SOC 47-5022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — South Carolina
South Carolina · 2 metro areas compared
The median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in South Carolina is $52,580 per year, 8.4% below 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 South Carolina is $52,580 per year, 8.4% below the national median of $57,430. Pay ranges from under $39,020 at the tenth percentile to more than $61,730 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $46,260 to $58,980.
Employment stands at 330, or 0.1 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 49 states with published data for this occupation, South Carolina ranks 36th by median wage. Greenville leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $56,570. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 367th of 713 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $39,020 | −32.1% |
| 25th | $46,260 | −19.4% |
| Median (50th) | $52,580 | −8.4% |
| 75th | $58,980 | +2.7% |
| 90th | $61,730 | +7.5% |
| Mean | $53,000 | −7.7% |
Highest-paying metro areas in South Carolina
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenville | $56,570 | 30 | |
| 2 | Columbia | $54,370 | 80 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in South Carolina run 6.3% below the national average, so the median of $52,580 goes as far as $56,115 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 2.3% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$52,580as reported by BLSLocal price level
93.7US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$56,115US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $52,580 a year, 8.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $39,020 to $61,730 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 330 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 36th of 49 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Greenville, at $56,570.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in South Carolina?
The median annual wage is $52,580, or $25.28 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 South Carolina is 8.4% 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 South Carolina earns more than $61,730 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $39,020 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 Greenville, at $56,570 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 330 jobs in this occupation in South Carolina. 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