SOC 47-5022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — Los Angeles
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA · 6 metro areas compared
The median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Los Angeles, CA is $64,400 per year, 12.1% above the national median of $57,430.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Los Angeles, CA is $64,400 per year, 12.1% above the national median of $57,430. Half of workers earn between $58,670 and $75,160. Beyond that band, the tenth percentile sits at $51,990 and the ninetieth at $90,350.
Employment stands at 100, or 0.0 jobs per thousand held locally. Within the state, Sacramento records the highest median at $142,970. Of the 740 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 396th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $51,990 | −9.5% |
| 25th | $58,670 | +2.2% |
| Median (50th) | $64,400 | +12.1% |
| 75th | $75,160 | +30.9% |
| 90th | $90,350 | +57.3% |
| Mean | $67,530 | +17.6% |
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 | Fresno | $74,390 | 30 | |
| 5 | Riverside | $69,240 | 80 | |
| 6 | Bakersfield | $65,260 | 40 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Los Angeles run 10.7% above the national average, so the median of $64,400 buys what $58,175 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 1.3% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$64,400as reported by BLSLocal price level
110.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$58,175US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $64,400 a year, 12.1% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $51,990 to $90,350 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 100 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 Los Angeles, CA?
The median annual wage is $64,400, or $30.96 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 Los Angeles, CA is 12.1% 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 Los Angeles, CA earns more than $90,350 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $51,990 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 100 jobs in this occupation in Los Angeles, 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.
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