SOC 47-5022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — Chicago
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
In Chicago, IL the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining reaches $87,060 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
In Chicago, IL the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining reaches $87,060 a year. That is 51.6% more than the national median of $57,430. Pay ranges from under $46,560 at the tenth percentile to more than $99,360 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $63,970 to $93,290.
Employment stands at 570, or 0.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Of the 716 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 191st.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $46,560 | −18.9% |
| 25th | $63,970 | +11.4% |
| Median (50th) | $87,060 | +51.6% |
| 75th | $93,290 | +62.4% |
| 90th | $99,360 | +73.0% |
| Mean | $80,260 | +39.8% |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Chicago sit close to the national average, so $87,060 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$87,060as reported by BLSLocal price level
100.0US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$87,060US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $87,060 a year, 51.6% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $46,560 to $99,360 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 570 jobs in this occupation.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Chicago, IL?
The median annual wage is $87,060, or $41.85 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 Chicago, IL is 51.6% 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 Chicago, IL earns more than $99,360 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $46,560 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.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 570 jobs in this occupation in Chicago, IL. 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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