Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining pay in the U.S.
$71,240avg. a year
$34.25 an hour · 5,930 employed
Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining in the U.S. earn an average of $71,240 a year and a median of $74,500. Pay is highest in Wyoming ($109,860) and lowest in Oklahoma ($49,460).
$74,500Median pay
$34.25Average hourly
+27%Avg. pay since 2020
5,930Jobs in the U.S.
Top-paying states for loading and moving machine operators, underground mining
Average pay by state. Swipe to see the top 10.
130 jobs
Wyoming
$109,860
$52.82 an hour
250 jobs
Alaska
$93,010
$44.71 an hour
3880 jobs
Nevada
$84,310
$40.54 an hour
470 jobs
Colorado
$78,280
$37.63 an hour
5190 jobs
Virginia
$78,100
$37.55 an hour
690 jobs
Illinois
$77,020
$37.03 an hour
7
Pennsylvania
$74,470
$35.80 an hour
81,250 jobs
West Virginia
$74,200
$35.67 an hour
9130 jobs
Ohio
$71,690
$34.47 an hour
1030 jobs
South Carolina
$69,600
$33.46 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining pay, charted
Pay over time
United States, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where the jobs are
Employment by state, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · tap a state
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Under $54k$54k–$70k$70k–$78k$78k+
Top-paying metro areas
Average pay, May 2025 (areas with 100+ jobs)
| Metro area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $76,020 | $36.55 |
| Beckley, WV | $72,590 | $34.90 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | $56,710 | $27.26 |
Related jobs
Average U.S. pay, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining pay in every state
States without a figure had too few jobs or too little survey data for BLS to publish.
| State | Avg. pay | Median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $58,030 | $60,020 | 510 |
| Alaska | $93,010 | $93,130 | 50 |
| Arizona | $68,620 | $72,430 | 100 |
| Colorado | $78,280 | $79,150 | 70 |
| Georgia | $52,060 | $50,380 | 100 |
| Illinois | $77,020 | $75,890 | 90 |
| Iowa | $51,760 | $48,490 | 100 |
| Louisiana | $50,950 | $48,670 | 110 |
| Michigan | $58,960 | $59,310 | 80 |
| Missouri | $51,310 | $52,040 | 100 |
| Nevada | $84,310 | $82,920 | 880 |
| New York | $57,380 | $60,890 | 140 |
| Ohio | $71,690 | $71,380 | 130 |
| Oklahoma | $49,460 | $44,760 | 70 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,470 | $75,240 | – |
| South Carolina | $69,600 | $80,480 | 30 |
| Texas | $53,730 | $47,310 | 70 |
| Virginia | $78,100 | $76,900 | 190 |
| West Virginia | $74,200 | $74,950 | 1,250 |
| Wyoming | $109,860 | $112,110 | 30 |
Metro areas with the most jobs
Beckley, WV
$72,590
200 jobsWheeling, WV-OH
$76,020
140 jobsTuscaloosa, AL
$56,710
120 jobsQuestions and answers
How much do loading and moving machine operators, underground mining make?
The average is $71,240 a year across the U.S. Half earn more than $74,500 and half earn less (the median).
What is the hourly pay?
The average hourly wage is $34.25, and the median is $35.82 an hour.
Which state pays loading and moving machine operators, underground mining the most?
Wyoming, with an average of $109,860 a year. The best-paying metro area is Wheeling, WV-OH at $76,020.
What is the pay range?
The lowest-paid 10% earn under $52,030 a year, and the top 10% earn over $87,730.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 47-5044. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.