SOC 47-5022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — Texas
Texas · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Texas is $49,000 a year, trailing the national median of $57,430 by 14.7%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Texas is $49,000 a year, trailing the national median of $57,430 by 14.7%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $43,920 and $59,210. The lowest tenth earn under $38,760, while the highest tenth earn more than $67,560.
The area has 5,030 jobs in this occupation, which works out to 0.4 of every thousand jobs. Texas ranks number 41st out of 49 states by median pay for this occupation. Within the state, College Station records the highest median at $75,440. Of the 794 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 468th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $38,760 | −32.5% |
| 25th | $43,920 | −23.5% |
| Median (50th) | $49,000 | −14.7% |
| 75th | $59,210 | +3.1% |
| 90th | $67,560 | +17.6% |
| Mean | $51,770 | −9.9% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Texas
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College Station | $75,440 | 60 | |
| 2 | Dallas | $51,780 | 990 | |
| 3 | Austin | $51,420 | 520 | |
| 4 | Odessa | $50,230 | 40 | |
| 5 | Houston | $49,920 | 890 | |
| 6 | Midland | $49,070 | 150 | |
| 7 | San Antonio | $47,970 | 540 | |
| 8 | El Paso | $46,110 | 90 | |
| 9 | McAllen | $43,980 | 50 | |
| 10 | Lubbock | $41,110 | 60 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Texas run 2.9% below the national average, so the median of $49,000 goes as far as $50,463 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 12.1% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$49,000as reported by BLSLocal price level
97.1US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$50,463US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $49,000 a year, 14.7% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $38,760 to $67,560 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 5,030 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 41st of 49 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is College Station, at $75,440.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Texas?
The median annual wage is $49,000, or $23.56 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 Texas is 14.7% 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 Texas earns more than $67,560 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $38,760 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 College Station, at $75,440 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 5,030 jobs in this occupation in Texas. 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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