SOC 47-5044 · Construction and Extraction Occupations
Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries
Nationally, loading and moving machine operators, underground mining earned a median of $74,500 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 5,930 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.
National pay distribution
Pay by state
Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
| State | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $112,110 | $53.90 | 30 | 0.1 |
| Alaska | $93,130 | $44.77 | 50 | 0.2 |
| Nevada | $82,920 | $39.87 | 880 | 0.6 |
| South Carolina | $80,480 | $38.69 | 30 | 0.0 |
| Colorado | $79,150 | $38.05 | 70 | 0.0 |
| Virginia | $76,900 | $36.97 | 190 | 0.0 |
| Illinois | $75,890 | $36.48 | 90 | 0.0 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,240 | $36.17 | Not published | Not published |
| West Virginia | $74,950 | $36.04 | 1,250 | 1.8 |
| Arizona | $72,430 | $34.82 | 100 | 0.0 |
| Ohio | $71,380 | $34.32 | 130 | 0.0 |
| New York | $60,890 | $29.28 | 140 | 0.0 |
| Alabama | $60,020 | $28.86 | 510 | 0.2 |
| Michigan | $59,310 | $28.52 | 80 | 0.0 |
| Missouri | $52,040 | $25.02 | 100 | 0.0 |
| Georgia | $50,380 | $24.22 | 100 | 0.0 |
| Louisiana | $48,670 | $23.40 | 110 | 0.1 |
| Iowa | $48,490 | $23.31 | 100 | 0.1 |
| Texas | $47,310 | $22.75 | 70 | 0.0 |
| Oklahoma | $44,760 | $21.52 | 70 | 0.0 |
Pay by metro area
All 5 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.
| Metro area | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $81,100 | $38.99 | 140 | 2.4 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $80,480 | $38.69 | 30 | 0.0 |
| Beckley, WV | $74,130 | $35.64 | 200 | 4.6 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | $57,730 | $27.76 | 120 | 1.1 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $47,910 | $23.03 | 40 | 0.1 |
About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.