Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary in Virginia
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Virginia earn a median of $59,480 a year ($28.60 an hour), based on BLS data for 1,150 workers.
Pay ranges from $40,410 for the lowest-paid 10% to $83,080 for the top 10%. That is 4% higher than the national median of $57,430. Virginia ranks 21st of 49 states for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining pay. There are 0.28 excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.3× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $60,280, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Virginia
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,410 | $19.43 |
| 25th percentile | $48,590 | $23.36 |
| Median | $59,480 | $28.60 |
| 75th percentile | $66,860 | $32.15 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $83,080 | $39.94 |
| Average (mean) | $60,280 | $28.98 |
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 | $4,956.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,478.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,287.69 |
| Weekly | $1,143.85 |
| Hourly | $28.60 |
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 Virginia
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $61,040 | 540 |
| Richmond, VA | $58,710 | 140 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $53,420 | 80 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $49,430 | 40 |
| Roanoke, VA | $46,610 | 30 |
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 Virginia
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas | $55,470 | $26.67 |
| Continuous Mining Machine Operator | $63,480 | $30.52 |
| Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining | $76,900 | $36.97 |
| Roof Bolters, Mining | $78,260 | $37.62 |
| Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas | $61,410 | $29.52 |
| Helpers--Extraction Workers | $50,350 | $24.21 |
| Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters | $63,920 | $30.73 |
| Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other | $61,990 | $29.81 |
| Construction Laborer | $43,560 | $20.94 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $78,640 | $37.81 |
| Electrician | $62,900 | $30.24 |
| Carpenter | $55,690 | $26.77 |
| Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters | $60,470 | $29.07 |
| Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators | $57,160 | $27.48 |
More: Construction and Extraction Occupations · all salaries in Virginia
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 Virginia?
The median salary for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Virginia is $59,480 a year, or $28.60 an hour. Pay ranges from $40,410 for the lowest-paid 10% to $83,080 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining make in Virginia?
The top 10% of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Virginia earn at least $83,080 a year. The top 25% earn $66,860 or more.
What is the starting pay for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Virginia?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $40,410 a year, and a quarter of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining earn $48,590 or less.
How many excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining work in Virginia?
About 1,150 excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining are employed in Virginia, not counting the self-employed.