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Miner operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$61,810median pay per year, or $29.72 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $46,770lowest 10% earn less
  2. $51,61025th percentile
  3. $61,810median
  4. $77,57075th percentile
  5. $86,210top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

The median pay for continuous mining machine operators was $61,810 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 3.2% from 2025 to 2035, close to the 3.5% for all occupations[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.2%[2]
Openings per year
1,400[6]
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential[7]

How much do miner operators make?

BLS calls this job continuous mining machine operators. The median wage was $61,810 a year, or $29.72 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The mean, or average, was $65,050 a year, or $31.27 an hour[8]. For all occupations, the median was $50,980 a year[5].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $46,770 a year, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $51,610[4]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $77,570, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $86,210[4]. In hourly terms, these boundaries were $22.49, $24.81, $37.29 and $41.45[9]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[10].

The figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses and the cost of benefits[11].

Pay by state and city

Minnesota had the highest median wage at $90,820, followed by Nevada at $85,590 and Wyoming at $85,260[12]. New York had the lowest listed median at $46,450[12].

Arizona had the most jobs at 2,850[13]. Nevada followed with 1,110 and California with 940[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Wheeling, WV-OH had the highest median at $66,300[14]. Beckley, WV followed at $64,270[14]. Tucson, AZ had the most jobs at 720, with a median of $60,880[15]. Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ had 710 jobs and a median of $63,250[15].

Show median pay in 27 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Minnesota[12]$90,820420
Nevada$85,5901,110
Wyoming$85,260330
Colorado$81,110290
West Virginia$77,570720
Illinois$74,830230
Indiana$71,570170
Virginia$63,480230
California$62,790940
Florida$62,580230
Idaho$60,99070
Arizona$60,8802,850
Pennsylvania$60,780510
Utah$59,420890
Alabama$59,360340
North Carolina$59,030230
Ohio$58,030260
Michigan$57,760180
Georgia$57,160140
Nebraska$51,76070
Kentucky$50,020390
Texas$48,950390
New Mexico$48,900470
Arkansas$47,89080
Missouri$47,280920
Oklahoma$46,980310
New York$46,450180

How to become a miner operator

BLS lists no formal educational credential for entry. It also lists no related work experience[7].

O*NET places the job in a group where preparation ranges from very little to some[17]. The facts here do not say how long training lasts or whether any license is required.

What miner operators do

They run self-propelled machines that cut coal, ore, rock, stone or sand from the mine face and load it for hauling[18]. Common tasks include:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 3.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 14,000 to 14,400 jobs, a change of 400[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5%[3]. These counts include self-employed workers[2].

About 1,400 openings are projected each year[6]. Openings include jobs created when workers retire or move to other occupations, and new jobs too[6]. Each year, 3.2% of workers leave the labor force and 6.5% move to a different occupation[20].

Is it a good fit?

The median pay is above the all-occupations median, and BLS lists no formal credential for entry[1][5][7]. Growth is close to the average for all jobs, and the job count is small at about 14,000[21][2][3]. Pay depends on location, from $46,450 in New York to $90,820 in Minnesota[12]. The facts here do not cover working conditions beyond the task list.

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[22].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a miner operator make an hour?
The median wage was $29.72 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $31.27[1][8].
What education do you need to be a continuous mining machine operator?
BLS lists no formal educational credential, with moderate-term on-the-job training[7].
Is continuous mining machine operator a job in demand?
BLS projects 3.2% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 1,400 openings a year[2][3][6].
What is the highest paying state for miner operators?
Minnesota, at a median of $90,820, followed by Nevada at $85,590[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Continuous Mining Machine Operators in the US was $61,810 per year and $29.72 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Continuous Mining Machine Operators is projected to grow 3.2% from 2025 to 2035, from about 14,000 to 14,400 jobs (a change of +400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Continuous Mining Machine Operators: 10th percentile $46,770, 25th percentile $51,610, 75th percentile $77,570, 90th percentile $86,210. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 1,400 openings for Continuous Mining Machine Operators are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Continuous Mining Machine Operators: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Continuous Mining Machine Operators was $65,050 per year and $31.27 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Continuous Mining Machine Operators: 10th percentile $22.49, 25th percentile $24.81, 75th percentile $37.29, 90th percentile $41.45. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Continuous Mining Machine Operators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Continuous Mining Machine Operators jobs: Arizona 2,850; Nevada 1,110; California 940; Missouri 920; Utah 890. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Continuous Mining Machine Operators (areas with at least 100 jobs): Wheeling, WV-OH $66,300; Beckley, WV $64,270; Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $63,250; Tucson, AZ $60,880; Pittsburgh, PA $60,780; Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $57,900; St. Louis, MO-IL $48,120; Kansas City, MO-KS $47,950. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Continuous Mining Machine Operators jobs: Tucson, AZ 720 (median $60,880); Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ 710 (median $63,250); Salt Lake City-Murray, UT 380 (median $57,900); Pittsburgh, PA 140 (median $60,780); Beckley, WV 120 (median $64,270); St. Louis, MO-IL 120 (median $48,120). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 47-5041.00 survey of workers (29 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 81%, Post-Secondary Certificate 10%, Some College Courses 5% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET 47-5041.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Continuous Mining Machine Operators. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Continuous Mining Machine Operators. O*NET OnLine
  20. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Continuous Mining Machine Operators: 3.2% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  21. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 14,000 people were employed as Continuous Mining Machine Operators in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  22. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.