Continuous Mining Machine Operators Salary
Construction and Extraction Occupations · 14K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$61,810
Median hourly
$30
Average annual
$65,050
Typical range
$46,770–$86,210
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Continuous Mining Machine Operators is $61,810 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $30 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Operate self-propelled mining machines that rip coal, metal and nonmetal ores, rock, stone, or sand from the mine face and load it onto conveyors, shuttle cars, or trucks in a continuous operation..
Most earn between $46,770 and $86,210 a year. There are roughly 14K people employed as continuous mining machine operators in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Continuous Mining Machine Operators.
- Hourly
- $29.72
- Daily
- $238
- Weekly
- $1,189
- Bi-weekly
- $2,377
- Monthly
- $5,151
- Annual
- $61,810
$61,810 a year is around the 50th percentile for Continuous Mining Machine Operatorss. The median is $61,810.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Duluth, MN-WI$86,230
- 2Wheeling, WV-OH$66,300
- 3Charleston, WV$65,280
- 4Beckley, WV$64,270
- 5Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ$63,250
- 6Tucson, AZ$60,880
- 7Pittsburgh, PA$60,780
- 8Tuscaloosa, AL$58,430
- 9Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$57,900
- 10Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI$54,690
- 11St. Louis, MO-IL$48,120
- 12Kansas City, MO-KS$47,950
Related job titles
Employers advertise Continuous Mining Machine Operators roles under these titles.
- Bore Miner Operator
- Concrete Crusher Loader Operator
- Continuous Miner
- Continuous Miner Operator (CMO)
- Continuous Mining Machine Coal Miner
- Continuous Mining Machine Company Miner
- Continuous Mining Machine Contract Miner
- Continuous Mining Machine Lode Miner
- Continuous Mining Machine Miner
- Continuous Mining Machine Operator
- Continuous Mining Operator (CMO)
- Crusher Loader Equipment Operator
- Crusher Loader Operator
- Dozer Operator
- Forklift Wheel Loader
- Front End Wheel Loader Operator
Related occupations
- Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining$57,430
- Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators$59,850
- Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas$60,190
- Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining$74,500
- Helpers--Extraction Workers$47,730
- Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas$67,890
- Maintenance Workers, Machinery$60,850
- Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$65,510
What a Continuous Mining Machine Operators does
- Hang ventilation tubing and ventilation curtains to ensure that the mining face area is kept properly ventilated.
- Conduct methane gas checks to ensure breathing quality of air.
- Operate mining machines to gather coal and convey it to floors or shuttle cars.
- Drive machines into position at working faces.
- Move controls to start and regulate movement of conveyors and to start and position drill cutters or torches.
- Reposition machines to make additional holes or cuts.
- Determine locations, boundaries, and depths of holes or channels to be cut.
- Observe and listen to equipment operation to detect binding or stoppage of tools or other equipment malfunctions.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Continuous Mining Machine Operators make?
- The median annual wage for Continuous Mining Machine Operators is $61,810 ($30 per hour). Pay ranges from about $46,770 at the 10th percentile to $86,210 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Continuous Mining Machine Operators?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $65,050, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Continuous Mining Machine Operatorss the most?
- Minnesota has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $90,820.
- Is Continuous Mining Machine Operators a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 14K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Continuous Mining Machine Operators do?
- Hang ventilation tubing and ventilation curtains to ensure that the mining face area is kept properly ventilated.; Conduct methane gas checks to ensure breathing quality of air.; Operate mining machines to gather coal and convey it to floors or shuttle cars..