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Skilled Trades

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining

Operate or tend machinery at surface mining site, equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets to excavate and load loose materials.

Median salary (BLS)

$57,430

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$42k – $82k

Job outlook

No separate BLS projection for this specific role

AI exposure

Plan a path to Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining

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Education

Typical entry: No degree required

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$100–$2,600

Time to qualify

3.1 yr

Renewal

$50/yr

  1. 1

    Registered apprenticeship (paid)

    Experience

    Earn-while-you-learn training — apprentices are paid during the program; fees are tools/books, not tuition.

    $0–$2,000 · 36 months · varies by state source

  2. 2

    Journeyman exam & state/local license

    License

    Most states and municipalities test and license journeyman-level trades workers.

    $100–$600 · 1 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining

    Entry / Junior

    $41,600

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining

    Established

    $57,430

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining

    Senior

    $69,915

Key skills

A typical day

  • •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.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Skilled Trades

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.