SOC 47-5022 · Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in Nashville, TN

The average salary for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Nashville, Tennessee is $57,780 a year ($27.78 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $53,800: half of the 120 people in this job in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 4% less than the U.S. average for this job ($59,930).

$57,780average per year

$27.78 / hourMedian $53,800Take-home ≈ $48,606

  • $48K10th
  • $48K25th
  • $54KMedian
  • $60K75th
  • $84K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

120people in this job
-4%vs U.S. average
#2 of 3Tennessee metros
96cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining pay range in Nashville

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,110 a year or less, while the top 10% make $83,680 or more. The middle half of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Nashville earn between $48,490 and $60,370.

  • $48K10th
  • $48K25th
  • $54KMedian
  • $60K75th
  • $84K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$57,780$4,815$27.78
Median$53,800$4,483$25.87
Entry level (25th percentile)$48,490$4,041$23.31
Experienced (75th percentile)$60,370$5,031$29.02

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining pay in Nashville vs. Tennessee and the U.S.

Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Nashville earn 6% more than the Tennessee average ($54,260) and 4% less than the U.S. average ($59,930). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $57,430.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Nashville$57,780$53,800$48,110$83,680120
Tennessee$54,260$49,500$40,800$76,000550
United States$59,930$57,430$41,600$82,40034,480

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 Nashville

On the average salary of $57,780, a single filer in Nashville takes home about $48,606 a year, or $4,051 a month and $1,869 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.

Tennessee paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Nashville a good place for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 96.3), so the average $57,780 buys what about $59,976 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Nashville ($50,390). A typical home costs $455,958, or 7.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $57,780 is worth in another city

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

Nashville ranks 2nd of 3 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Memphis pays the most ($60,040).

All Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining salaries in Tennessee

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).

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 Nashville: questions

How much do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining make an hour in Nashville?

$27.78 an hour on average, and $25.87 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining salary in Nashville?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,110 a year and the 25th percentile is $48,490, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining take-home pay in Nashville?

About $48,606 a year ($4,051 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $57,780. Tennessee has no state income tax.

Do excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining earn more in Nashville than elsewhere?

The average here is 4% less 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 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN (34980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 7.6%.
  • 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 no state income tax.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.50, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.50).

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