U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsOperate or tend machinery equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets, to excavate and load loose materials. Excludes "Dredge Operators" (53-7031).
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49,140 | 2.5 % | $19.19 | $39,910 | 0.8 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $11.87 | $14.19 | $17.75 | $22.58 | $28.81 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $24,690 | $29,510 | $36,920 | $46,970 | $59,920 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 12,570 | 2.34 | $19.20 | $39,940 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | 6,720 | 7.41 | $17.16 | $35,690 |
| Utility System Construction | 4,220 | 1.09 | $20.76 | $43,180 |
| Coal Mining | 3,290 | 4.14 | $21.59 | $44,910 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | 3,060 | 1.00 | $18.50 | $38,480 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying | 6,720 | 7.41 | $17.16 | $35,690 |
| Coal Mining | 3,290 | 4.14 | $21.59 | $44,910 |
| Other Specialty Trade Contractors | 12,570 | 2.34 | $19.20 | $39,940 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | 1,650 | 1.73 | $21.10 | $43,900 |
| Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | 1,340 | 1.36 | $19.46 | $40,470 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support Activities for Water Transportation | 170 | 0.19 | $30.53 | $63,510 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas | 60 | 0.22 | $27.41 | $57,020 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 650 | 0.17 | $26.38 | $54,870 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 90 | 0.01 | $25.43 | $52,900 |
| Rail Transportation | 30 | 0.02 | $24.44 | $50,840 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 5,360 | 0.53 | 1.37 | $16.27 | $33,840 |
| Florida | 2,470 | 0.35 | 0.90 | $16.11 | $33,520 |
| Missouri | 2,180 | 0.84 | 2.18 | $20.38 | $42,400 |
| North Carolina | 2,130 | 0.57 | 1.46 | $15.71 | $32,680 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,100 | 0.38 | 0.99 | $19.33 | $40,210 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | 620 | 2.30 | 5.96 | $22.96 | $47,750 |
| West Virginia | 1,140 | 1.66 | 4.29 | $22.34 | $46,460 |
| North Dakota | 450 | 1.27 | 3.27 | $21.98 | $45,720 |
| Oklahoma | 1,730 | 1.17 | 3.02 | $16.02 | $33,310 |
| Kentucky | 1,600 | 0.93 | 2.41 | $18.37 | $38,200 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 70 | 0.23 | 0.59 | $27.58 | $57,370 |
| California | 1,860 | 0.13 | 0.34 | $27.37 | $56,930 |
| Illinois | 790 | 0.14 | 0.37 | $25.90 | $53,870 |
| Washington | 820 | 0.30 | 0.79 | $25.34 | $52,710 |
| New Jersey | 510 | 0.14 | 0.35 | $25.07 | $52,150 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 1,080 | 0.43 | 1.12 | $16.28 | $33,870 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 870 | 0.38 | 0.99 | $20.58 | $42,810 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 840 | 0.67 | 1.73 | $23.01 | $47,860 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division | 730 | 0.44 | 1.13 | $22.97 | $47,780 |
| Richmond, VA | 720 | 1.24 | 3.21 | $20.84 | $43,350 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | 700 | 0.92 | 2.39 | $13.76 | $28,620 |
| Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 570 | 0.29 | 0.74 | $16.74 | $34,830 |
| Baltimore-Towson, MD | 530 | 0.43 | 1.11 | $21.23 | $44,150 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 470 | 0.28 | 0.72 | $21.33 | $44,360 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 450 | 0.91 | 2.35 | $15.64 | $32,540 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longview, TX | 320 | 3.51 | 9.08 | $18.15 | $37,750 |
| Charleston, WV | 390 | 2.77 | 7.17 | $22.92 | $47,680 |
| Casper, WY | 80 | 2.22 | 5.74 | $18.65 | $38,800 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 100 | 1.88 | 4.85 | $16.25 | $33,810 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 210 | 1.70 | 4.39 | $26.05 | $54,190 |
| Prescott, AZ | 80 | 1.55 | 4.01 | $19.53 | $40,630 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | 140 | 1.41 | 3.64 | $12.90 | $26,830 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 180 | 1.32 | 3.42 | $19.23 | $40,000 |
| Taunton-Norton-Raynham, MA NECTA Division | 60 | 1.32 | 3.41 | $25.10 | $52,210 |
| Ogden-Clearfield, UT | 240 | 1.28 | 3.31 | $17.99 | $37,410 |