How much does a mine load operator make?
a year · about $36 an hour
A typical mine load operator in the United States makes $74,500 a year, about $36 an hour, about 1.5× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
After a safety huddle and machine check, a mine load operator goes underground and drives a loader into blasted rock. They scoop ore into trucks or conveyors, watch the roadway, and signal coworkers to keep material moving.
Did you know? At some U.S. mines, operators steer load-haul-dump loaders by remote control from a protected underground spot nicknamed a “Turkey Nest.”
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $52,030 and $87,730How do you become one?
Complete high school or a GED, then apply at a mine; federal law bars under-18s from mining. Before underground work, finish MSHA’s 40-hour new-miner course and task training; demonstrate safe machine operation under supervision.
School needed: High school plus some training
Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the US, pay varies with experience, the mine and employer, location, and skill with specialized machines or harder tasks. Longer hours or night shifts can change total pay, while MSHA safety and machine training helps workers qualify for particular tasks.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in Wyoming ($112,110), lowest in Oklahoma ($44,760).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $52,030 | $74,500 | $87,730 | about 6,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $112,110 | about 30 |
| Alaska | $93,130 | about 50 |
| Nevada | $82,920 | about 880 |
| South Carolina | $80,480 | about 30 |
| Colorado | $79,150 | about 70 |
Official definition: Operate underground loading or moving machine to load or move coal, ore, or rock using shuttle or mine car or conveyors. Equipment may include power shovels, hoisting engines equipped with cable-drawn scraper or scoop, or machines equipped with gathering arms and conveyor.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/47-5044.00
- www.ecfr.gov/current/title-30/chapter-I/subchapter-H/part-48/subpart-A/section-4
- www.ecfr.gov/current/title-30/chapter-I/subchapter-H/part-48/subpart-A/section-4
- www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/43-child-labor-non-agriculture
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.msha.gov/data-reports/fatality-reports/2025/july-12-2025-fatality/final-repo
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY