Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in Knoxville, TN

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Knoxville, TN

Median annual salary $35,920 -31.6% vs national
Median hourly $17.27
10th percentile $28,740
90th percentile $54,800
Employed locally 70
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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Knoxville, TN
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $28,740
    25th
    $28,740
    50th (median)
    $35,920
    75th
    $43,180
    90th
    $54,800

    Knoxville economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $69,734 2023 • Census ACS
    Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary vs area income 52% Median Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary is 48% 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
    Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $50,270
    Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA $48,550
    Memphis, TN-MS-AR $47,630

    Related occupations in Knoxville, TN

    OccupationMedian salary
    Construction Laborers $44,850
    First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $65,120
    Electricians $53,430
    Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $58,760
    Carpenters $49,480
    Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $48,800

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Knoxville, TN is $17.27, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $26.35 or more per hour.

    Is Knoxville 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 Knoxville, TN is 31.6% 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 Knoxville?

    Entry-level Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (10th percentile) earn around $28,740 per year in Knoxville, TN. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $28,740.