SOC 47-5022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — California
California · 7 metro areas compared
In California the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining reaches $74,500 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
In California the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining reaches $74,500 a year. That is 29.7% more than the national median of $57,430. Pay ranges from under $54,390 at the tenth percentile to more than $142,600 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $61,240 to $98,690.
Employment stands at 790, or 0.0 jobs per thousand held locally. California ranks number 8th out of 49 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, Sacramento records the highest median at $142,970. Of the 793 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 376th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $54,390 | −5.3% |
| 25th | $61,240 | +6.6% |
| Median (50th) | $74,500 | +29.7% |
| 75th | $98,690 | +71.8% |
| 90th | $142,600 | +148.3% |
| Mean | $85,520 | +48.9% |
Highest-paying metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sacramento | $142,970 | 40 | |
| 2 | San Francisco | $122,410 | 90 | |
| 3 | San Jose | $82,560 | 30 | |
| 4 | Fresno | $74,390 | 30 | |
| 5 | Riverside | $69,240 | 80 | |
| 6 | Bakersfield | $65,260 | 40 | |
| 7 | Los Angeles | $64,400 | 100 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in California run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $74,500 buys what $67,299 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 17.2% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$74,500as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$67,299US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $74,500 a year, 29.7% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $54,390 to $142,600 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 790 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 8th of 49 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Sacramento, at $142,970.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in California?
The median annual wage is $74,500, or $35.82 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 California is 29.7% higher. 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 California earns more than $142,600 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $54,390 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 Sacramento, at $142,970 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 790 jobs in this occupation in California. 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.
Explore related data