Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary in California
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in California earn a median of $74,500 a year ($35.82 an hour), based on BLS data for 790 workers.
Pay ranges from $54,390 for the lowest-paid 10% to $142,600 for the top 10%. That is 30% higher than the national median of $57,430. California ranks 8th of 49 states for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining pay. There are 0.04 excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.19). The average (mean) salary is $85,520, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in California
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $54,390 | $26.15 |
| 25th percentile | $61,240 | $29.44 |
| Median | $74,500 | $35.82 |
| 75th percentile | $98,690 | $47.45 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $142,600 | $68.56 |
| Average (mean) | $85,520 | $41.12 |
Half of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $6,208.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,104.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,865.38 |
| Weekly | $1,432.69 |
| Hourly | $35.82 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary in cities in California
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $142,970 | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $122,410 | 90 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $82,560 | 30 |
| Fresno, CA | $74,390 | 30 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $69,240 | 80 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $65,260 | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $64,400 | 100 |
Highest-paying states for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| North Dakota | $90,380 |
| Illinois | $80,600 |
| New Jersey | $80,310 |
| Wyoming | $78,230 |
| New Mexico | $76,350 |
| Massachusetts | $76,070 |
| Alaska | $74,680 |
| California | $74,500 |
| Montana | $65,850 |
| Connecticut | $65,710 |
See Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining pay in every state.
Related jobs in California
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | $62,580 | $30.09 |
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | $66,910 | $32.17 |
| Helpers--Extraction Workers | $51,720 | $24.87 |
| Continuous Mining Machine Operator | $62,790 | $30.19 |
| Roustabouts, Oil and Gas | $48,880 | $23.50 |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $65,520 | $31.50 |
| Rock Splitters, Quarry | $61,620 | $29.63 |
| Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters | $80,370 | $38.64 |
| Derrick Operators, Oil and Gas | $55,480 | $26.67 |
| Extraction Workers, All Other | $50,590 | $24.32 |
| Carpenter | $75,920 | $36.50 |
| Construction Laborer | $60,270 | $28.98 |
| Electrician | $76,160 | $36.62 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $97,680 | $46.96 |
More: Construction and Extraction Occupations · all salaries in California
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 47-5022. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining make in California?
The median salary for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in California is $74,500 a year, or $35.82 an hour. Pay ranges from $54,390 for the lowest-paid 10% to $142,600 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining make in California?
The top 10% of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in California earn at least $142,600 a year. The top 25% earn $98,690 or more.
What is the starting pay for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in California?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $54,390 a year, and a quarter of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining earn $61,240 or less.
How many excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining work in California?
About 790 excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining are employed in California, not counting the self-employed.