38,510
    First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $75,150
    Electricians $59,180
    Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $50,510
    Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $60,230
    Carpenters $48,910

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Houston, TX is $22.79, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $31.75 or more per hour.

    Is Houston 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 Houston, TX is 9.8% 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 Houston?

    Entry-level Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (10th percentile) earn around $40,070 per year in Houston, TX. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $40,840.