SOC 47-5022 · Appleton, WI metro

Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining Salary in Appleton, WI

The average salary for excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Appleton, Wisconsin is $66,600 a year ($32.02 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $64,720: half of the 120 people in this job in the Appleton, WI metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 11% more than the U.S. average for this job ($59,930).

$66,600average per year

$32.02 / hourMedian $64,720Take-home ≈ $53,238

  • $53K10th
  • $62K25th
  • $65KMedian
  • $76K75th
  • $76K90th

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

120people in this job
+11%vs U.S. average
#1 of 5Wisconsin metros
92cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining pay range in Appleton

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,940 a year or less, while the top 10% make $75,860 or more. The middle half of excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Appleton earn between $62,400 and $75,860.

  • $53K10th
  • $62K25th
  • $65KMedian
  • $76K75th
  • $76K90th

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

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$66,600$5,550$32.02
Median$64,720$5,393$31.12
Entry level (25th percentile)$62,400$5,200$30.00
Experienced (75th percentile)$75,860$6,322$36.47

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

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

Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators, surface mining in Appleton earn 13% more than the Wisconsin average ($59,180) and 11% more than the U.S. average ($59,930). At the median the gap is +13% against the U.S. median of $57,430.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Appleton$66,600$64,720$52,940$75,860120
Wisconsin$59,180$58,280$49,110$73,870990
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 Appleton

On the average salary of $66,600, a single filer in Appleton takes home about $53,238 a year, or $4,437 a month and $2,048 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

Wisconsin paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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

Prices in the Appleton area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.4), so the average $66,600 buys what about $72,063 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Appleton ($49,910). A typical home costs $350,370, or 5.3 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $66,600 is worth in another city

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

Appleton ranks 1st of 5 Wisconsin metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

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

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 Appleton: questions

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

$32.02 an hour on average, and $31.11 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

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

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $52,940 a year and the 25th percentile is $62,400, a fair guide to starting pay.

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

About $53,238 a year ($4,437 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $66,600.

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

The average here is 11% 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 Appleton, WI (11540). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.7%.
  • 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).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 4.52, this job is 4.5 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.

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