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Loader 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.

$57,430median pay per year, or $27.61 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $41,600lowest 10% earn less
  2. $47,89025th percentile
  3. $57,430median
  4. $65,73075th percentile
  5. $82,400top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[5]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators in surface mining had a median pay of $57,430 a year, above the median for all occupations[1][2]. Jobs are projected to grow 1% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the rate projected for all occupations[3][4].

Job growth, 2025–35
+1%[3]
Openings per year
2,400[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[7]

How much do loader operators make?

BLS counts this work as Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining. The median wage was $57,430 a year, or $27.61 an hour, in May 2025[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) was $59,930 a year, or $28.81 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations was $50,980 a year[2].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $41,600 a year ($20.00 an hour), and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $47,890 ($23.03 an hour)[5][9]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $65,730 ($31.60 an hour), and the top 10% earned more than $82,400 ($39.61 an hour)[5][9]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[10].

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, and they do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[11]. BLS counted about 34,480 wage and salary jobs in May 2025[12].

Measure Annual wage Source
10th percentile[5] $41,600
25th percentile[5] $47,890
Median[1] $57,430
Mean[8] $59,930
75th percentile[5] $65,730
90th percentile[5] $82,400

Pay by state and city

Among 49 states with published data, North Dakota had the highest median at $90,380[13]. Illinois followed at $80,600, then New Jersey at $80,310 and Wyoming at $78,230[13]. Arkansas was the lowest at $46,170, with Delaware at $46,900 just above it[13].

Texas had the most jobs, at 5,030[14]. Indiana had 1,530, Pennsylvania 1,520, New York 1,490 and Florida 1,480[14].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median at $94,960[15]. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN came next at $87,060[15]. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI followed at $81,180[15]. The metro area with the most jobs was Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, with 990 jobs and a median of $51,780[16].

Show median pay in 49 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
North Dakota[13]$90,380220
Illinois$80,6001,310
New Jersey$80,310740
Wyoming$78,230420
New Mexico$76,350270
Massachusetts$76,070280
Alaska$74,680140
California$74,500790
Montana$65,850150
Connecticut$65,710280
Washington$64,270640
Nevada$63,810730
Indiana$61,9101,530
West Virginia$61,330650
Oregon$61,280310
Minnesota$61,260520
Colorado$61,020820
Arizona$60,310560
Vermont$59,790250
Rhode Island$59,59050
Virginia$59,4801,150
Iowa$59,390560
Michigan$59,040880
Idaho$58,670190
North Carolina$58,620n/a
New Hampshire$58,540350
Nebraska$58,370300
Wisconsin$58,280990
Ohio$58,2401,120
New York$58,1201,490
Maryland$57,610730
Missouri$56,760310
Maine$55,890230
Utah$54,330400
Louisiana$53,510280
South Carolina$52,580330
Pennsylvania$52,3501,520
Florida$51,9901,480
Georgia$50,2901,180
Tennessee$49,500550
Texas$49,0005,030
Kansas$48,950270
Mississippi$48,490290
South Dakota$48,250280
Kentucky$47,780790
Alabama$47,770410
Oklahoma$47,1001,440
Delaware$46,900130
Arkansas$46,170250

How to become a loader operator

BLS describes the typical path this way:

In an O*NET survey of 27 workers, 71% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required and 23% said less than a high school diploma[17]. That is a small survey, so treat it as a rough picture. Job titles reported by workers include Loader Operator, Excavator Operator, Dragline Operator and Heavy Equipment Operator[18].

What loader operators do

They run machinery at a surface mining site that digs up and loads loose material[19]. Tasks reported to O*NET include:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 1% from 2025 to 2035[3]. That is from about 34,700 to 35,000 jobs, a gain of about 400[3]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[4]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[3]. The OEWS count of 34,480 is a different measure[12].

BLS expects about 2,400 openings a year on average from 2025 to 2035[6]. Openings include jobs that come open when people retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 1.8% of workers leave the labor force and 4.9% move to a different occupation[21].

Is it a good fit?

The facts describe a job that asks for a high school diploma, some related experience and moderate-term on-the-job training[7]. The median pay of $57,430 is above the all-occupations median of $50,980[1][2]. Growth of 1% is slower than the 3.5% average, but about 2,400 openings a year still come up[3][4][6]. Pay differs a lot by state, from $90,380 in North Dakota to $46,170 in Arkansas[13]. The facts here do not cover hours or the cost of training, so check those locally.

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

Frequently asked questions

How much does a loader operator make an hour?
The median wage for this occupation was $27.61 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $28.81 an hour[1][8].
What education do you need to be a loader operator?
BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed for entry, with moderate-term on-the-job training[7].
What is the highest paying state for loader operators?
North Dakota, with a median of $90,380 a year, followed by Illinois at $80,600[13].
Are loader operator jobs in demand?
BLS projects 1% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, and about 2,400 openings a year[3][4][6].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in the US was $57,430 per year and $27.61 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining is projected to grow 1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 34,700 to 35,000 jobs (a change of +400). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining: 10th percentile $41,600, 25th percentile $47,890, 75th percentile $65,730, 90th percentile $82,400. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,400 openings for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining 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 Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining was $59,930 per year and $28.81 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining: 10th percentile $20.00, 25th percentile $23.03, 75th percentile $31.60, 90th percentile $39.61. 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. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 34,480 people were employed as Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Median annual wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining jobs: Texas 5,030; Indiana 1,530; Pennsylvania 1,520; New York 1,490; Florida 1,480. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining (areas with at least 100 jobs): New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $94,960; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $87,060; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $81,180; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $76,110; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $73,300; Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $68,600; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $66,160; Cleveland, OH $65,900. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining jobs: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 990 (median $51,780); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 890 (median $49,920); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 880 (median $94,960); Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 630 (median $56,460); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 570 (median $87,060); San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 540 (median $47,970). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. O*NET 47-5022.00 survey of workers (27 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 71%, Less than a High School Diploma 23%, Post-Secondary Certificate 6% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 47-5022.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Backhoe Operator, Dragline Oiler, Dragline Operator, Equipment Operator, Excavator Operator, Heavy Equipment Operator, Loader Operator, Pit Operator. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET description of Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET task list for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining: 1.8% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  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.