Average Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other is $70,130 per year. The middle 50% earn between $51,670 and $83,120, with 3,180 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 9 states and 1 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $49,020
- 25th
- $51,670
- Median
- $70,130
- 75th
- $83,120
- 90th
- $85,010
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Pay is well above the national median for all US workers. This is an upper-income occupation.
Pay is tightly clustered around the median. Most underground mining machine operators, all other earn within a narrow band, with less variation than many other occupations. That is often a sign of standardized roles or union and public-sector pay scales.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for underground mining machine operators, all other from 2024 to 2034. This occupation is projected to shrink. Workers may face more competition for fewer openings, and the role may see automation or consolidation pressure.
- Projected growth
- -6.1%
- -200 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 400
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings reflect typical replacement demand alongside any growth.
- Typical entry education
- No formal educational credential
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
There are no formal educational requirements for entry. Much of the training happens through experience on the job.
Where Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other earn the most
Location matters a lot. The gap between top-paying and bottom-paying states is large, so where underground mining machine operators, all other work can reshape their total compensation. Right now, the top-paying state is Alaska at $106,840, about 52.3% above the national median. At the metro level, Wheeling, WV-OH leads with a median of $65,610.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $65,610 | 60 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see underground mining machine operators, all other pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2021 and 2025, the national median salary for Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other rose from $61,260 to $70,130, a gain of +14.5% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +18.8%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2021 median of $61,260 would need to be worth $72,784 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $70,130 is −$2,654 below that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of -3.6% in purchasing power.
Adjusted for inflation, pay has lost ground. Nominal growth of 14.5% has not kept up with rising prices.
- Nominal change
- +14.5%
- 2021–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +18.8%
- US CPI, 2021–2025
- Real change
- -3.6%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $70,130
- 2024
- $67,220
- 2023
- $68,910
- 2022
- $64,180
- 2021
- $61,260
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2020, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Roof Bolters, Mining
- $78,540
- Derrick Operators, Oil And Gas
- $58,620
Common salary questions for Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Underground Mining Machine Operators, All Other workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.