SOC 47-5022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — Alabama
Alabama · 1 metro areas compared
In Alabama the median wage is $47,770.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
In Alabama the median wage is $47,770. That is 16.8% lower than the national median of $57,430. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $40,170 and $52,350. The lowest tenth earn under $36,770, while the highest tenth earn more than $59,000.
The area has 410 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.88 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Among the 49 states with published data for this occupation, Alabama ranks 46th by median wage. Birmingham leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $47,970. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 407th of 690 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36,770 | −36.0% |
| 25th | $40,170 | −30.1% |
| Median (50th) | $47,770 | −16.8% |
| 75th | $52,350 | −8.8% |
| 90th | $59,000 | +2.7% |
| Mean | $48,630 | −15.3% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Alabama
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | $47,970 | 90 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Alabama run 11.2% below the national average, so the median of $47,770 goes as far as $53,795 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 6.3% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$47,770as reported by BLSLocal price level
88.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$53,795US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $47,770 a year, 16.8% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $36,770 to $59,000 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 410 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 46th of 49 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Birmingham, at $47,970.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Alabama?
The median annual wage is $47,770, or $22.97 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $57,430, so pay in Alabama is 16.8% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Alabama earns more than $59,000 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $36,770 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Birmingham, at $47,970 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 410 jobs in this occupation in Alabama. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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