Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining pay range in Des Moines
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,300 a year or less, while the top 10% make $77,630 or more. The middle half of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Des Moines earn between $59,390 and $63,590.
- $51K10th
- $59K25th
- $62KMedian
- $64K75th
- $78K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $62,330 | $5,194 | $29.97 |
| Median | $61,830 | $5,152 | $29.73 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $59,390 | $4,949 | $28.55 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $63,590 | $5,299 | $30.57 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining pay in Des Moines vs. Iowa and the U.S.
Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Des Moines earn 11% more than the Iowa average ($56,370) and 4% more than the U.S. average ($59,930). At the median the gap is +8% against the U.S. median of $57,430.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | $62,330 | $61,830 | $51,300 | $77,630 | 80 |
| Iowa | $56,370 | $59,390 | $41,600 | $63,590 | 560 |
| United States | $59,930 | $57,430 | $41,600 | $82,400 | 34,480 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary after taxes in Des Moines
On the average salary of $62,330, a single filer in Des Moines takes home about $50,505 a year, or $4,209 a month and $1,943 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Is Des Moines a good place for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Des Moines area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.7), so the average $62,330 buys what about $67,971 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Des Moines ($51,820). A typical home costs $296,070, or 4.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary in other Iowa cities
Des Moines ranks 2nd of 3 Iowa metro areas for this job; Davenport pays the most ($63,260).
- Davenport$63,260
- Des Moines$62,330
- Cedar Rapids$61,350
All Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salaries in Iowa
Highest-paying cities for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($110,990).
- San Francisco, CA$110,990
- Sacramento, CA$106,120
- Fresno, CA$94,980
- San Jose, CA$92,240
- New York, NY$89,320
Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary by city
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Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salary in Des Moines: questions
How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining make an hour in Des Moines?
$29.97 an hour on average, and $29.73 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary in Des Moines?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $51,300 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,390, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining take-home pay in Des Moines?
About $50,505 a year ($4,209 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $62,330. Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
Do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining earn more in Des Moines than elsewhere?
The average here is 4% more than the U.S. average for this job ($59,930).
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; area Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA (19780). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.8%.
- 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.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Iowa school district surtaxes (a percentage of state tax in some districts) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.88, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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