SOC 47-5022 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining — Utah
Utah · 4 metro areas compared
The median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Utah is $54,330 per year, close to the national median of $57,430 for the same occupation.
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 Utah is $54,330 per year, close to the national median of $57,430 for the same occupation. Pay ranges from under $46,560 at the tenth percentile to more than $69,180 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $48,560 to $62,040.
Employment stands at 400, or 0.2 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 49 states with published data for this occupation, Utah ranks 34th by median wage. St. George leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $59,960. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 395th of 695 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $46,560 | −18.9% |
| 25th | $48,560 | −15.4% |
| Median (50th) | $54,330 | −5.4% |
| 75th | $62,040 | +8.0% |
| 90th | $69,180 | +20.5% |
| Mean | $56,280 | −2.0% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Utah
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. George | $59,960 | — | |
| 2 | Salt Lake City | $55,260 | 90 | |
| 3 | Ogden | $50,660 | 50 | |
| 4 | Provo | $48,920 | 140 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Utah sit close to the national average, so $54,330 is worth roughly its face value against pay elsewhere.
Published median
$54,330as reported by BLSLocal price level
98.9US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$54,934US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $54,330 a year, 5.4% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $46,560 to $69,180 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 400 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 34th of 49 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is St. George, at $59,960.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in Utah?
The median annual wage is $54,330, or $26.12 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 Utah is 5.4% 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 Utah earns more than $69,180 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.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in St. George, at $59,960 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 400 jobs in this occupation in Utah. 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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