The median annual wage for material moving machine operators was $33,640 in May 2015.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $22,080, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $55,060.
Median annual wages for material moving machine operators in May 2015 were as follows:
Loading machine operators, underground mining
$52,320
Crane and tower operators
51,650
Hoist and winch operators
42,220
Dredge operators
40,060
Excavating and loading machine and dragline operators
40,050
Industrial truck and tractor operators
32,090
Conveyor operators and tenders
32,050
Most material moving machine operators work full time, and overtime for them is common. Because materials are shipped around the clock, some operators—especially those in warehousing—work overnight shifts.
Union Membership
Compared with workers in all occupations, material moving machine operators had a higher percentage of workers who belonged to a union in 2014.
Material Moving Machine Operators
Median annual wages, May 2015
Total, all occupations
$36,200
Material moving machine operators
$33,640
Material moving workers
$25,420
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics
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