Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
Agriculture, Food and Natural ResourcesO*NET 47-5022.00United States
Operate or tend machinery at surface mining site, equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.
- Median annual earnings
- $57,251
- Projected change
- +4%
- Typical education
- High school diploma or less
- Employment
- 35.46K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
94.3% of the workforce
Growing to 36.88K by 2035
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Build the skills
ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Move levers, depress foot pedals, and turn dials to operate power machinery, such as power shovels, stripping shovels, scraper loaders, or backhoes.
- Set up or inspect equipment prior to operation.
- Become familiar with digging plans, machine capabilities and limitations, and efficient and safe digging procedures in a given application.
- Observe hand signals, grade stakes, or other markings when operating machines so that work can be performed to specifications.
- Operate machinery to perform activities such as backfilling excavations, vibrating or breaking rock or concrete, or making winter roads.
- Receive written or oral instructions regarding material movement or excavation.
- Move materials over short distances, such as around a construction site, factory, or warehouse.
- Create or maintain inclines or ramps.
- Lubricate, adjust, or repair machinery and replace parts, such as gears, bearings, or bucket teeth.
- Handle slides, mud, or pit cleanings or maintenance.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $40,882
- 25th percentile
- $47,299
- 50th percentile
- $57,251
- 75th percentile
- $66,638
- 90th percentile
- $86,532
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $57,251 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+4%average or slower
202535,462 jobs
2035 projected36,884 jobs
1,422 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- High school diploma or less
- 94.3%
- Certificate
- 5.7%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Equipment Maintenance
- Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Repairing
- Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Equipment Selection
- Determining the kind of tools and equipment needed to do a job.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Management of Personnel Resources
- Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Excavator Operators2,148 postings
- 02Heavy Equipment Operators268 postings
- 03Backhoe Operators255 postings
- 04Pit Operators59 postings
- 05Bulldozer Operators22 postings
- 06Operators17 postings
- 07Excavation Laborers8 postings
- 08Underground Utility Locators5 postings
- 09Client Experience Experts4 postings
- 10Equipment Operators4 postings
- 11Heavy Equipment Operators/Laborers4 postings
- 12Underground Utility Foremen4 postings
- 13Valve Technicians4 postings
- 14Heavy Equipment Operators/Foremen3 postings
- 15Utility Machine Operators3 postings
- 16Excavators2 postings
- 17Landfill Gas Technicians2 postings
- 18Underground Foremen2 postings
- 19Underground Heavy Equipment Operators2 postings
- 20Aluminum Welders1 postings
Top employers
- 01Aerotek60 postings
- 02Garney Construction45 postings
- 03Roto Rooter Services Company40 postings
- 04Allan A Myers38 postings
- 05Allan Myers38 postings
- 06Phillips36 postings
- 07Granite Construction26 postings
- 08GXO Logistics24 postings
- 09Zachry Construction Corporation24 postings
- 10Superior Skilled Trades21 postings
- 11TIC20 postings
- 12Branch Civil19 postings
- 13Sterling Construction Company17 postings
- 14Thomas Kane & Company17 postings
- 15Webber Agency17 postings
- 16Heidelberg Materials16 postings
- 17MasTec16 postings
- 18Flatiron Construction15 postings
- 19Doctor Dredge14 postings
- 20King Asphalt14 postings
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