SalariesWhat the occupation covers
All underground mining machine operators not listed separately.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 47-5049.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $49,020 | $4,085 | $943 | $23.57 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $51,670 | $4,306 | $994 | $24.84 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $70,130 | $5,844 | $1,349 | $33.72 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $83,120 | $6,927 | $1,598 | $39.96 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $85,010 | $7,084 | $1,635 | $40.87 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other is $70,130, which is 38% higher. Among the 60 occupations of the field Construction and Extraction, it ranks number 9 by median pay. With 3,180 jobs, it makes up about 0.2 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other pay by state
The highest median pay was in Alaska ($106,840), Montana ($84,410) and Minnesota ($83,120). The lowest was in Pennsylvania ($54,480), Nevada ($59,810) and Virginia ($61,990). The most jobs were in Minnesota (930), West Virginia (240) and Utah (180). The occupation is most concentrated in West Virginia, where its share of all jobs is 17.1 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 70 | $106,840 | $109,610 | $51.36 |
| Montana | not published | $84,410 | $82,140 | $40.58 |
| Minnesota | 930 | $83,120 | $71,670 | $39.96 |
| Illinois | 70 | $72,800 | $72,740 | $35.00 |
| Utah | 180 | $67,200 | $62,770 | $32.31 |
| West Virginia | 240 | $65,610 | $71,400 | $31.54 |
| Virginia | 50 | $61,990 | $68,210 | $29.81 |
| Nevada | not published | $59,810 | $65,800 | $28.76 |
| Pennsylvania | 50 | $54,480 | $59,140 | $26.19 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Construction and Building Inspectors$74,690 a year
- Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining$74,500 a year
- Pile Driver Operators$73,300 a year
- Rail-Track Laying and Maintenance Equipment Operators$70,070 a year
- Tapers$68,270 a year
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas$67,890 a year
Common questions
How much do Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other earn in the United States?
The median pay was $70,130 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $49,020 and the highest-paid 10% more than $85,010.
How many people work as Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other?
About 3,180 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.