SOC 47-5022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — Fresno
Fresno, CA · 6 metro areas compared
In Fresno, CA the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining reaches $74,390 a year.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
In Fresno, CA the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining reaches $74,390 a year. That is 29.5% more than the national median of $57,430. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $60,760 and $143,320. The lowest tenth earn under $57,660, while the highest tenth earn more than $143,320.
The area has 30 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.32 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Sacramento leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $142,970. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 196th of 527 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $57,660 | +0.4% |
| 25th | $60,760 | +5.8% |
| Median (50th) | $74,390 | +29.5% |
| 75th | $143,320 | +149.6% |
| 90th | $143,320 | +149.6% |
| Mean | $94,980 | +65.4% |
Other 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 | Riverside | $69,240 | 80 | |
| 5 | Bakersfield | $65,260 | 40 | |
| 6 | Los Angeles | $64,400 | 100 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Fresno run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $74,390 buys what $67,200 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 17.0% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$74,390as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$67,200US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $74,390 a year, 29.5% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $57,660 to $143,320 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 30 jobs in 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 Fresno, CA?
The median annual wage is $74,390, or $35.77 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 Fresno, CA is 29.5% 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 Fresno, CA earns more than $143,320 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $57,660 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 30 jobs in this occupation in Fresno, CA. 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