Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in Lexington, KY

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Lexington-Fayette, KY

Median annual salary $52,470 -0.2% vs national
Median hourly $25.23
10th percentile $36,390
90th percentile $73,600
Employed locally 40
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
Lexington, KY
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $36,390
    25th
    $41,070
    50th (median)
    $52,470
    75th
    $55,950
    90th
    $73,600

    Lexington economic context

    Unemployment rate 4.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $70,717 2023 • Census ACS
    Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary vs area income 74% Median Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary is 26% 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
    Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH $84,640
    Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $58,320
    Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $50,310
    Kentucky $46,480
    Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area $37,180

    Related occupations in Lexington, KY

    OccupationMedian salary
    Construction Laborers $45,960
    Electricians $58,530
    First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers $71,850
    Carpenters $50,760
    Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators $59,230
    Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters $60,970

    Frequently asked questions

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

    The median hourly wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Lexington, KY is $25.23, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $33.59 or more per hour.

    Is Lexington 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 Lexington, KY is 0.2% 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 Lexington?

    Entry-level Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (10th percentile) earn around $36,390 per year in Lexington, KY. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $41,070.