Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in Indiana

Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Indiana earn the most in Indianapolis (average $70,500 a year) and the least in Lafayette ($64,530), across the 2 Indiana metro areas we cover. Statewide, BLS puts the excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining average at $65,710 and the median at $61,910 for 1,530 workers. The U.S. average for this job is $59,930.

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining average salary by city in Indiana

Indianapolis$70,500
Lafayette$64,530

Pay, take-home pay and cost of living

City	Average	Median	25th pct.	Take-home*	Cost of living
Indianapolis	$70,500	$61,330	$57,840	$54,938	96
Lafayette	$64,530	$65,290	$51,740	$51,311	93

*Average salary after federal and state taxes for a single filer; includes Indianapolis's local income tax (2.02%). Cost of living: BEA price parity, U.S. = 100.

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary in other states

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary by city and state

More about pay in Indiana

Sources and how to read this page

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 47-5022.
U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.

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